Number games for very young children

[AngelsfromtherealmsofgloryDog]

Apologies if this should be on a different board - I wasn't sure where to put it.

Can anyone suggest links/ideas for number games for really little ones? My 2 y.o. is very into numbers and I'd like to follow his interest with some activities.

He can count up to 3 but obviously is a long way off 'proper' counting of larger numbers yet, and is just beginning to recognise the shapes of some numerals.

I dunno really - I've experienced intense number interest from small children more than once, and IME they'll use whatever is at hand to further their passion - a wall poster with numbers on, counting books, bus numbers, counting stairs... I never invested particularly in things to help (Except scouring charity shops for counting books), just answered the questions that came up.

Yes, we do a lot of 'counting' street lights and Christmas tree baubles! :)

Do you know any songs? 1-2-3-4-5 once I caught a fish alive and This Old Man are our two staples, but all the others I know count down rather than up (10 green bottles, 5 little ducks etc).

Of course you're right about not needing 'activities'.

DS has been very into letters since just after his first birthday, but I didn't do anything other than talk to him about his bath foam letters, then talk about signs etc.

1-2 buckle my shoe

you can sing numbers to the tune of twinkle twinkle (1 2 3 4 5 and 6, 7 8 9 10 11 and 12, 1 2 3, 4 5 6, 7 8 9 10 11 and 12, 1 2 3 4 5 and 6, 7 8 9 10 11 and 12)

Telly tubbies do a lot of counting. Bless them.

dominoes.

I think I'd rather shoot myself than introduce Telly tubbies. Thankfully we're a TV-free household.

Thanks for the suggestions, especially for taking the effort to write the Twinkle Twinkle lyrics.

ommmward LOL

You had me singing the bloody thing. And I had to do it TWICE because the first time I couldn't get it to fit the tune.

Please pass the gun.

Angelsfromtherealms

We have foam numbers that stick to the bath and a number poster/line thing from Bookstart. Nothing else specific. My 2 year old is a number fan. Only he links numbers to other ideas. V. cute. So 8 becomes '8 for mummy' because I foolishly told him it was my favourite number (Why??). And 5 is '5 for the washing sheen!' (washing machine), because setting 5 is Fast Wash (default setting in our house ), and he likes to turn the machine on, and I like to make sure if he is doing it, he is doing it right!

Yes, we had bath foam letters - DS got into letters much sooner than numbers as a result. I chucked them though as there was a concern about toxic chemicals in them (toxic if ingested) and DS is currently in a chewing phase.

I love the idea of associating numbers with other ideas. When I used to teach KS2 I used to say that if numbers were food, multiples of 10 would be chocolate (because we loved them so much).

Count everything! Buttons are my 2.5 yr olds favorite at the moment.

Foam puzzle number mates. They come in a pack with number 1-20 I think. We currently have the alphabet version, and my daughter loves to take the letters out, mix them up then play "where does the 'A' go". Fairly certain this can be done with numbers as well.

In general Ill start counting by saying 1, then walk partically away, she will say 2, Ill shout back 3 and so on and so forth.

ELC used to do a long mat with numbers on and when you stood on each number it made a different noise. That's a lot of fun and when they can recognise the numbers you can shout out a number and they jump on it.

Counting everything is a great idea. Count the stairs as you go up and down, count the sausages as you put them under the grill, count socks as you sort them, plates as you put them on the table, fingers into gloves... you get the idea.

One day, when DS (aged 2 at the time) was painting random shapes and generally making a mess, I started painting big numbers on pieces of A4 paper. He thought this was hilarious, and together we painted a whole set of numbers from 1 to 9. Then we cut them out, and they are still on the wall 6 months later. He often looks at them and is still proud of our effort that day.

Actually, DS has perhaps learned most about the sequence of numbers from me counting when he is being 'naughty' , e.g. "I'm going to count to 10 and if you are not here putting your shoes on I will come and get you"... he always waits until I get to 9 and then comes running!

"One Man Went to Mow.." counts up too.

My boy likes the numbers at supermarket checkouts too And on lifts.

O, and on clocks: we have to look at the cheapie mantelpiece clock carefully, then make one with number cards and straws for hands.

And dominoes are good too. He bit older than yours, but not much. I find it funny as I am rubbish with numbers!

DD used to like hanging up socks to dry on the airer and counting them. You can progress to counting in 2s quite quickly!

My DD loved the song "5 currant buns" and we played this with real buns and with cardboard cutouts for weeks when she was two.

Abacus.
Counting blocks.
Matching numbers with the correct number of blocks.
Number cards from DK My First are good as you can count the number of different objects on each one and they are thick card so don't get easily destroyed.
There are lots of children's books that have counting as part of the story too.

Thanks everyone - some great ideas for me to use. :)

'One man went to mow' was a hit this evening. And we've found a nice library book which counts up to 10 and then down to 1 again, which DS is enjoying.

The lockers at the swimming pool and aisles in the supermarket have been good for number discussions this week. He knows about minus numbers already from pressing lift buttons! :)

DD (just 3) enjoys counting carrots, apples ... into the bag in the supermarket.

Yesterday we made 5 playdough cakes and with my fingers I played a little mouse trying to take them away (we were counting, taking away, adding, making up songs to go with it).

We play hide and seek, reciting the numbers to 10 or from 10-20.

We put a couple of foam letters on the floor and with her brother (6) they find the next number or a number one of us calls out.

DD even knows her time tables! Her brother learns them with songs from a CD (Rock me 1x1, its Austrian), so DD sings a song that includes ... 6x7=42 ....

I've been inspired to count more interesting things than usual by this thread. This week we've counted toilet rolls, dormer windows and stripes on zebra crossings, none of which I'd have thought of counting before. :)