Learn Numbers 1-5

It is never too early to begin teaching your child about numbers! While it might be difficult for your young child to understand at first, repetition of practice is crucial. The knowledge of numbers and counting forms the foundation for everything your child will learn in mathematics for the rest of her life. Familiarize your child with numbers and counting with this hands-on activity that incorporates one of her favorite things — candy!

Numeration is discovering and understanding the "manyness" of numbers. To begin your child's number practice, focus on the "manyness" of numbers one through five. It is generally easy to understand the concept of one. Your child as been asking for "one" of something since learning to speak! Two is also a manageable concept for your child to grasp because the idea of two has been a part of her knowledge bank since she discovered that she possessed two hands to hold things and realized that this was more than one. The real complexity begins with the number three.

What You Need:

• Five pieces of candy

What to Do:

1. Give your child three pieces of candy. Ask her to describe the candies.
2. Instruct your child to move her candies into several directional and positional relationships (in a pile, behind you, over your head, to one side, etc.).
3. Have her create a pattern with the candies and then reorder them in a different way.
4. After she becomes familiar with this set of three candies, count them out loud with her.
5. Repeat this activity with the numbers four and five at a later time.
6. Introduce zero only after numbers one through five. And remember, having "zero candies" is a different concept than simply not having any candy. 

Keep in Mind: