A surprisingly easy way to teach your child to count. Easy ways to teach kids to count

03.07.2019

Some parents, hardly their baby turns at least a year old, want to teach their child to count correctly and quickly. Others are not sure whether this should be done with a preschooler if the school will teach anyway.

Many experts say that this should be done only when the kids show interest in the account, and not try to impose it. Usually, kids show interest in counting early, but parents need to feed it and motivate it to develop in this regard in the form of games and exciting examples.

From time to time interest may fade, but you can warm it up, suggesting together to count the steps while walking, toys or buttons on clothes.

Today you will learn how to teach a child to count, in some cases it can be done quickly, in other cases it will take time.

What parents need to understand

Some parents just don't know how to get started.

Now there are many specialized books on how to teach a child to count. Psychologists say that if you decide to start learning then the following recommendations should be followed:

Educational materials for counting

Teaching at the age of 3-5 years is quite difficult. For early learning different visual materials can be used, in particular:

images;
numbers on the magnet;
cubes and more.

When Learning Moves to Addition and Subtraction, then as visual materials are used:

fingers - invite the kids to count the number of fingers on the hand, then bend and ask how many are left;
sticks - by analogy with fingers;
ruler - show the numbers on the ruler and divisions, count them if you want to teach your baby addition.

However, many psychologists do not encourage the use of such devices in order to teach kids to count, and they believe that this provokes laziness, and thinking and memory are not trained. A number of experts suggest teaching children to count exclusively orally.

Examples for the little ones

Learning to count can begin as early as six months of age.. Naturally, we are not talking about counting objects for a baby who cannot walk and talk, but this will allow parents to create a basis for future learning. A good example in this case is light rhymes where there is an account, for example, such as "1, 2,3, 4, 5, the bunny went out for a walk."

Already at the age of one, the examples will be more difficult. You can take the cubes and tell the baby where there is one cube and where there are many, it will be too early to teach counting to 5 or 10. And from this age, you need to teach the baby on the fingers to show how old he is.

How to teach a child to count to 10

From about three years of age when children are already interested in numbers (moreover, for some, interest may appear at the age of three, for others closer to five), training is based on the following principle:

go through the numbers from 0 to 10 with the baby;
teach your baby to memorize them with cubes or other toys;
tell the difference between larger and smaller numbers, explain such a concept as "half", use simple examples;
count household items at home or items on a walk, offer to count together.

Below we will look at methods for teaching children to count to 10 in more detail. To start say the numbers from one to 10 in front of the child, count improvised items. Good examples are simple addition of objects: for example, "here was one doll, now we will put a second one next to it, and there will be two." Over time, the number of counted items needs to be increased.

As often as possible, ask your child how many plates are on the table, how many birds are sitting on a branch, or how many dogs are walking in the yard.

It is not recommended to ignore the number zero. First you need to learn the numbers from zero to two inclusive, and then all the rest - from three to 10. Zero in terms of learning is difficult in the sense that it is difficult for children to explain that emptiness can be designated as a separate number.

Something like this: draw two squares, put three dots in one, and not one in the second. Explain to the kid that in digital terms, this will mean "3" in the first case and "0" in the second.

Games, examples and rhymes for learning to count up to 10

The easiest and fastest way to teach a child to count is counting on fingers which we have already discussed earlier. But fingers are good only at first, when you teach your baby to understand numbers, then he should be weaned from the skill of counting on them. It is not uncommon for students to start solving examples on their fingers and cannot do it in any other way. The ruler, which was previously used to memorize numbers, is also not particularly welcome in our time, which we also talked about.

Other examples and games include:

we see 10 paws of cats (dogs). Answer how many animals there are. You need to count in pairs: two, four, six, and so on up to ten;
in the same way, he counts how many pairs of shoes a cat or dog needs;
Look at your watch and count in fives to 10.

How to teach your child to add and subtract numbers within ten

When your child has already learned the order of numbers, start solving with him examples on their addition and subtraction. Examples might be:

There are four apples on one plate and two on the other. How many of them are in total?
There are six apples on the table, and three children. How to properly divide them between them?

Other tasks may be something like this, subtraction will look the same. You should also teach in a playful way the baby the rule that changing the terms does not change the sum.

To do this, put a plate with two apples on the table or ask the baby to imagine it. Place another one with four apples next to it. Count how many apples there are, and then rearrange the plates and ask how many there will be now. The correct answer is the same.

In elementary grades students are explained what dozens are with the help of special sticks. Then they are taught to add and subtract numbers with the transition through a dozen.

In the first grade, a student learns to count in full tens with the help of bunches of sticks. And only after that he gets acquainted with the table of addition and subtraction with the transition through a dozen. If the kids give success, then you can teach this even before school.

In the first grade, teaching mathematics is based on three tables:

addition and subtraction up to 10;
examples with a transition through a dozen;
multiplication table.

When a student masters these tables, then in the future he will not have problems with mathematics, even in high school when studying more complex calculations.

And so that the child does not have problems at school, and mathematics is only a joy, it is very important that parents instilled a love of counting at an early age. Therefore, the first steps to the study of mathematics should be in the form of a game and be interesting to serve. And the more exciting this process is for the child, the faster he will master counting skills.

In this we were told in school that mathematics is the queen of sciences. But only mothers with small children know for sure that mathematics is also the most difficult subject to understand and remember. After all, the first methods of counting, geometry, orientation in space and time, children comprehend at home with their parents long before. Unhappy mothers and fathers clutch at their heads, not understanding how to explain such a difficult discipline to their beloved child. Now we will figure out together how to help a child master the basic elements of mathematics and how to teach a child to count.

First, let's determine the optimal age to start classes. The answer to this question can be given by psychologists and educators. The brain of the baby is able to remember the account as early as two years. But at this time, the child can only be aware of the ordinal count, that is, count from one to ten, pointing in order to objects - toys, apples, sweets, etc. By the age of 3-4, the baby begins to consciously count, add groups of objects, take away, share sweets between family members and perform other simple counting techniques on visual materials. You can teach a child to count in the mind only at 4-5 years old. At this time, the baby's brain is ready to comprehend abstract concepts and rules. Therefore, at preschool age, you can begin to teach your child to add and subtract in the mind within 10, or maybe even 5, if the child cannot quickly master the count.

How to teach a child to count

Do not forget that mathematics is not only counting. In addition to arithmetic, your child must master the basic concepts of geometry - distinguish between figures, understand what is shorter, what is longer, be able to tell what is behind him, what is in front, what is to the right, and what is to the left. All this the baby is able to understand already in 2-3 years. Here the desire and diligence of parents is important. If the mother repeats the names of the figures many times a day, cuts them out of multi-colored cardboard and gives them to the baby in her hands, then the child will quickly learn them. The same applies to remembering the right and left handles, the direction of travel to the site and home. If parents do not forget to constantly explain to the child in which direction they are going, which way they are turning, which house is higher, which is lower, which bus is longer and which is shorter, then the baby will quickly learn all the basic terms and concepts.

There are five basic rules that parents must follow when teaching a child math.

Rule #1

Do math for at least 30 minutes a day. In this case, classes should last no more than 5-10 minutes. Otherwise, the child simply will not be able to remember a large amount of information.

Rule #2

Repetition is the mother of learning. It is necessary to repeat. BUT in the case of mathematics, the repetition should not fully include the material covered. You need to return to the learned information only in the context of new, more complex tasks. For example, you do not need to constantly cram that 3 + 4 \u003d 7. If the child has learned this, it is enough to return to this only when you count the length of the segments, or solve more complex arithmetic problems.

Rule #3

If the child does not understand how to solve the example, in no case should you shout and swear at him. Just make it easy right now. There is nothing wrong with repeating the simplest example with the child many times and remembering it, instead of solving ten difficult ones that the child will immediately forget.

Rule #4

Mathematics should become part of a child's life. Do not think that daily half-hour classes with teaching aids and special material will make a child a mathematician. You know that children love to feel and try everything. Their perception of the world works that way, and not otherwise. You just have to adjust to it. Therefore, consider with the child everything that you see. From the cars on the street, to the amount of groceries you buy in the store. And be sure to explain to your child why you need an account. Perhaps simple examples from life will help you interest your baby more than colorful pictures in a book.

Rule #5

Psychologists say that any learning that involves meaningful memorization goes through three successive stages in the child's mind - getting used to (to the terminology, to the logic of the subject), understanding the essence of the subject, and, finally, memorizing information. No need to rush and require the child to memorize the results of addition and subtraction. Start slowly. At first, just talk to the child, compare objects, which is larger, which is smaller, which is heavier, which is lighter, etc. Then start talking about numbers. Let the baby not even understand what five plates, three spoons and two forks mean. But every day setting the table with you, he will quickly figure out what's the matter, and very soon he will habitually tell you how many appliances are on the table.

How to teach a child to count quickly

For learning to be effective, it must be easy and interesting. Be sure to play math games with your child - lotto, dominoes and others. It will be much easier for the kid to remember the numbers if they are associated with pictures. And adding numbers is much easier if you imagine how the chips jump over the cells in the children's game - travel.

Start with the simplest. Add one first. It is easy for a child who owns an ordinal account to explain that if a fourth is added to three apples, it will be four. And with the fifth there will be five. Introduce the terms plus and minus later, when the baby understands the essence of addition and subtraction well.

How to teach a child to count examples

Children are good at remembering bright objects and everything that causes them positive emotions. Never come up with boring examples. Always try to create a funny and interesting puzzle that would interest the child. Come up with different ideas together.

Counting involves the child memorizing the composition of the number. For example, 10 is made up of 5 + 5, 6 + 4, 7 + 3, and so on. Of course, you can constantly repeat these combinations, but it is much easier to figure out the composition of the number by drawing a house and a roof. It will be interesting for the child to draw a tall house 9 and a small roof 1. And then experiment with their sizes.

And, finally, I would like to remind you of one of the most common mistakes parents make when teaching mathematics to children. Many mothers and fathers try to solve examples with their child, and get angry when the child is not able to perform the simplest actions. But they completely ignore the fact that a simple task is described in such complex terminology that the child simply cannot understand what is happening in the task and what is required of him to calculate. Therefore, before you start solving a problem, always explain to your child the meaning of each word. And then your classes will definitely give the desired result, and very soon you will be proud of the knowledge and skills of your baby.

If you describe the life of a modern person, then it can be depicted against the background of solid numbers and letters. All complex sciences are comprehended thanks to two basic skills - the ability to count and read. And in everyday life, most tasks are solved thanks to these two skills. Therefore, the question of how to teach a child to count is relevant for parents. It's not a whim, it's a necessity. Knowledge that makes life easier.

The baby gets acquainted with the concept of number automatically, starting with the generalized meanings of “a lot” or “few” and ending with more precise statements, when, for example, the mother says: “I need to cut the cake into five pieces.” Or, sending dad to the store, he gives him the task: “Please buy two breads and one carton of milk.”

This is how numbers appear in a child's life. They are still denounced in words. The kid does not understand what it is, but knows that they are. The task of parents is to concretize knowledge. First you need to teach the baby to count, and later to introduce the components of any number - numbers.

First steps

Teachers of the old school, as well as many adults who themselves underwent such training in childhood, can argue with this. Whether to follow new trends or go for the classics is a decision that parents must make, given the characteristics of their baby.

How to get rid of stretch marks after childbirth?

When a baby grows out of diapers, starts running, talking and being interested in everything, loving parents think about how to teach a child to count. These skills are very useful for a little person, and the sooner he masters them, the better.
Next, let's talk about how to introduce the baby to numbers and numbers up to 100.

When should you teach your child to count?

No one can name the exact dates, but it has been scientifically proven that at the age of 2-3, a child has the strongest need for new knowledge and information. Now the baby is ready to learn everything, he absorbs knowledge like a sponge, reaches for the unknown and in general is an ideal soil for cultivating certain abilities.

That is why it is better to start introducing the baby to numbers in the period from two to three years. However, you can do it earlier. Already at the age of one, children are able to understand that one and two are different things, although they are not yet able to fully comprehend the quantitative states of objects.

How to teach to count to 10?

Counting to 10 is the main task that a parent of a small child needs to set. But it can be difficult for a baby to master 10 numbers at once, so teach your baby to count to 5 first.

To do this, you can resort to the following methods, which are easy to implement at home.

There are five fingers on the hand - starting from this, introduce the little one to the "names" of the numbers.
Show cards with objects depicted on them (from one to five) - remember, it is better not to show the image of the numbers themselves to the baby.
Educational cartoons and programs - they can be found on the Internet.
Abacus and other educational toys.
Rhymes and jokes.
Account in everyday life.

It is very good if you introduce the baby to household chores, while teaching the account at the same time. For example, you can have your baby wash five cups. At the same time, ask the child to count: one cup, two cups. Or, before going to the store, ask your child to memorize five items from the grocery list. The child should remind you of what to buy. At the same time, you can bend your fingers so as not to lose count. This will both teach the child to count in the mind and take care of the development of his memory.

Card lessons will be helpful. Such manuals are sold in all bookstores and online stores for children. First, show the cards in sequence, then alternate - let the child answer how many objects are shown on the card (remember that we do not teach how to write numbers yet!)

But try not to bother the baby with your "math". Do everything unobtrusively and easily, in a playful way, so that the baby does not feel like a student in a school class ahead of time.

This activity is similar to when you want to teach a child to read in syllables and gradually introduce him to letters and sounds. Take your time, make sure the baby has learned the information well before moving on to the next stage of learning.

How to teach a child to write numbers?

After the first 10 digits have been learned, you can show your child how they are written. It is better not to burden the baby's memory and study one written number a day.

Dedicate the whole day to the number:

write it on a piece of paper and hang it in a conspicuous place;
together with the child, fashion a figure from plasticine;
watch the program, which talks about this figure;
give examples using the calendar. For example, "On the 2nd, we will go to grandma's."

Such a simple and everyday item as a watch will help your child write numbers. The child has probably seen it many times, so he will not be new to the numbers on the dial.

How to teach to count to 20?

The next stage in the mathematical education of the child at home will be counting up to 20. You should start classes only when the baby has already mastered the numbers from 1 to 9 and the number 10 well.

Explain that each subsequent (further 10) number will consist of two digits. In other words, each number is divided into tens and ones. The first digit is tens, the second is units.
Use two boxes. Put ten objects in one (balls, cubes, etc.) in the other - one (2, 3, 4), this good example will help the baby understand what's what.
Say that all the numbers in the units position go one after the other, that is, after 11 comes 12, then 13, 14, etc.
When the child understands the essence of counting to 20, you can give him a small task. For example, ask your child to put 16 dryers (sweets, balls) in an empty box. In this case, the child must count aloud.

How to teach to count to 100?

By the age of 4-5, when the baby is already counting from 1 to 20, you can introduce him to numbers up to 100. This requires some patience and time, learning to count is a rather long and laborious process.

First of all, tell me that there are 9 tens in the number series up to 100. Name the numbers - 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90. But make a reservation that there are still units between these numbers, that is, these the numbers don't go one after the other.
After this short overview lesson, invite your child to learn 10 new numbers per day. Start with the third ten (21, 22, 23…). Before going to bed, ask your child to tell you what he has learned. At the same time, you can repeat the material covered by counting any items.
When the child has learned several dozen numbers, play a game with him: show a number series with a missing number in the middle. The kid must find and insert the lost element.
Praise your child for correct answers, rejoice in his success. Motivate your child to learn.

How to teach adding and subtracting?

Basic operations such as addition and subtraction will be useful to the child even before school. The ability to count objects in everyday life will give the crumbs self-confidence, and also give impetus to the development of intelligence. But where to start?

First of all, remember - no math lessons! Just a game and an interesting pastime.

Prepare visual material: apples, sweets, cubes - something that the baby will be interested in operating with.
First, parse a prime number (for example, 3). You can get a total of 3 by adding two candies and one. Ask the child to show how much he understood the explanation.
Keep adding until the child understands what's what, and only then proceed to subtract.

Greetings, dear readers! In this article, we will talk about how to teach a child to count to 10 quickly and naturally, using game techniques. After reading this article, you will be able to master basic math skills with your baby in a short time. Want to try? Then read on!

Preparing inventory

Babies start learning counting at 2-3 years old. By the age of 4, many children already know how to count to 10. Starting to master the basic knowledge of mathematics, you do not need to arrange real school lessons for a three-year-old child. Conduct classes in a playful way, for which you will definitely need visual aids. What can be used to interest the baby?

Cubes with numbers (soft or wooden);
plastic numbers with magnets and a tablet for fastening;
numerical lotto, puzzles;
abacus;
cards with objects and numbers drawn on them;
counting sticks (they can be replaced with matches or popsicle sticks);
educational cartoons, videos.

If it is not possible to buy bright toys, you can make manuals with your own hands. Do you have potatoes at home? Cut off a thick circle of potatoes and cut out the number that your baby is currently studying. Fry the workpiece and offer it to the crumbs for breakfast.

You can make numbers from any improvised materials:

cardboard;
colored paper;
plasticine;
cereals;
shells;
pebbles;
twigs;
beads, etc.

Count any objects and phenomena that you see on a walk or on the street:

steps;
cars;
trees;
toys;
people, etc.

Everything that surrounds you is suitable as a counting material.

Where to begin?

The sooner you introduce the baby to the score, the better. If a preschooler at the age of 2 already speaks and thinks well, you can proceed. First, limit the circle of knowledge to the first two digits. Place one stick in front of the child and say: "One." Then put down the second one and say, "Two."

When these concepts are mastered, count up to two everything that you find in your environment. If the skill is fixed, go to three, four, etc. Do not rush to introduce the baby to the written inscription of numbers. Count verbally. The baby should realize the practical application of the counting skill.

On the way to mastering numbers up to 5, counting rhymes, small rhymes can be of great help. By memorizing them, the child will quickly remember the order of the numbers. Play hide-and-seek, saying the well-known counting rhyme "I count to five ..." The game will be both useful and interesting.

When the direct account is mastered, we proceed to the reverse. Hang a picture of a rocket on the wall. Now imagine that it needs to be launched into space. Try counting back from five. Practice shows that the skill of counting back is acquired rather slowly and requires maximum patience and attention from parents and the child.

at home for ordinary activities;
away;
on a walk;
in transport;
on the way to kindergarten, etc.

Count forward and backward. Arrange game situations for your child in which the simplest mathematical skills are simply necessary:

Draw a winding path. Divide it into cells. Throw the dice in turn and go through as many cells with chips as there are dots on the dice. In the children's store you can buy a ready-made game. She perfectly trains the counting skill within 6.
Shop game. Arrange the toys on an imaginary counter, set your own price for each of them within 10. Cut out small rectangles from colored paper - this is money. If you have obsolete 1 kopeck coins, they are great for playing. Let the baby be the buyer. Its task is to correctly count the number of coins or paper "bills".
Involvement in household chores. Invite the baby to wash or wipe 3 cups, and give the rest to mom. The task of the child is to count the required number of cups.
Game "Messenger". Lay out cubes, a designer, magnets and other toys in one room. Go to the next room. The kid plays the role of a messenger: he must bring as many items from the next room as he was asked.

Encourage any achievements, praise the baby. But do not turn praise into training when, after the correct answer, the baby receives a candy or permission to watch a cartoon. So the child will form the opinion that study and gifts are directly related.

Learning numbers on paper

Only after the baby has learned to count up to 10 verbally and mentally without errors, you can introduce him to the graphic design of numbers.

Introducing the child to writing a number, show the corresponding card, put on a video of a cartoon or a children's TV show that talks about this number. Sculpt a number from plasticine, draw and color it, cut it out of colored paper, lay it out of matches, etc. The more visuals you use, the sooner you get the result.

Offer the child the game "Guess!" For her, you will need cubes or cards with numbers written on them. Show your child a number and ask him to name it.

If your baby loves outdoor games and does not want to play with cubes or magnets, do otherwise. Hang a sheet of paper with randomly written numbers on the door or on the wall. And now the most interesting thing: invite the baby to make a somersault (jump, throw the ball, etc.), and then name the number that you show. So alternate physical and mental exercises. Changing actions perfectly trains not only memory, but also reaction.

Older children can be taught to write numbers. Use printed copybooks for this purpose. Invite your child to first write a large number, then gradually reduce the outline to the size of a cell in a school notebook.

Solving examples

After mastering the account, it's time to learn how to solve examples. We start with a simple one: we introduce the baby to the plus sign and add: 1 + 1 = 2. For clarity, use counting sticks, matches, any identical objects.

When this simplest example is mastered, we add one to two and get three. We act in this way until we reach 10. To consolidate the addition, repeat the studied examples regularly in oral and written form. When the child answers your question, how much, for example, 5 + 1, will answer correctly without hesitation, proceed to the next step.

Add to all numbers up to 10 first 2, then 3, etc. When addition within 10 is fully mastered, give the child random examples, without being tied to a specific term.

Important! Do not let the baby count on his fingers, use a ruler or other improvised means. Solving examples for addition and subtraction within 10 is the basis of all mathematical operations. The task of parents is to ensure that the child knows the answers of the examples by heart.

Learn subtraction in the same way as addition. After successfully consolidating the knowledge gained, you can vary the complexity of the examples: give in the form of an equation with one unknown (instead of X or Y used in high school, draw a square, a house or any other image in place of the missing number).

What should be remembered?

When studying numbers with a child, follow the rules of learning:

One lesson should last no more than 10 minutes, so as not to annoy the baby and not tire him. Spend 3 such “lessons” during the day.
Periodically return to the studied material, but do not do it daily.
Do not scold the child if something does not work out for him. Correctly calculate the complexity of tasks.
Fix the material in everyday life so that the child sees its practical application.

And most importantly: psychologists believe that in the learning process, the baby goes through three stages:

gets used to the terms, designations;
understands the essence of what is being said;
remembers.

Don't rush to get results! Practice more, and at some point your baby will successfully count to 10!

If you know other successful methods for teaching kids to count, please share them in the comments. See you soon!