| Whether you have a 2 year old who is just starting to | | | | their bucket. |
| learn numbers or a 10 year old that knows subtraction | | | | Drop objects in a bucket or plastic containers that are |
| or addition, it is never too early or too late to learn | | | | lined up next to each other. Count how many objects |
| about counting or math games. Children that are young | | | | are in each bucket. Count the number of objects that |
| benefit from games that teach them how to count | | | | did not make it into a container. Once again, take the |
| objects and recognize numbers whereas older children | | | | opportunity to incorporate addition or subtraction with |
| benefit from games that help them learn how to add | | | | older children. |
| and subtract and build the basis for learning about | | | | Young children love learning about eyes, ears, fingers, |
| algebra. | | | | toes, etc. Count body parts together. For instance ask, |
| Aside from the obvious board games where you roll | | | | "How many eyes does Mommy have?" or "How |
| the dice and move your game piece a certain number | | | | many fingers do you have?" Count familiar household |
| of spaces, there are plenty of other counting games | | | | items such as pets, shoes or pots and pans. |
| that you can play. Dominoes can keep kids busy for | | | | Children also love to eat snacks, so incorporate |
| hours. I recently spent over 1 hour playing with | | | | counting with snack time. Ask "How many Cheerios do |
| dominoes with my two year old. We counted the | | | | you have?" or "How many Goldfish are in the blue |
| numbers of dots. We counted the dominos as we | | | | cup? How many are in the red cup?" Count out |
| stacked them or put them in or out of the container. | | | | snacks to make sure each child has the same amount. |
| We lined them up and counted them together. After | | | | If one child has two more Cheerios than another one, |
| they were all lined up, I let him push the first domino to | | | | teach them to give the other child one of their's so that |
| make them all fall down. | | | | they have the same amount. |
| Hide things in your house such as blocks, plastic eggs | | | | Be creative in teaching your child to count. They love |
| or marbles. Before you hide them, count them with | | | | to count and learn, but they also want to have fun too. |
| your child. Then, they can go find them all. Once they | | | | It is possible to incorporate both in daily activities. Lead |
| have been found, they can count them again to make | | | | by example and show them how you count things. |
| sure that they have all been found. Older kids can add | | | | You don't want to have them counting and reciting |
| or subtract to figure out how many they have left to | | | | numbers all day long, but at the same time there are |
| find. In order to encourage sharing, have two or more | | | | so many opportunities to help them learn their numbers. |
| children hunt the objects. At the end of the hunt, count | | | | Work with your children to come up with your own fun |
| the number in each kid's bucket. Then work together | | | | games and counting activities. |
| to make sure that everyone has the same amount in | | | | |