2 year old can't count to 3 - normal?

[WhyTheHeckMe]

My ds1 is just 2 and cannot count to 3.
I have no idea if it's normal as all the other kids I know his age (and automatically compare him to) are counting to 10, some even 20 and doing the alphabet.
My sisters son could count to 10 by 15 months. It's hard to not worry!

We do try and teach him 1, 2, 3..but he copies 3,2,3.
He seems to get muddled a lot.
Rabbit is barrit.
Cat is tac.
Mr tumble is mr bumtle!

All normal? Or worth mentioning during his health visitor review in 3 months?

Thanks

It really annoys and upsets me that even tiny children are expected to meet ‘targets’.it puts pressure on both child and parents. I hate them and wish they would be scrapped. My friend was concerned at after ‘parents evening’ at her local nursery, when she was told her son wasn’t meeting his ‘target’ because he couldn’t count to 3. He was 14 months old! He still was not talking at all then - but in his own time he caught up, is in school now, and is fine. I’ve taught children in the early years for many years and they are all different. Some are quicker (especially the girls), some need a bit more time, especially those with summer birthdays. The vast majority usually get there in the end. If you are worried ( and I wouldn’t be just yet) then chat to your Health Visitor. Apparently even Albert Einstein didn’t talk until he was 3!

I think it's fine if they don't get this sort of thing until pre school at 3.

I mean...it's not like you ever meet adults who can't count to 3 is it..he'll get there for when he needs it!

I agree about targets. We live in a target obsessed culture with children being expected to know/ do things at ever younger ages.

I specifically avoided pushing letters and reading onto mine and they are progressing at a totally normal rate..I couldn't care less if they don't read till a bit later than others, I don't want them to feel stressed or pushed.

My son's almost 2 (21 months) and he's barely speaking. I count the stairs when walking him up them and he will sort of repeat 'six, seven' but none of the other numbers. He's good at 'NO!' but nowhere near 6 word sentences. I'm not worried.

I've had a look online at the 2 year HV check questionnaire and I'm happy he's mastered pretty much all of the other things on the list. He's just still working on the talking.

Keep talking to your son, make counting things part of your daily routine. They're little sponges at this age; soaking everything up, so just make teaching him things a part of your normal interactions and he'll pick it up when he picks it up. You say he likes cars; can you draw some 'garages' on a sheet of paper, colour them in different colours and get a car of each colour, then work on parking the red car in the red garage, etc?

My 20mo can recite the numbers to 10 but actual understanding of quantity I would say she only knows 1 for sure, possibly 2.

Thanks all that's really reassuring. I now know the difference between counting and reciting too :-D didn't realise that the other kids must be reciting.
I'm normally very chilled out about all of this. I'm not trying to raise a genius, all both of us ever want is for him to be happy. We do a lot of reading and playing with him, but he isn't very interested in toys or tv or anything really. He likes his scooter that he's allowed on indoors and his cozy coupe car, and playing jumping games with cushions etc. The kids we know his age that are much further ahead will happily sit playing games on phones and watching TV which is where there parents say they pick it all up. We're not against this at all, ds is just not interested at all (yet).
Really appreciate all advice and opinions and will let him learn at his own pace :-)

My dd (now 22) was quite linear in her learning at the age. Definitely learnt by rote (we had more time). Ds (now 18) didn't really speak until after two. He also learnt in jumps - quite behind seemingly, then a fairly big jump in ability, catching up.Then plateau and repeat throughout his primary years, iyswim. They now are very similar as adults. It all irons out in the end.

DD3 will be 2 this month and can count 123, but she’s just reciting what she hears.

I wouldn’t worry just yet!