Fun ways learning to count?

[visitor]

Hi all,

 

I am out of inspiration I need some fun ways for my DS who is almost 3 years old to teach him to count. He is not that interested as his older brother. So I hope I can make it more fun for him. Any ideas would help me a lot ...

 

Thanks,

visitor

[Mama Geek]

We taught dd to count with the help of Leap Pad's Number's Ahoy, glass rocks, change, sugar packets while eating at restaurants, etc.

[Rosie_0801]

My dd is finally starting to care after watching a counting clip off youtube every school day for 8 months...

[Walking-Iris]

C-rods or Montessori bead bars, buttons in an egg carton, colored tally sticks, popsicle sticks, those colored teddy bear counters, blocks, an abacus, make your own number rods, real money, number counting picture books, number puzzles (those wooden puzzles shaped like hands are good)

 

Just basically pointing out quantities wherever you see them. 

 

Also since he's only 2, I wouldn't stress it too much. At that age my kids liked to play finger rhymes and hear songs, you know 12345 once I caught a fish alive, one two buckle my shoe, 5 little ducks, and so on. Just get a good mother goose book or finger play book and look for the number ones, learn some songs.  At that age it's the language that they will respond to over mathy activities. I wouldn't worry of he seems interested, just keep talking. He's young. 

[Kerileanne99]

On a trampoline, bouncer, or swing!

[Arcadia]

My kids love counting M&Ms and Skittles at that age and grouping them by color. They also had fun saying the "One Two buckle my shoe" poem and singing "Twelve days of Christmas", "Ten in the bed" and "Ten little monkeys jumping on the bed"

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/pdfs/buckle_my_shoe.pdf

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/pdfs/roll_over.pdf

http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/songs/childrens/tenmonk.htm

[ammv15]

Youtube count to 10, 20, and 100 videos.

[Tanikit]

I don't think you have to make it fun at that age - you just have to count each and every day. With my DD(2) we do sing songs that include counting, count anything and everything and we also count to brush her teeth - then she has heard counting and knows when we have finished she is finished with teeth brushing. Count while climbing stairs, count while swinging on a swing, just keep counting for him and he'll eventually count back.

[shawthorne44]

You: "It is time to leave" (fun activity)

Child:  "Not yet"

You: "Ok, if you can count to 20 we can stay for (5 more rides down the slide)"

Child: "1,2,3..."

 

Works with the alphabet too.  

 

[carriede]

My kids like to "help" me cook. So from a young age they are "counting" while cooking. Say I'm making rice. I'll say "We need 3 cups of water, help me count them!" Then I'll count out loud. As they get older they join in. My 21 month old can "count" to 2.

 

I'll do similar things for my 4 yo with basic math. Something like "I have two forks out for dinner, but we need 4 so we a have one. How many more do we need to get out?"

[MistyMountain]

I am in a similar boat with my almost 3 year old. I know I should count more.

[visitor]

Setting the table ;)

 

We are with 3, so it was an easy start here ;)

 

Otherwise our library had count and letterbooks, I borrowed a lot in that time :)

 

 

 

Thanks Loesje nice to see you again :)

[shawthorne44]

There is also the kiss counting.

You, "How many kisses do you want?"

Child names a number

You, "One" gives kiss "two gives kiss "three" gives kiss. 

 

Even a non-kisser would probably name a big number right before bed.

[strange_girl]

I am a total failure in the song and game department...however, we have always just counted everything. A lot. We count toys when we pick them up. We count apples and yogurt and bread while we grocery shop. We count socks while we fold laundry. We count silverware while we empty the dishwasher. We count bubbles in the bathtub.

 

Eventually, they can count. But I don't have any ideas of how to make it 'fun'. We just do it.

 

My 4-year-old rising K-er can count approximately to 20 (a little shaky in the teens, lol). But I think if they can count to 5 by the time they start K that would be fine, because counting higher is actually taught in K.