4 Ways To Teach Counting To Your Kids So They Are Smarter

Visual ways of learning numbers teach your child to understand that numbers equal quantities. For example, the number 5 = 5 things.  It also helps your child understand magnitude. For example, 10 apples means "more apples" than 3 apples, and subsequently 10 is greater than 3.   

Below are four ways to teach numbers visually that you can use in your everyday life.

1. Count At The Grocery Store

• ask you child to get 2 applies
• ask your child to count the number of onions in your cart
• ask your child to count how many items are in your cart while you are in line

2.  Count Slices Of Fruit or Vegetables At Home

• When you cut, for example an apple at home, count the pieces with our child. Line up the fruit pieces and count them before you eat them.  
• When you are done counting, reinforce number labeling by asking, "Now that you've counted them, can you tell me how many pieces of fruit there are?"
• Every time your child eats one, count the number that are left. 

3. Count Steps

• When going up or down steps, count them with your child.  

4. Play Finger Counting Games

• Hold up one finger on either hand.  Ask, how many fingers am I holding?
• Then hold up two fingers on either hand, then three, etc.
• You can also ask "what is one plus one"? Hold up one finger on either hand and ask your child to count the total. Continue with two plus two or three plus one, etc.

Happy Counting!

Allie and The Parenting Journal Team