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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Can your 3 or 4 yr old count??

72 replies

countless · 02/11/2010 21:40

My friends today were discussing their kids classmates and expressing dismay that some 3 and 4 yr olds couldn't count, or count out objects, to 10 or even 20.
I had been impressed that dd age 3.2 is 'number aware'. She likes to 'count' ometimes, running upstairs, skipping etc. But randomly, 1,2,3,7,10. It always makes me smile and I've never attempted to correct or teach her.
So just wondering what is normal...?

OP posts:

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Pinner35 · 02/11/2010 21:42

My DD is 2.7 and can count to 16.....not sure how we got to that particular number ( I think it might be the number of stairs up to bed).

winnybella · 02/11/2010 21:42

DD is 21 mo and can count to 3
I think DS was around 3.

whomovedmychocolate · 02/11/2010 21:43

DS (2) can count up to 10. DD (4) can count very high but then we motivated her to learn with 'Chocolate button related maths'

nigglewiggle · 02/11/2010 21:44

She sounds like she is interested in counting and doing well. I don't know what is 'normal' but I would probably start helping her to fill in the gaps in a casual and fun way.

hillyhilly · 02/11/2010 21:45

Both my kids counting well whilkst still 2 DS now 3.2 and counted to 29, however, I was aware with my first that many of her peers were not.
Don't worry or compare but you can count everything, everywhere - stairs, raisins, steps, jumps, chips, whatever, just get into the habit, I still never climb stairs without counting them out.

TheVenomousCrazyLadybug · 02/11/2010 21:45

DS (3.3) counts objects up to 25, coins etc, didn't think that was anything special, thought that must be normal... am I wrong...?

pastaplease · 02/11/2010 21:45

DD (2 years, 4 months) can count to 20 and read the numbers too.

I think this is because she has a poster in her bedroom which she loves. She's keen on reading numbers everywhere we go.

NigellaTufnel · 02/11/2010 21:47

My ds refuses to acknowledge the existence of the numbers 13,15,17,and 19.

ZinglebertBembledank · 02/11/2010 21:47

My DS2 is 3.2 and does the random number thing too. He can kind of count to ten but doesn't really understand that each number corresponds to one item. So, say I've got five coins, he'll do the right noises and rhythm (god it took me ages to figure out how to spell that!) but might trimphantly pronounce that there are SEVEN!!

aliceinlalaland · 02/11/2010 21:48

Gosh, don't know really but I suppose I would expect a 3-4 year old to do basic counting but it's definitely not a big issue, presumably they don't need to know any of that stuff for a while. DD1 2.10 does a lot of counting (can count up to 20 and count out stuff, flowers etc up to 10) but she's definitely no child prodigy, there's tonnes of stuff she can't do that younger kids seem to manage fine. She just got into the habit of counting stairs etc from when she was teeny.

So I guess I'm saying they just take a fancy to things and get the hang of them quickly and other things that they are less interested in take longer.

lancaster · 02/11/2010 21:48

I think a lot of 3/4 year olds can count to quite high numbers but have no real concept of what the numbers mean.

ilovesprouts · 02/11/2010 21:48

my ds2 3.11 cant count out aloud ,but can touch his fingers when i count to ten !!

sleepwhenidie · 02/11/2010 21:49

Normal must vary hugely and at 3 I don't think you should be concerned about her not being able to count but I have to admit I am a bit at your comment that you don't "attempt to correct or teach her" - why on earth not? It is just fun for them to count steps(like Pinner's DD)/swing pushes/absolutely anything with you and that is absolutely how they learn.

I would make a distinction between being able to count to a certain number and actually counting objects btw - one certainly will happen before the other if they are taught and I would think the other will come more easily once they grasp number sequences...

ZinglebertBembledank · 02/11/2010 21:49

PS, I don't think there's anything out of the ordinary about DS. Comparing your kids to others only ends badly
They do it when they're ready.

MaMoTTaT · 02/11/2010 21:50

DS1 could count to 13 (irrc) when he was 3 - but had no concept of numbers

DS2 could count to 30 (and beyond) at 3 - and knew what they meant

DS3 cab count reliably to 11 (3yrs 6 months now) but don't think he really knows what they mean,

nigglewiggle · 02/11/2010 21:53

DD2 (2.5) can count to ten - but only if she says "coming ready or not" at the end . To her it is like reciting "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" I am certain she has no ability to count.

Original poster

countless · 02/11/2010 21:53

at nigellatufnel

so those of you whose children are 'counters', is this because you have deliberately encouraged them to learn numbers?

we play hide and seek most days and count to 10 but I hadn't thought to do more...eek am I dumbing down my dd??

OP posts:

Rocketbird · 02/11/2010 21:55

Don't know really. DD could count to 13 from about 20 months because we have 13 stairs. She can probably go up to about 20 now and she's 2.9. She's a bit counting obsessed and counts everything! Who knows, they all differ so much there's not much point in trying to compare.

petisa · 02/11/2010 21:56

DD1 (2.6) can count to 10 and read the numbers and has been able to for quite some time. She loves numbers. She has friends her age who don't count at all, but one for example is an amazing talker and another has been able to scale huge climbing frames since he was 18 months. They're all different, don't worry.

Lougle · 02/11/2010 21:58

countless really don't worry about it. Counting is not a sign of development.

My DD1 is 4.11, started Special school in September, has Global development delay and could count to 10 at 2.9.

My DD2 is 3.3 and can count to 17, can count backwards from 5 to 0 to 5 again - don't know quite why, but she can. She is doing it all at her own pace, and I neither push nor discourage, just let her be.

My DD3 is 18 months and can count to 3

Greythorne · 02/11/2010 21:58

My DD1 is 3.10 and can count to 14 correctly, then goes haywire, missing out 15 and 17, but enjoying saying it out loud, nonethless.

she can also do addition and subtraction up to 6 and answered correctly when I asked how many more invitations we needed to write out if we were inviting 10 children and had done 8 invitations already.

I think she seems ahead of her peers re additiona dn subtraction, but behind in simple counting! Some of her peers can count to 60!

Original poster

countless · 02/11/2010 21:59

sleepwhenidie- I never correct dd's grammar or pronunciation either, I thought incorrect number sequences fell under same umbrella

I suppose this number issue is part of the dawning of the realisation that other people may have or will soon have expectations of her..I hadn't started to think about what she should be able to do yet, number and letterwise

OP posts:

Tidey · 02/11/2010 21:59

DD (just 3) can count to twelve. We've always counted the stairs on the way up to bed and she picked it up gradually. She relates this to other things, like counting toys.

maxybrown · 02/11/2010 23:08

NOt that shocking really, my DS is 3.2 almost and can't even talk, but can count in intonation. Is he going to be seen as some dimwit then? He's actually very bright, shame he can't let anyone know!

AnyFuleKno · 02/11/2010 23:13

ugh I hate these threads so much

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