Counting!

Counting!

Jake is very confident counting to ten and identifying the numbers to ten. Now it is time for him to put the two together and take it to the next level, learning how to enumerate. We do this in everyday life whenever I see the opportunity, as well as in books we are reading. At school we love using what we call ‘counting sheets’ to help the children develop their enumerating skills. These sheets have the numbers written on them, in little boxes that the children cut out and stick on the corresponding boxes. This gives the children some cutting and sticking practice as well and gives them an activity to practice their number recognition in the most basic form, having only to find the number, rather than have to identify it outright.

If your little one is like Jake, keen to cut, but not really at the point where they can cut on lines without just cutting it all to pieces, help guide them by standing behind them and holding the scissors over the top of their hands. Make sure they are holding the scissors in the correct way as this is laying the foundations for successful cutting by themselves. If you know the tune to the song ‘Open Shut them’ you can sing along as you cut (you have to sing it quite slowly so it is in time for their little snips!)

 ‘Open shut them, open shut them, give a little snip!,

  Open shut them, open shut them, snip snip snip snip snip.’

When all the little boxes are cut out you can play finding them, checking that if you ask your child to find each number they are able to do it. When you have played finding them, have your child count the objects in the first box and then find the number, before sticking it in the box. If they are racing through counting at top speed, rather than taking their time and counting each picture, tell them that they need to give each one a number and that the (insert name of picture, such as 'Daddy Pig') will be sad if it doesn't get it's own number!). Try to avoid pointing to the picture and having them count, but if necessary hold their hand and help them point carefully and slowly to each number as they count. Carry on this way until the sheet is done. Your little one can colour in the pictures if they would like. Jake is especially keen to do one if it is a present for someone, but he is also in love with Peppa Pig at the moment so anything with her on it has instant appeal to him!

We are listening to ‘Musical Times Tables – It’s Fun To Multiply’ by Don Spencer, part of a pack I got from the ABC shop. I had a past student who at four years old, had amazing counting abilities, he seemed to be able to see the pattern and know how much was in front of him. If they were laid out in rows, such as four lots of 8 counters he could tell you it was 32, almost instantly! He didn’t seem to be counting but could just see the pattern and knew. His mother said she played a CD like this of times tables in the background once every day. It could be purely coincidental as he was an extraordinary child in other ways, but I do believe in the power of singing when wanting to learn easily. It is also a major part of Accelerated Learning and we often see the benefit of using it in the classroom. Montessori saw that the children went through 'sensitive periods' where something could be learnt easily and quickly if it was done during this window of opportunity. If they are learnt in song form, perhaps it is during this age of rapid language development that it is the ideal time to just 'absorb' the times tables. 

I was always quite good at tables, thanks to the painful experience of having my dad grill a reluctant younger me, on our drive to school and back every day! I would love for Jake to be able to absorb them in an easy and painless way and I do see him starting to try and sing along from time to time, so I live in hope! An obvious footnote here is that it may drive you nuts and you might also find yourself absent-mindedly walking around later singing these repetitive little chants to yourself…

I have attached some basic 1-5 counting sheets below, which I recommend starting with, even if your child is able to do something more advanced. Small successes will help build their confidence and regardless of their skill they will get some good counting and cutting practice. If you would like more advanced ones with 1-10 or 10-20 feel free to email me at admin@smartstarteducation.com.au.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwzunNaHHgjpT2hJSjlkTUs1NGc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwzunNaHHgjpQ0hxdmZ6RUJMaUk/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwzunNaHHgjpaHkzb2k2Q1diNGM/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwzunNaHHgjpalZxTzZfYnk0Vms/view?usp=sharing