Numbers for child

125+ Engaging Number Activities for Preschool & Kindergarten

Today we have a lot of activities for learning numbers for kids that make learning fun! These activities with numbers for preschoolers and Kindergartners are great for kids learning numbers, needing number practice numbers or just fun games to learn numbers.

Learning Numbers for Kids

Below you will find games, free printables, crafts, and even snacks perfect for young children! We are sure that you will find a fun learning activity that your child will love.

Related: Alphabet learning

These fun math games will help make math fun, and will make them want to learn!

Counting For Kids

Learning to count and learning math shouldn’t be hard and tedious! We have gathered the vary best number activities to teach your little one no only how to count, but number recognition and other basic math skills as well.

These math games, projects, and printables are great for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and first graders. Though, we have a few links that are great for bigger kids learning harder math like algebra!

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Why Is Learning Math Early Is Important?

Learning basic math skills at an early age gives kids a good foundation when they actually go to school. Without a good foundation and basic understanding of math children are more likely to struggle with learning math while they’re in school. Not to mention, introducing math early will help shape how their educational experiences later in life.

Positive math experiences will help children be excited, curious, and persistence when it comes to numbers.

Fun Number Activities & Counting Activities for Preschool & Kindergarten

Number Recognition Activities for Preschool

1. Odd and Even Numbers

Once your preschooler has recognize regular numbers, it is time to learn and recognize odd and even numbers! Don’t worry, believe it or not, there is an easy way to learn odd and even numbers.

2. Hands On Activities To Learn Numbers

Use these fun hands on activities to learn numbers, along with other educational letters. It’s fun, it’s messy, it is a great way to learn.

3. Number Jumping Game

This number jumping game will help your child learn number recognition. It’s a super cute game that not only teaches, but gets your child moving.

4. Pretend Elevator

This pretend elevator game not only promotes pretend play, but it also helps with number recognition as they have to “press” the correct floors. 

5. Star Search

Learn your numbers and to recognize them with this super cute star search number learning game. What a great way to learn number concepts and is toddler approved.

6. Number Sensory Activity

Use this super fun number sensory bin full of rice, numbered ping pong balls, and numbered spoons to not only work on fine motor skills, but to learn number recognition. Sensory and numbers, all the important things in one activity.

7. Number Recognition Game

This is a great game for long car rides. Scanning houses and signs you call a number and your little one has to find and point it out. It’s a simple number recognition game, but a lot of fun.

8. Sorting Numbers

Sort numbers using stones, wood pieces, and stones. Sorting numbers just requires you to right numbers on objects and then have plates laid out for your child to put the objects in.

9. Simple Games To Teach Number Recognition

Check out these 5 simple games to teach number recognition to your preschooler and kindergartener. They’re fun, simple, and will make learning fun.

10. Number Recognition With Sequence

Do you remember the game sequence? It’s a fun game, but it’s also a game that can help you teach your child number recognition as well.

11. Number Recognition and Ordering

Use toilet paper rolls and number stickers to teach your little one number recognition and ordering. This project is perfect for preschoolers and toddlers.

Counting Activities for 2-3 Year Olds

12. DIY Montessori Cards

Use these DIY Montessori cards and counters to help teach preschoolers count. It’s cute, easy, and each set of DIY Montessori card is themed.

13. Counting Cards

Move over deck of cards, we have even better cards! Flash cards! I love these! These free counting cards are a great way to teach your little one how to count and number recognition. Numbers for kids has never been easier!

14. Counting In Tens

Once your little one learns to count, then it is time to learn to count by 10’s and they can do just that with these super cute count by 10 alien worksheets.

15. Counting With Petals

How cute is this counting lesson! Use a sheet of paper to make to make the base of the flower and then use a dice. Once your preschooler rolls it, have then add that many flower petals on the flower. Counting with petals is a colorfully fun way to practice counting.

16. Counting Caterpillar Busy Bag

These free printable numbers are great to cut and laminate and add to a busy bag with pom poms. Your child will learn to count. This counting caterpillar busy bag is great for quiet time or as a math game.

17. Counting With Pom Poms

Start counting with pom poms and learn about graphs at the same time with this simple counting lesson.

18. Counting Beads

Use counting beads and wooden numbers to help teach your child to count. Line them up and have your child right the number down beside each group or write a number then have your kids count out the beads and sticks.

19. Throw The Dice And Draw

Throw the dice and draw that many pictures! Roll a 10? Then you need to draw 10 houses!

20. Homemade Learning Board For Toddlers

This homemade learning board for toddlers is a great way to learn how to count using cards and counters.

21. Number Games For Preschoolers

Learn to count with this super cute penguin math game. All you need is a foam die, insta-snow, and penguin rubber ducks.

22. Counting and Fine Motor Hedgehog Game

Use clay and popsicle sticks to create this counting and fine motor hedgehog game. Not only are you putting the popsicle stick in the correlating hole, which is also fine motor practice.

23. Clothespin Counting Activity

This clothespin counting activity is great for toddlers and preschoolers, and it works on fine motor skills! All you need is a jar, large popsicle sticks, and clothespin for this activity.

24. Jelly Beans For Sale

Jelly Beans for Sale is a book by Bruce McMillan and a great way to introduce a new type of counting. Counting money!

Counting Games For Preschoolers

25. Counting and Colors

Make a counting and colors busy bag full of colorful shapes with numbers on them. Then have your child count the numbers and add the correct number of clothes pins.

26. Cinco Calabazas

Cinco Calabazas is a fun little song that teaches children to count the 5 little pumpkins.

27. Number Counting Activities

Looking for more counting activities? Here are 50 great ideas on easy and fun ways to teach your child how to count.

28. Counting With A Remote Control Car

Using blocks to create a maze learn your numbers while trying to get your remote control car out of the maze!

29. I Caught A Fish Alive

This counting song is super cute and will encourage your little one to count on their fingers from one to ten.

30. Learning Double Digits

Once your child can count 1-10, then it is time to learn double digits and you can do just that with this double digits counting project.

31. Pretend Play To Learn Counting

Use pretend play to learn counting by using a toy register. Count out money, push buttons, and count back change.

32. Christmas Counting Correlation

Work on counting using paper, basic drawings, and snowflake glitter with this cute Christmas counting correlation activity.

33. Counting Snowmen

Learn counting with this super cute counting snowmen activity. Keep adding “snowballs” to the snowman’s body based on the number.

34.

Use pretend play to learn counting by using a toy register. Count out money, push buttons, and count back change.

35. Poke and Peg

This poke and peg counting game is a fun way to teach your kids numbers 1-9. Stick wooden dowels into clay and clip numbers on the correct number of dots.

36. Flower Counting Cards

These are so pretty, I love them! These flower counting cards have the stems, but your toddler or preschooler has to add the correct number of flowers to each card.

37. Bakery Counting Game

This bakery counting game a great way to teach your kid how to count money. Each “bakery item” has a number on it. Have bowl of coins ready and let your child count out how much they need for each treat.

38. Abucus Counting

Use an abucus to learn to count. You can incorporate the use of the abucus while you’re singing through fun number songs.

39. Punch By Number

Don’t worry, by punch we mean with a paper punch! Use strips of paper with numbers on them and paper punches to learn how to count. This punch by number is actually really cute, but also works on fine motor skills as well.

40. Reuse Playdough Containers To Count

Learn to count and numbers by using marked playdough cups. Fit on into the other, and the lip hangs out and you can turn it to see different numbers.

41. Counting With Nature

Trace a number on a piece of paper and then count out different things in nature and place it on the paper. Like 3 sticks, 3 acorns, 3 shells, etc. Counting with nature is also a good way to get outside to gather all the counting tokens.

42. How To Teach Numbers Using LEGOs

How to teach numbers using LEGOs? Easy! Add the number, the correct amount of dots, and the number word! This not only teaches your child to count, but word recognition as well.

Counting Games For Preschoolers

43. Counting Bottle Bowling Game

Save your plastic bottles, get some paint, and a small beach ball and get bowling with this super easy and fun counting bottle bowling game.

44. Math Games For Preschoolers

Wanting to teach kids to count money? Learn math facts? Looking for some counting games? Dice games? There are so many math games to choose from!

45. Frog and Lily Pad Math Games

Cut out lily pads with paper and number them. Then let your little one decorate them with the right amount of stickers before they get to act like a little frog and jump across them all with this fun frog and lily pad math game.

46. Online Number Recognition Activities For Preschool

Whether you’re learning to count, add, substract, fractions, or algebra, these are the best math apps for struggling students. This will make learning math fun again.

47. Monster Match Game

Print off this monster match game, grab some counters, and a d6, and start learning! This is a great way to learn to count and to learn number recognition.

48. Race To 10 Scoops Math Game

How cute is this math game? Race to 10 scoops math game is a free printable and great for preschoolers and kindergarteners, and requires more than 1 player.

49. Math Games For Elementary Kids

Math is hard. Ditch curriculum and play math games! These math games for elementary kids is a great way to learn the basics, to learn decimals and fractions, as well as others.

50. Preschooler Counting Card Game

This preschooler counting card game is easy to make and can easily teach your child more or less. Take 2 cards and ask your toddler which has more or which has less.

51. Number Stomp

This number stomp game is a great way to learn numbers and have fun! Learn addition and subtraction and then jump on the bag with the answer!

52. Pom Pom Drop

Learn addition with this pom pom drop math game. Give your child a number plus another number and have them put that many in the first tube and second tube and count the answer.

53. Counting Math Games

I love this! Roll a foam dice and add that many counters into a bowl. I think this is one of the cuter counting math games.

54. Math Facts Game

This math facts game will teach number recognition, addition, subtraction, and multiplication, equation memory, and more.

55. Math Discovery Box

Fill a plastic bin with either salt or sugar and stick pages beneath it. Then your child will use a brush to move the sugar or salt around the math discovery box to find shapes and numbers.

56. Dice Game

Use this dice game to teach your child numbers 1-6 as well as number recognition. They’ll roll the dice, count the pips, and then tap the correct number on the wall.

57. Comparing Uno Cards

Comparing Uno cards is a cute game and fantastic way to learn greater than and less than.

58. Truffula Tree Math Games

This fun truffula tree math game is inspired by Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax. All you need is pom poms, pipe cleaners, clay, and bottle caps.

59. Super Hero Math Game

Play this fun super hero math game, to not only learn how to count, but to catch the villain!

60. Rummikub Math

This is a great way to not only learn math, but spend time with the family! Plus, these Rummikub math pieces are actually candy!

61.

Play these different games to learn about weights, lengths, shapes, and time. Each game is different and requires different items, but your preschooler or elementary student will have a blast.

62. Dump Truck Counting Game

How many dominoes can a dump truck hold? Find out with this fun dump truck counting game that not only teaches about math, but also physics.

63. HiHo! Cherry-O Inspired Game Night

Use HiHo! Cherry-O to learn to count, addition, and subtraction. Take or add fruit to the tree and you can add different operation symbols and numbers to make it more challenging.

64. Train Track Number Hunt

Stop around the track and different stations to hunt down different numbers to add to your train with this train track number hunt. It’s actually super cute.

65. Learning Numbers With Hopscotch

Did you know you can learn numbers with hopscotch? You can! Set out the number tiles and get jumping!

66.

By adding a new rule to Chutes and Ladders, you can turn a beloved children’s game into a fun math lesson.

Numbers Worksheets for Preschoolers & Kindergartners

67. M&M Math

Learn math with these M&M math sheets. Count (and taste) M&M’s, write numbers, add, subtract, and multiply with these free worksheets.

68. Printable Colored Fish

Print and laminate these printable colored fish with paper clips. Add them to a tub and have your child “go fishing.” Tell them which color and number fish to fish up.

69. Romping & Roaring Number Set 15

This romping and roaring number set has 25+ math worksheets included. These math worksheets are great for preschoolers and kindergarteners.

70. Free Car Games For Kids

Print these free car games for kids. You will be looking for the numbers on the signs, assign place value, and find which numbers are more or less.

71. Beach Pail Number Recognition

Print off these free counting printable to help your child learn number recognition up to 20!

72.

There are so many math worksheets! Learn about matching, trace word and numbers, match number and pictures, count and circle, and more!

73. Number Tracing Worksheets

Learn numbers and practice fine motor skills. There are number tracing worksheets for numbers 1-10.

74. Candy Corn Printable

This candy corn printable is not only free, but is a super fun math sheet. You have to circle the right number of candy corns!

75. Learn To Count Printable

This learn to count printable will teach your toddler or preschooler how to count to ten.

76. Free Printable Counting Mats

This free printable counting mats are so cute, they look like little bird nests with numbers on them. Add glass beads to the nest bases on the number on the printable.

77. Preschool Printables

These preschool printables are actually super cute and will teach your kids how many!

78. Connect The Dots With Numbers

Does your child love connect the dots? Not only are they great problem solving activities, but these connect the dots with numbers teach you to count, and work on fine motor skills.

79. Montessori Greater Than Less Than

Learn greater than and less than with this Montessori alligator themed math printable.

80. Printable Counting Book

A printable counting book is a must have to teach your preschool and kindergarten children to identify and naming numbers. What a great way to learn number identification.

81. Free Farm Grid Games

Farm grid games are a free printable that support basic math skills while making learning fun. It is a great way to learn addition.

82. Lady Bug Counting Cards

These lady bug counting cards are a fun way to learn to count. Clip clothes pins on the correct numbers or laminate and circle the numbers, there is no wrong way to do them. This is a wonderful way to build a strong foundation in education and practice counting skills.

83. Printable Math Games

This printable math game is super cute and requires you to wrap yarn around reaching the next number in line.

84. Free Romping & Roaring Number Pack 16

This number pack has even more math worksheets that includes: tracing numbers, color by number, find the number, number dice, and more!

85.

Learn to count and number words with this super simple printable. This is great for toddlers to first graders.

86. Sorting Game

This school bus sorting game is super simple. Print out the school bus and then use sticky notes to count all the windows from 1-5.

87. Counting Flowers

Print off this number circles page and use petals to fill in the dots. You could also use small silk flowers for this counting flowers worksheet.

88. Number Coloring Pages

Print off these number coloring pages! Not only are they a ton of fun, but your kids will be learning numbers 1-10.

89. Learning Numbers Game

Learning numbers has never been easier with this free printable. Print it out and then fold it to look like a paper fortune teller for math fun.

90. Five Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed

Learn numbers with this five little monkey jumping on the bed printable to go along with the song.

91. Free Ice Cream File Folder Game

This free ice cream file folder game helps your child count in a fun way as they count the colorful sprinkles on each cone.

92. Free Kite Number Cards

Have your child count the kites on theses free kite number cards and then use a clothes pin to clip the correct answer.

93. Free Printable Blank 100 Grid

Use this free printable blank 100 grid to learn about number patterns, counting to 100, counting by 5’s and 10’s and more! Don’t worry this isn’t a number line, but a grid. It’s a fun activity that teaches important skills and bigger numbers. Perfect for preschool children and kindergarten kids.

94. Preschool Ladybug Counting Activity

Count the different colored lady bugs with these free printable counting cards and use a clothes pin to clip the right answer.

95. Free Printable Dump Truck Counting Mat

This dump truck counting mat is so cute. You use a number card to show you how many LEGOs you need to load into the dump truck.

96. Romping & Roaring Number 13

This number 13 printable pack has all things number 13 with over 40 pages like: playdough mats, number tracing, number writing practice, and more!

97.

Match the cards with the pictures to their corresponding numbers with these free printable math cards.

98. Flower Coverall

This flower coverall game is so cute! Grab these printables, pom poms, and a paper clip. This is a fun and simple way to teach basic math skills like addition.

99. Math Store Printables

Use these math printables to label prices on your pretend store. This is a great way to teach your child how to count money.

100. Free Count, Rhyme, Repeat E-Books

Download these free math e-books to help your child count, rhyme, and more. Math can be fun with this pages that depict numbers, animals, and forests. These are not a nursery phyme, but a great activity and lots of fun.

101. Greater Than, Less Than, Equal To Worksheets

Work on greater than, less than, equal to worksheets using pony beads. This worksheet is free and great for kindergarten kids and even first graders.

102.

Learn math facts using these super cute and simple gingerbread math printables. This is wonderful for little kids.

103. Romping & Roaring Number 14 Printable Pack

This romping and roaring number 14 pack has 40 pages that include: follow the number path, color by size number, roll and count numbers, and more.

104. Learning Numbers With A Free Printable Chart

Looking for more math fun for younger children. This free printable number chart may seem simple, but using stones with numbers on it can teach your little one to not only count, but letter recognition as well. 

105. Race To 100 Printable Sheets

This race to 100 game is a fun game that multiple children can play. All you need are tokens and dice to play this number game.

106. Printable Numbers Memory Game

These printable numbers memory game is a little more tricky. You have the actual number, the word, and then pictures. You have to match the printable numbers with the picture cards.

107. Pete The Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

Print out this shirt so your child can count Pete the Cat’s four groovy buttons while you read them the book!

Learn the Numbers with Counting Activities At Home

108. Number Houses

Use recycled bottles to create number houses. Decorate them and add numbers to them and then promote pretend play by driving numbered cars to their numbered homes.

109. Math Art For First Graders

Learn about patterns and numbers with coloring! This math art for first graders is perfect for first graders and is a fun way to not only learn about patterns, but to color as well.

110. Playdough Number Activity

Use a white table cloth and draw incomplete faces on it and let your child use playdough to make faces! Some of these faces will need 2 eyes, or 1 mouth, 1 nose, 4 freckles. This playdough number activity teaches part of the face and counting!

111.

Plates, playdough, and foam dice is all you need for this fun playdough activity. Learn to count and number recognition with this simple math activity.

112. Math Fraction Art Project

Construction paper, glue sticks, and scissors is all you need to make fraction art! Fractions can be difficult to learn, and this is a super cute way to make it easy.

113. Mobius Strip

A mobius strip may look like a simple curly piece of ribbon or paper, but a mobius strip is a surface with a boundary. There is even a parametric equation for the mobius strip.

114. Counting With Yertle The Turtle By Dr. Seuss

Make your own turtles, and enjoy a Dr. Seuss story while you learn to count! This Yertle the Turtle math craft is super cute.

115. En Aquel Prado

En Aquel Prado is a fun animal counting story based on a poem. This is not only something fun to read, but after your child can draw out the story using the right number of animals.

116. Math Picture Book Activities

Make your own math picture book and add numbers, sticks, and other fun math crafts to each page.

117. Five Little Speckled Frogs

Five Little Speckled Frogs is a cute little preschool counting song. But once you’re done counting, don’t forget to make your own little frogs complete with flies!

118. Fun Edible Numbers

Learn about numbers, number recognition, with this fun edible numbers recipe. Each number is a delicious soft pretzel! Yum!

119. Number Cookies

Bake cookies, but each number cookie has a number of chocolate chips on it. Not only will this help with counting and number recognition, but they’re delicious!

120. DIY Number Gems

These DIY number gems are color, sparkly, and a great way to learn about numbers or use as token for other math games and math worksheets.

121. DIY Dice

Need a dice for your math games? Make your own DIY dice using stickers, paper, tape, and cardboard. Make your own board game!

122. Bottle Top Calculator

This is a cute little game that you can make using cardboard, markers, bottle lids, and stickers. This will help with letter bottle top calculator recognition!

Learn About Numbers with Counting Activities For 3-4 Year Olds

123. Number Chart

Use a number chart that goes to 100 and use number tabs to help your little one learn about number patterns.

124. Shapes and Money

Use coins to learn math! You can learn about shapes and money at the same time with this shape lesson. Make patterns, shapes within shapes, and more. Learn real life skills, counting, and other math ideas like larger numbers.

125. Homemade Puzzle

Make this homemade puzzle to learn to count. Not only is it a picture puzzle, everyone loves Mickey Mouse, but your preschooler and kindergartener will be able to count up to 16.

126. Train Counting Puzzle

What a fantastic way to learn early math skills. This train counting puzzle is so cute and helps your child not only learn to count, but problem solving as well.

127. Counting Popsicle Stick Puzzle 

Not only will this counting popsicle stick puzzle help your preschooler learn numbers 1-10, but it also doubles as an art project. This is a great way to build your preschooler or kindergarten kid’s knowledge of numbers.

128. Estimation Jar

Estimation is a math term that is kind of like a puzzle. You’re guessing how many their are and these estimation jar will give your child a great way to practice estimating. This is one of the best number sense activities. 

Beginner Pre Number Activities

129. Free Montessori Math Videos

Want more preschool math activities? These free Montessori math videos will give you some math help. Not in the sense of teaching you to count, but will help you put together a proper math lesson for your child.

130. Counting In The Garden Book And Others

Using books like: Counting In The Garden, One Whole Bunch, Nana’s Garden, From The Garden…and others are great to teach your kids how to count.

131. Learning Numbers With Counting Bears

What a great introduction to counting. If you’ve gotten some counting bears hoping to help your child learn, we have a list of different ways to use them to make learning numbers fun and easy.

132. Counting Ideas

Need more ideas for your toddler, preschooler, or kindergartener’s math lesson plan? These counting ideas vary from writing, counting, worksheets, playdough, and more.

133. Intuitive Math Skills

Wanting to know how you can encourage early intuitive math skills? There are so many good tips and tricks on how to do just that. This is one of my favorite fun number activities.

134. Hands-On Math Projects

We found some great preschool number activities. Want some hands-on math projects for your lesson plan? There 6 math projects are great for preschoolers and kindergarteners.

135. Get Preschoolers Excited For Math

Check out these early math concepts. Looking for ways to get preschoolers excited for math? Here are 20 amazing tips to do just that.

136. Math Picture Books For Kids

Do you need some supplements for your math lessons? These math picture books are absolutely perfect! Preschool kids will love these fun activities.

More Educational Activities For Kids From Kids ACtivities BLog:

Kids are naturally curious and love to learn more than just numbers! Nurture their minds with these educational crafts and activities! 

• Free Educational Apps for Kids
• Lego Balance Scale STEM Project
• Flashlight Solar System
• 25 Fun Weather Activities and Crafts
• 10 Fun Math Games for Kids!
•  Super Fun Math Games
• Fraction Game: Cookie Math
• FREE Printable Math Activities
• Fun math games

Comment below with your family’s favorite number crafts and activities! 

Tips and Tricks to Teach Your Children Numbers

It’s amazing how quickly toddlers are able to say the names of many numbers, but the process of teaching them what the numbers actually mean can take quite a while longer. The understanding of numbers is of course crucially important for any child’s future education and life beyond, which is precisely why it is a process that cannot be rushed. As a parent, it’s perfectly possible to nurture and encourage a child’s understanding of numbers from an early age, simply by getting them interested in educational activities and games you can play at home.

How to Teach Numbers to Your Kids 

Teaching your kids numbers is easy. It’s a case of encouraging them to associate number with the things they see and do every day, while at the same time making the process as fun as possible. The most important advice of all is to never rush the process and to accept that it may be a few years before a genuine understanding begins to set in, but it will indeed set in given time.

How to Teach Numbers: Saying and Counting Numbers

• It’s a good idea to begin introducing numbers to children as soon as their first birthday rolls around. Just the simplest of statements –“One tree, two cats” and so on, can make them realize that numbers are associated with real life object or pictures.
• Songs are also great – anything like “Ten Green Bottles” or “Three Blind Mice” – as they’re much more memorable. After 24 months, it’s possible that a child will be able to count to ten, but chances are this will be from memory rather than actually understanding what the numbers mean.
• At this stage it’s important to use every available opportunity to bring numbers into everyday life and everything you do. Two shoes, one dog, three apples and so on and so forth – it will take a whole to get the message across, but using this kind of visual reference is the key to communicating the meaning of the numbers, rather than just the sounds.
• Between the ages of three and four years, you can take things one step further to begin adding and subtracting quantities of the visual number references you’ve been using. You could for example show your child three bananas, and then take one away to become two. Or perhaps you could use building blocks to show addition and subtraction – not that they’ll understand the principles of the mathematics, but they’ll continue to associate numbers with object in everyday life.
• In terms of written numbers, it’s not uncommon for kids not to understand or be able to write any numbers until the age of 5.

Check the cute number song for you baby that he/she is definitely gonna like:

1. Point out Numbers in Neighborhood

Simply keep an eye out for all the numbers that exist in and around your neighborhood, making sure to bring them to the attention of your child. From buses to house numbers to advertising posters and so much more, read them all out loud and point them out to your child as you do so.

2. Clean by the Numbers

Cleaning up can become a math lesson simply by counting along with all the toys you put away. A little further down the line, you can ask them to pass you two items, put away one toy and so on and so forth to test their progress. They’ll learn and repeat by memory only in the early years, but it still gets the names of number absorbed and remembered.

3. Sing Number Rhymes

When singing nursery rhymes and kiddy songs that involve numbers, use your fingers as visual references. By doing so, your child will see that nine green bottle for example are less than ten.

4. Call Me—the Phone Number

It’s a tricky one to nail, but if there’s one set of numbers you can get your child to remember, make it your phone number in case they every get lost. Try making into a song, a rhyme or a limerick.

5. Connect the Dots

Invest in a chalkboard or maybe just a set of washable pavement chalks and you have all you need for a brilliant number game. It’s a case of creating a simple connect the dots pattern by drawing a series of dots in any given shape and numbering them one to ten. In no time at all, you child will begin to understand which number follows the last and will associate the counting process with the reward of drawing a fun picture.

6. Count with Legos

All building blocks are just perfect for teaching number and really, what kid doesn’t love playing with Lego? Try creating a graph or table with ten numbered boxes, in which you can ask your child to put the corresponding number of blocks to communicate the difference between each figure. Or you could of course just encourage them to count as they build.

7. Draw It Out

Bring the numbers themselves to life by encouraging your child to paint them in bright colors. This is one of the best ways of bringing interactivity to the learning process and ensuring that your child has a blast while developing important knowledge.

8. Read Counting Books

There are plenty of kids’ books on the market that have been designed specifically to assist with the teaching of numbers. Examples like "1, 2, 3 to the Zoo: A Counting Book" by Eric Carle and "How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten?" by Jane Yolen are ideal for making the learning process as fun an memorable as possible.

9. Make Counting Books

Or better still, bind a series of pages together and on each page write a number. Next, ask your child to draw anything they can think of in the quantity specified, so on the page where you write the number three, they can draw 3X times anything they like.

The following video shows a fun way to introduce numbers to your baby. Learn with Lizzy the Dog:

Article

• The best age
• Rules for the organization of lessons
• Stages of the training process
• Classes with didactic materials
• Variety of exercises
• Use of various forms of work

Active development of the child should occur from an early age, therefore, at the age of 3, it is worth starting to learn numbers, using various games, manuals, and didactic materials for this purpose. Depending on the abilities of a particular baby, you can master counting up to 10 or even up to 100, the main thing is that everything is clear to the baby and he enjoys the lessons.

The best age

There is a well-known phrase “after three it's too late”. Indeed, scientists have proven that babies at 2.5-3 years old have a unique ability to memorize, which weakens with age. Therefore, three-year-olds are quite capable of making their first trip into the world of mathematics and learning numbers, this will help their development and will be an excellent method of preparing for school. In addition, working with didactic materials, such as Kuizener sticks, improves fine motor skills, which, in turn, has a beneficial effect on speech.

That's why the first lessons in arithmetic can be done as early as 3 years old. However, if the baby is not yet ready for this, it is worth giving him time, postponing the start of lessons until 4-5 years old.

Rules for the organization of the lesson

To ensure that acquaintance with numbers does not turn into “catharsis” for the child, the following principles of work should be used.

• Learning by playing. Regular guests in the classroom should be toys, dolls, fictional fairy-tale characters.
• Praise is the best motivation, and scolding the baby is not worth it. It is important for parents to remember that the child does not understand why adults are unhappy with him, because he really tried. This attitude can permanently kill his desire for learning. Therefore, strictness should be forgotten.
• Classes should be conducted continuously, so you can put large bright cards with numbers, number series on the wall in the baby's room. The main thing is that the pictures should contain not only the number itself, but also the amount indicated by it. For example, a deuce and two oranges.
• Combine different activities. So, modeling figure-figures from dough or plasticine not only helps their assimilation, but also contributes to the development of fine motor skills.
• You should not overload the baby with new knowledge, for one day of acquaintance with one new number is enough. When he has learned to clearly imagine that 1 is one subject, and 7 is seven, you can start learning to count.

Compliance with these simple rules will help parents not only pass on useful knowledge to their little ones, but also enjoy the lesson itself and communication.

Stages of the learning process

It is not easy to teach a child numbers, this matter should be approached carefully and seriously - so arrange the work in such a way as to follow the logic “from simple to complex”.

There are several stages of work.

1. Acquaintance. The parent prepares the material in advance: a card, which shows, for example, one or two, selects the required number of identical items. After that, he explains that “today we are getting acquainted with the number “One”, it denotes one object. Here, look, there's only one bear." How many bears do you see?
2. Memorization. Offer the child various tasks that will help him remember what the unit looks like and what it means. Let's help him a little. Tasks should be of two types: first, those that help to correlate the number with a specific amount, and then those aimed at remembering the appearance of the number.
3. Fastening. The next "portion" of tasks that the baby must already complete completely independently.
4. New material.

It is necessary to emphasize the connection with the past, show one bear and ask how many bears the child sees, then put the second one up, say that there are now two bears. You should not overload the child, acquaintance with each subsequent figure should be carried out only when the previous one is well learned. If parents do not have the opportunity to buy the same toys, cards, sweets, fruits, vegetables will come to the rescue. When deciding where to start, the exercises must be selected in such a way that each of them is accessible to the baby.

Activities with didactic materials

Thanks to their variety, games with specially designed sets, such as Cuisener's sticks, are suitable for children from 3 to 5 years old. You can choose those options that best correspond to the level of development of the crumbs.

Tasks for the following templates are suitable for kids.

• Find three yellow sticks.
• How many sticks do I show?
• Find two blue sticks and four yellow sticks. What more?
• Parent lays out a square of sticks and then asks how many sticks did I use to create the figure? The opposite task is also possible: fold the figure using only 5 (or any other number) sticks.

Doman's card technique has proven itself well, which helps to remember the appearance of the number and its meaning. The tasks are also simple.

• Mom shows a card, the child's task is to understand what number is shown on it, and find its pair - another card on which the required number of objects is drawn.
• Then vice versa - the mother chooses a card, for example, with two bears, the child must find a pair for her - "2".
• Mom shows a card with three hares and asks the child to find the number of objects in the apartment that is shown in the picture. The preschooler can bring her three apples.

Expert's opinion

Tanya Okhrimenko, educational psychologist: It's great to learn numbers with a child in a game. And you can do it not only at home. For example, going up the stairs and counting the steps. The main thing is that if the child does not remember them, do not worry, let a little time pass and everything will be fine with him. For example, what a child remembers for weeks at 3 years old, at 5 he will be able to remember in a matter of minutes if he wakes up with “cognitive interest”.

You can buy these cards or make your own.

For preschoolers who are well versed with the first ten, you can also use Zaitsev's number tape, which is a series of numbers from 1 to 99. You can place it on the wall so that the manual is always in front of your eyes. Tasks may vary.

• An adult describes a number: two tens, three ones. The task of the child is to understand that we are talking about 23, and show the number on the tape.
• Whose number is greater. Mother and child each take one card with numbers written on it. The child must understand whose number is more important, and then find both on the tape.
• Find the age of each family member on Zaitsev's tape.

All this will help preschoolers to form a correct idea of ​​numbers.

A variety of exercises

There are a large number of exercises, the implementation of which will help a 3-year-old child to get acquainted with numbers, remember how they look and what the number means. Some of them can be used at the age of 4 years. You need to start with what the child knows well.

• Sample. The mother puts a dish in front of the child, on which fruit or sweets lie, and asks him to score, for example, three pieces (for example, “give mother three sweets”). The second version of the task - the mother herself puts aside a certain amount of sweets and asks the child to count them, and then say how many sweets are in the pile.
• Find the number. An adult asks a preschooler to show him all the units that are presented on a pre-prepared poster. This will help the baby remember what the number looks like.
• Find a couple. The parent prepares two series of pictures: one shows large numbers, the other shows illustrations for fairy tales familiar to children. For example, two Ivans, three bears, seven Simeons, and so on. The child's task is to match the picture and the number.
• Count your fingers (after getting to know the five).
• Story-thematic game "Houses". The parent draws a certain number of houses on a piece of paper in advance and asks the child to bring as many toys so that all of them can be “populated” and not a single empty house remains.
• Mushroom game. The parent places “mushrooms” (pictures, cubes) in the room in advance, the child takes a basket with him and goes out to collect, having found the first one, he says “one”, the second - “two”, and so on.

There are a lot of games, so every day you should offer your child something new. You can also study at the computer, asking the baby to count the number of objects on the screen.

Using different forms of work

To make it easier for the baby to memorize the numbers, it is important to visualize each of them. There are several ways to do this.

• Print large pictures that depict the material being studied, and it is desirable that each number looks interesting, unusual (for example, a deuce in the form of a snake). Invite the child to color the picture with bright pencils, felt-tip pens, paints.
• Another similar task is a coloring book, which shows the designated number (for example, five kittens) and there is a five next to it. The child paints the picture itself and the number, gradually memorizing. Over time, the task can be complicated: there is only a certain number of objects in the picture (4 apples), the kid paints them and prepares for the parent how many of them, what number to enter.
• The child will complete this task with pleasure: he will look for familiar numbers everywhere - on the street in the numbers of houses, buses, cars, on billboards. Impatient parents will be annoyed by this desire, and wise mothers and fathers themselves will offer the baby a fun task - who will find more twos or ones during the walk. And, of course, an adult must definitely lose.

In order for a child to quickly comprehend the basics of counting, one should constantly say counting rhymes with numbers, for example: “One-two-three-four-five, we are going for a walk with you.” Such a simple text can be spoken before each walk, after a few times the child will be able to repeat it himself. Board games will also be useful: by throwing a die and counting the required number of steps on the playing field, the child will quickly learn to count.

Learning numbers with children at 3-4 years old is a very real task, but you will have to show your imagination by offering the crumbs all new options for exercises. Patience is also extremely important, because it will not be possible to carry out the plan the first time - perhaps some number will have to be given several lessons. And this is normal, because each baby has its own level of development.

Olga Shumskaya

Chief editor of the Razvivashka Online project on early childhood development

About the expert

Olga is an active mother who is passionate about child development. Author of a course on developmental care and educational games, cards, author and editor of articles on early development and features of child neuropsychology.

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