More accurately, it’s the kids and grownups that do the counting. Counting is a kindergarten readiness skill but because children develop at different rates some will count higher than others. In yesterday’s blog post I explained that counting is a math skill that children develop at an early age. In order for them to count accurately they need to learn that 1 number goes with 1 object, so the activity was based on 1 to 1 correspondence (1 person = 1 backpack). Today’s activity builds on that and gives your child practice in 1 to 1 and counting.
Starting with an empty backpack and a few toys like blocks or small stuffies, slowly pop one item into the pack and say One. Pick up another one and say Two. Continue putting a few into the pack counting each item as you do. Now for the fun. Dump them all out and count again, this time encouraging your child to count with you. For older kids, you can pick a number and ask them to put that many in the pack. You can add an element of imagination by pretending that the backpack is really a dump truck in disguise and you and your child are dump truck drivers filling up your truckpack so it can get dumped out. Count the items as they get put into the pack. Or your child can be the vacuum that is finding things under the bed to get put into the vacuumpack.
When it’s time for a break, count in 1 banana or 1 apple and let your little one ‘help’ the backpack eat it. Oops, 2 people need 2 snacks. Readiness for kindergarten and fun. Does this count for you?