Counting
Counting is the rung everything else stands on: one number word for one thing, said in order, stopping when there is nothing left to count.
The counting tool
Counting tray
Tap the paper to drop a counter, drag one to slide it, tap it to take it away
0 counters
zero
How counting works
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Touch each thing once
Move every object as you say its word — tap it, slide it across, or cross it off. One thing, one word, no exceptions. This is called one-to-one correspondence, and it is the whole trick.
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Keep the order steady
The number words come in a fixed order: one, two, three, four. The order never changes, whoever is counting, whatever is being counted. Say them slowly enough that your mouth and your hand stay together.
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Stop at the last thing
When you reach the last object, the last number you said is how many there are. Count seven counters and the answer is seven — not the number you happen to say next. Try counting the same group in a different order and check that you land on the same total.
Worked examples
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Six. Slide one counter to the left as you say each word: one, two, three, four, five, six. The last word is the answer, so there are six counters.
How many fingers are on two hands?
Count them in fives: five, ten. Counting in fives is still counting — you are just saying fewer words. Two hands hold ten fingers.
9, 10, 11, __ , 13
Twelve. The order is fixed, so you can carry on from any number. To check, count back down: 13, 12, 11, 10, 9.
Where it goes wrong
- Skipping and double-counting Eyes move faster than words, so the same counter gets counted twice or missed entirely. Fix it by touching or moving each thing as you say its word — the hand enforces the one-to-one rule.
- Saying a number that does not match A rushed count ends with a number that does not match what is on the table. Say the count out loud and check the total by counting back down, or by grouping in twos or fives.
- Thinking the order changes the answer If counting left to right gives eight and top to bottom gives eight, that is not luck — the number of things does not depend on the order you count them in. If the two counts disagree, one of the counts went wrong.
Questions
At what age should a child be able to count to twenty?
Most children recite the counting words somewhere between three and five, but reciting them is not the same skill as counting things with them. The order of the steps matters far more than the age: say the words, then use them accurately on real objects, then recognise the written numerals.
What is one-to-one correspondence, in plain terms?
It means one number word for one object. Count five apples and exactly five words should be spoken: one, two, three, four, five. If a child points at one apple and says two words, or says one word for two apples, the total at the end will be wrong even though the words were in the right order.
Why does my child count 1, 2, 3, 5, and keep going?
Missing a word usually means the number word list is not secure yet rather than the counting being careless. Practise the words on their own — count stairs, steps, or claps — until the sequence runs without gaps. The counting tray on this page is useful here, because the numerals appear next to the words as they are said.
Should we practise counting past twenty before starting addition?
There is no need to wait. Once a child reliably counts to ten and knows that the last number said is the total, they are ready for addition — and addition will in turn strengthen their counting. Keep counting further alongside it, up to and beyond twenty, but do not hold the next rung back for it.
Does counting on fingers help or hurt?
Fingers are a perfectly good counting tool. They are always available, they make one-to-one correspondence physical, and most children stop relying on them once they can see amounts without counting. Pushing a child off their fingers too early tends to cause guessing instead of thinking.