Counting Numbers 1-10 Resources

Numbers are the foundation upon which all mathematical concepts are built, and counting to 10 is your student’s first introduction to them. While it is tempting to simply teach through memorization as you would with the alphabet, it is important that students understand that numbers represent a quantity of something. This is known as cardinality.
The key concepts to keep in mind when teaching to count up to ten objects to reinforce cardinality are:

• Count each object by saying the numbers in standard order, associating each number with only one object. When counting apples, each apple only gets one number, so an apple isn’t counted twice.
• Explain that the last number you reach represents the whole quantity of the objects. Student should understand that upon reaching the last apple, the number associated with that one is the total quantity of apples.
• Each successive number represents an increase in total quantity. This concept lays the foundation for basic addition and subtraction. Two apples are one more than one apple. Three apples are one more than two apples.
• Explain that this last number is the answer to “How many?”

It’s important to use different methods when teaching to count. The more ways a student interacts with numbers, the greater their overall understanding will be. By using the Education.com games, worksheets, and activities above, you will have a variety of resources at your disposal to ensure students remain engaged and learning how to count from 1 to 10.