The other morning my youngest decided he needed to learn to count to twenty. Immediately.
This was pre-coffee o’clock, the two big brothers were still sleeping, and I’d just shuffled into the kitchen. I was leas than inspired to be involved in any math activity. BUuUuut, I never want to squash the excitement when the kids bring an idea to me.
My preschooler can actually already count to twenty but he doesn’t understand the numbers yet. When he’s in the pool and needs a break we have him sit on the steps and count. Originally it was to ten, he started county past that on his own. So cool! I figured it would be a good time for him to match the numbers he’s memorized with the actual symbol.
I grabbed a sticky note pad, a sharpie, and some counting cubes. While my coffee brewed, we reviewed the numbers as I wrote them and I stuck the papers to the table.
He would say the number and place the cubes right on top. Past number six I helped align the cubes to start forming a ten frame.
He’s naturally drawn to sorting colors so that was an extra step he added himself, woohoo!
It didn’t last as long as I’d hope on this particular morning but this activity has come in handy. Added bonus, he has to put the numbers in order each time we use these.
I don’t recall where I got the blocks pictured but these are similar. Any kid-friendly item would work just fine.
