Any suggestions for learning numbers?

[Bakingtins]

My 3y2m old seems to have a mental block about numbers. He has known all the lower case letters for ages, he can count to 10 and count objects, he recognises that a numeral is "a number" but will just say any number randomly if you ask what it is.
I know he's only little and I'm not stressing about it, but does anyone have any suggestions for helping the penny to drop? He wants to look for numbers out and about but we've been doing that for months and he is no more likely to say the right number than he was months ago.
He loves the app Maths 3-5 which includes selecting numbers up to 6 and matching them to numbers of objects, but he seems to do it randomly until he gets a right answer.
I don't get why if he can distinguish b,d,p,q with no trouble, he has such difficulty with 1,2,3,4,5?

[chuckeyegg]

I got a poster for DS 1-100 in Sainsburys, maybe chalking them in the garden. Writing them in sand or doing the numbers in chocolate buttons always a winner here. Numtums are good and numberjacks if you can encourage him to watch them.

[chuckeyegg]

and sponge numbers for the bath.

[Starter]

Have you worked out how your son learns? Is he an experiential learner or does he learn by rote?

If he learns by rote, every night before his bedtime story read the number book to him, say the number and point to it, do not ask him anything. Get into a routine of doing this, boring I know! After a week or 2 say a number wrong and see if he corrects you or pretend to forget the number and see if he can help you remember.

If he is an experiential learner use puzzles or toys with numbers. My son is the same age. He knows his numbers, alphabet, phonics, digraphs, measures, size, weight, shapes, colours through Thomas and friends! Great toys!

Eg, instead of saying pass me Thomas I would say pass me Thomas the number 1 engine. After a while pass me the number 1 engine, then show me Thomas' number? What number is it? ......

It should all be done without them knowing they are learning, it should be fun and games, no pressure. They will all pick it up at some point.