Counting in real life
Here is a child. She holds a wooden coin in one hand and a striped candy in the other. “Two,” she says, then adds a third to the basket and pauses, eyes on the growing pile. “Three.” It isn’t a worksheet. It’s a pretend shop, and the maths is alive in her fingers.
This is early number sense – counting real things, moving them from one set to another, and feeling what “one more” truly means. The work looks like play because it is.
What children are learning when they count
Counting is more than saying number words. Children match one word to one object (one-to-one correspondence), then connect the final number spoken to the total in the set (cardinality). Over time, they learn to “count on” – hold 5 in mind and step 6, 7, 8 instead of starting from 1 each time. They also meet different “kinds” of number: the name of a space on a board (ordinal), the label on a door (nominal), and the how many in a group (cardinal).
Two big ideas sit underneath: equivalence (different combinations can make the same total) and transformation (adding or taking away changes a set). The simplest way to teach both is to let children move real objects. That’s the heart of the concrete – representational – abstract journey: touch it, draw it, then use symbols with confidence.
The best toys for number play
Pretend shops and play money. Buying and selling turns “how many?” into a story with stakes. Children count items into a basket, match coins to prices, make change, and practice “one more” and “one less.” After you see her happily matching coins to apples, browse numbers and counting toys to add gentle challenge with prices and totals.
Cash registers and tills. Keys to press, drawers to open, and totals to announce create irresistible reasons to count aloud and track amounts. That practical repetition builds fluency. When the play is flowing, point her toward a classic wooden till to anchor the game with real-feeling actions.
Abacuses and counting frames. Sliding one bead per count makes one-to-one correspondence concrete and prevents “double counting” with fingers that drift. Once she is comfortable, try simple add-and-take stories and then invite her to spot patterns like fives and tens. When you’re ready to expand, explore number and language learning toys for pattern-rich practice.
Number puzzles and sequencing games. Matching numerals to quantities, or placing pieces in 1–10 order, helps children connect symbols with amounts. When you notice she is lining pieces by size or value, lean into that impulse – it’s seriation, a powerful early math skill – and then visit games and puzzles for more structured practice after the play makes sense.
Blocks and loose parts. Towers that match in height using different pieces teach equivalence without saying a word. Ten can be 6+4 or 3+3+2+2. That discovery shows up later in number bonds and mental addition. If building is her thing, blocks and stackers give endless opportunities to “make the same” in new ways.
Board games with simple rules. A single die and a track are perfect for “counting on.” Children learn not to re-count the square they start on and feel the rhythm of stepping one number per space. After a few joyful finishes and a couple of snakes, deepen the habit with ideas from games with rules.
Simple ways to set the stage
- Make numbers visible. Keep a small hundred-square on the fridge. Children spot patterns long before they can explain them. For a broader foundation, see block play and learning through play.
- Use real roles. Invite her to “ring up” snack time: 3 crackers, 2 strawberries – “that makes 5.” Moments like this link symbols to life. A little collection of kitchen and shopping toys keeps the scenario fresh.
- Step back after the spark. Give one prompt – “Can you make 8 with coins?” – then let her test, try, and correct. That independence is where understanding sticks.
Where to begin
If she loves make-believe, start with a friendly shop: a basket, a few wooden treats, and some coins. After she is happily “selling,” add prices, totals, and change. For quick wins, a play sweet shop offers built-in reasons to count, and a compact set of pretend coins and notes keeps the maths in her hands wherever she plays. When she’s ready for more, open the door to the full numbers and counting range and keep the learning playful.
Final word
Counting grows best in everyday stories – buying, sharing, building, and moving. Keep it concrete, keep it playful, and watch the symbols make sense. One toy becomes a hundred little lessons – all inside the game she already loves.