The first educational subject preschoolers learn is how to count numbers in order to easily identify them. However, it can become an arduous task to get kids to practice counting when there is nothing to motivate them. Counting skill is important to help preschoolers learn everything in math.
Kids Learn Counting
Hence, here in this review, we will intimate you on 10 amazing ways that you can try to aid your preschooler to love counting. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10; let’s begin!
- Color by Number
Take a closer look at the color by number, what do you see? Yes, you are right! There are numbers inserted into the image. Do you know that those numbers aren’t just meant to be colored only but for kids to also practice counting numbers? Now you have gotten the secret out of me. Hurry and help your preschoolers to practice the numbers written on the images of the coloring pages. They can point out the numbers to improve their recognition skill and understand numbering patterns.
Animal Color by Numbers
- Number Rhymes
Kids love words that sound alike while saying them out. Number rhymes are one of the best ways to easily get kids to love counting. There are popular rhymes that preschoolers can learn such as; 10 little monkeys, one two buckle my shoes, three four knock at the door, five six pickup sticks, seven eight lay them straight…… 12345….678910, ten green bottles standing against the wall, caught a fish alive, five fat peas, ten little fire trucks and so many more.
- Kids Daily Activities and Tasks
Kids have routines they engage in their daily lives which keeps them excited for a long time. They can practice counting using their daily activities, chores or tasks which they may not be able to fully understand but will give them an early start in number identification. Examples of daily activities include, setting cutleries on the dining tables, playing with their toys, eating of fruits, using the furniture around the house and so on. These simple activities can help to easily connect with numbers and even quantities as the case may be.
- Connect the Dots
Preschoolers can practice the order of numbers by connecting the dots. This method can be done on a paper by drawing and images with numbered dots that kids can try to form into a visible number and afterward practice counting. Another way is to connect the dot coloring pages that have number patterns to be traced to form a particular shape such as 4 from a square, 8 from an octagon, 3 from a triangle and so on. This can serve as a counting game that gives them great fun.
- Number Toys
Yippee! Show me a preschooler who doesn’t love to play with toys and I believe it will be difficult to find one. Using these methods enable them to learn while they have fun with their cherished toys. They only do not practice counting by only playing with the toys but they can feel, see, and touch the items being used for learning. All that is needed is for a teacher to properly guide by using a number sticker that can be used to count the toys.
- Number Videos and Songs
Music and motion pictures do appeal to little kids and will definitely sit or stand while watching a number counting video. This particular strategy helps them to use lyrics, anime and even sounds to count along. One of the best resources for this is Disney which is loved by so many kids around the world. This method time should be regulated so that kids do not get too attached to the point that other methods become difficult to them.
- Daily Practice by counting out loud
Preschoolers can practice their numbers by daily counting out loud since repetition is for emphasis and remembrance. This will enable them to first identify the numbers before they fully grasp what each number represents. By counting loudly daily, they can easily practice using items they come across or objects that can be seen in their environment. They can count out loud cars or vehicles, accessories, clothes, and so on. This will aid their recognition abilities and refine their motor skills.
- Number Manipulatives for preschoolers
This is a method that involves the use of simple items such as erasers and pencil sticks, small rocks and stones, colorful pom poms, block patterns, colorful cubes, numbers circles, pocket charts etc. This method gives them hands-on experience as they engage in counting numbers, starting from the simplest ones. They can use the manipulative objects to count based on the numbers mentioned until they can grasp the numbers in the order of appearance.
Kids can be handed a game dice to roll and count the number that appears and can repeatedly roll it to identify and count the numbers. This is a fun game to aid their number recognition. Also, the count and match game can identify each number presented on a paper or card that has images. They can count objects such as cars, airplanes, and other images and match them to the right number.
- Counting outdoors
Kids love being outdoors and this can be used to engage them to practice counting. They can count objects such as airplanes as they sit or play outside, they can count things such as houses, trees or flowers, vehicles, etc. they find around them as they go for a walk. With your help they can know if they are right or wrong.
Finally! Counting is a skill that shouldn’t be left to chance but all these aforementioned ways and more can be used to teach preschoolers to learn more about numbering. This skill is essential for little kids of all ages and should be guided properly at school and at home to learn numbers. I believe that the ideas shared in this article will provide easy ways to enable your preschoolers to learn more and more.
