Practice makes perfect, but it really seems to be hard to put five minutes aside every day to practice things like counting or numbers. Here is our top ten ways you can integrate a bit of counting/number practice into a busy life on the go!
1. Count each step as you go up or down stairs or every step as you walk across the road, over a bridge, across a park - you get the idea!
2. If you are walking with your child and another adult, play 1, 2, 3 whee! Both adults hold one of their hands and when you get to a certain number you lift them up and swing them ahead. Instead of just counting to three give them a number to count to each time that you think will be challenging for them!
3. Whenever your child wants to have a snack tell them a number of whatever they are having that they can have, then get them to count out the crackers/ raisins/ tiny teddies/ apple slices etc into a bowl.
4. Go old school and play ‘Snakes and Ladders’ or other board games that involve dice and counting. Have your child count the dots on the dice and then count each step out on the board too. You can have them ‘help’ you count your dice and moves as well for extra practice.
5. Collect a bunch of shells at the beach/ little nuts at park/ rocks or pebbles and count how many you have found
6. Counting backwards is great too! Every time you need your child to be somewhere do the count backwards from ten. I.e. I need you in the bathroom to brush your teeth, ten seconds till lift off! 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BLAST OFF!
7. Do some exercise! Getting their body involved really helps children remember and develop. Have them or you give instructions like ‘Do five star jumps’ or ‘clap nine times’. Get creative, we play Simon Says in the classroom to practice the teen numbers. A different child gets to choose the amount each time and they come up with how to act out all the animals, rainbows, sunshine, flowers etc!
8. One for entertaining them in the car, quiz them on what the next number is each time. Birthdays are always a good focus point because they are instantly interested! ‘You are two now, how old will you be next?’ Your brother is five, what number will he have on his next cake?’ etc.
9. If your child likes playing with blocks, duplo or lego give them the challenge to see how many blocks they can get before it topples! Have them count as they build and I am sure they will want to do it more than once, they all seem to think a good crash is hilarious!
10. Do one of our counting sheets
Open the link to print our Happy Australia Day sheet! Have your child cut out the numbers, count the pictures and then stick on the corresponding number.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwzunNaHHgjpb2pzcGI0UkpqN2M/view?usp=sharing
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