Counting Activities Around Your Household

Counting is the fundamental concept in math and children are often eager to learn this vital activity. Educational studies have confirmed the fact that when young children grasp the idea of counting, they are quicker to absorb and develop other math skills later in school. The reason behind this is because their brains are being trained to ‘think’ in number values and this paves the way for future learning.

Preschoolers as young as 2 can be easily taught number recognition and counting in a relaxed and fun atmosphere at home. Parents can begin by gradually introducing the idea of numbers in relevant and everyday activities. From the kitchen to the backyard, numbers and their values can be made very real to a young child.

Elementary counting skills can start in the kitchen. Invite the child to help you set the table for dinner. How many people are in the family? How many plates, glasses, forks and knives are needed? Depending on the physical skill level of the child, allow him or her to select the utensils or fold the correct number of napkins.

Snack time can also become a learning experience. Open a package of gummi snacks and count them. Allow the child to put them in groups according to color. How many are in each group? How many are left in each group after he eats one?

Foster a child’s interest in cooking by watching you bake a cake. Math concepts are in every recipe. Count the number of ingredients out loud. How many cups of milk? How many eggs do you need?

Step into the living room and count ordinary things, like the number of chairs or the photos hanging on the wall. When the mail is delivered, count the number of letters. Draw the child’s attention to the numbers used in addressing a letter, from the house number to the zip code. In this way, the child begins to understand the absolute necessity of using numbers in everyday ways.

The backyard has endless possibilities for fun counting activities. Count the number of birds at the feeder. Or the squirrels that race up the tree. Play a game of Simon Sez with a number focus. For instance, ask the children to hop three times or pat their head two times. Use a jump rope and a few musical jingles to reinforce counting. Have the child jump over the rope a certain number of times, while singing the numbers. Check the Internet for a wide assortment of jump rope counting songs that are silly but serious about teaching this important concept. Toss a ball back and forth and count to ten. Collect bits of nature, like rocks, twigs or leaves. Count them. Put them in piles. Show the child a single leaf or rock and what a pile of two or three or more looks like. This activity helps to fasten the value of numbers in their mind.

Take a walk around the block. How many white houses or blue one are in your neighborhood? How many cars passed you on the road? Was anyone walking their dog? How many people or dogs did you see?

Introducing a child to elementary counting principles is fun and will give them a solid head start for kindergarten. There are many opportunities to accomplish this and all it takes is some creativity and a conscious looking out for ways math is used in everyday life.