Numbers and counting - where to start?

[LolaKnickers]

Daughter is 2.2 and likes letters, books etc. However, she does not have the same interest in numbers and counting. Now, I'm not trying to hot house her or anything, but does anyone have any ideas on how to encourage counting and number-recognition?

She watches numberjacks, but it doesn't seem to have quite the educational efefcts of alphablocks.

Well I think you start by counting - the number of steps, the number of times you push her in the swing, the number of spoons you are getting out for dinner. You can tell her she has 1 head, 2 eyes, 10 fingers (and count them to make sure!) At some point she'll start to copy by rote and progress to understanding how the numbers relate to the "things".

Number recognition comes later - you can try introducing the books where you have 1,2,3 etc of something and point out the number to her (but don't necessarily expect it to mean anything for a while). DD was an early counter but has only started "recognising" numbers around her 4th birthday.

One tasty activity is to draw 3 circles with the numbers 1 through to 3 in each with a corresponding amount of choc chip size circles within each one, then invite your DD to fill each little circle with choc chips or raisins while counting, then eat up the goodies

Number charts are also great. I explain one interesting use on them, so your child teaches themselves

Good Luck!

Trying already to do the counting what we are doing stuff; it just doesn't seeem to register!! Interesting about number recognition at 4 even with an early counter.

Caroline - will give it a whirl!

LolaKnickers, she is 2! It will seem that she doesn't register, then, one day, she'll suddenly say "It's number 4!" or "You've got 2 eyes, Mummy!" Honestly, unless she has SNs, she is very likely to just absorb it all over time, then display her talents

I know!! I'm honestly not trying to hot house her. It's just that she's so good with letter, I can't work out why she isn't as keen on numbers.

Just do lots of counting. Try smarties! Then try to trick her, say I'll give you 4 smarties, but give her 3 see how long it takes her to object! Ask her to get plates and cups out. Do dolls tea parties, how many cups do we need? How many plates? Is this enough?

No need to show her numbers yet, and they can be quite tricky to draw.

My DD who of course is a genius was very quick with language but it took her a little longer to 'get' numbers. Just make numbers and counting a regular part of your activities without any pressure and she'll get there.

Numberjacks is not brilliant IMO.

DD1 loves it but didn't "get" numbers at all despite hours and hours-- and hours of watching. in fact, the colourful numbers seemed to confuse her, she seemed to identify the colours of the numbers, more than the shapes. So, the pink number was three. But shown her a black 3 and she was lost.

Anyway, she got it in the end, my point is that NJ is good entertaining fun but not necessarily that educational IME.

this thread has some good ideas

and this one too!

that's really interesting that number recognition comes later. my DD recognised 0-9 way before she was 2, but the concept of what they meant came quite a few months later. is that unusual then? not that it really matters it all evens out in the end!

maybe it was just because she kept messing around on a computer toy she was given (she learned letters like that too), I suppose it just comes down to what they are exposed to. I started a thread yesterday on numberjacks and we watched one - I thought it was good, but TBH I'm glad I've left it until now to introduce her to it, as she's got a good grip of what the numbers mean.

if anyone's interested, an important concept of what numbers mean is called one-to-one correspondence - it's the understanding that the number 1 means one object, 2 means 2 objects etc. so it's really important to count actual things/actions, as just reciting 1 to 10 is a bit pointless

sorry I've gone on a bit haven't I

No - your musings are very useful mathsmad!!!