Five Counting Ideas for 1 - 3 years old
I am sure we all do some numbers right from the start just to count together, even when your child is a baby. Well I do that; in the lifts, I would point at all the numbers enthusiastically (usually in the beginning of a trip when I am not too exhausted) and count whenever we go up and down the stairs. Counting is great and fun! And a prelude to to overlooming maths concepts that kids will certainly enjoy.
Here are some of my ideas of teaching the kids.. I did a lot of counting but I felt they enjoyed this the most from 1-3 years old. For me, it is much more fun to do something tangible.
Here are some of my ideas of teaching the kids.. I did a lot of counting but I felt they enjoyed this the most from 1-3 years old. For me, it is much more fun to do something tangible.
I have added links for those I managed to.
Jumping in the Teens
I started with this idea when I realised that Imm always skipped number 12 when he just turned 3 years old. So I decided to do a jumping game for him cos movement will help him remember better.. Strangely enough, Koko never had this issue even when she had not turned 2 years old.. maybe the immense effort to teach Imm something has rubbed off on her and she decided to make life easier for me. Anyway, I just drew the numbers on construction paper, cut it out and then laminate. I got this idea from looking at my floor tiles so you can always draw inspiration from the things around you for games. :P
Did I arrange the numbers myself? Obviously not! I got him to help me. I would say the number, he would search for it and then paste on the tile. * He looks kinda frustrated now * But trust me he enjoyed jumping so much I forgot to take pics of him :P
Finished our product! For me, it is like a hopscotch game. After he has counted forward, you can always try to jump backwards.
Counting with Rabbits and Carrots
Ko loves animals like bears and rabbits. So I decided to make a counting game and also input rabbits like to eat carrots. To make the game more fun, I used raffia string for the carrot top. You can also make the rabbit more furry by pasting cotton balls for their tails. You would be surprised at how these little things will make the game more alive. Also, I took the opportunity to show which is more and less. Always expand your game and share more ideas when the children are eager to absorb.
Using little balls for counting. You can get them in Daiso. Another idea might be to use sponge for cakes and put the cherries on top. Even the sky is no limit when it comes to creativity.
Ko enjoyed this a lot. We just make little leaves using green playdoh for the giraffes to eat. Yum Yum!!
Spots on Bugs
Does your little one like stickers? You can put little stickers on the bugs to input numbers. As I already laminated the bugs, you can remove the stickers and used it again later on.
Well, I am still experimenting with new ideas everyday! It is always a fun journey for me to know how far we came along :)
