1, 2, 3...Count with me!

We all know Kindergarten is full of math objectives but one of the most important is counting and identifying numbers. With the new Common Core Standards we will see a huge increase in the rigor that students will face while learning to count and identify numbers.

I have found that allowing Kinders to count anything and everything that interests them is the best way to help them develop their counting skills. Here is a list of things to count within the classroom:

• Crayons
• Chairs
• Girls vs Boys
• Students present vs Students absent (starts to help develop the concept of addition)
• Tables
• Markers
• Stuffed Animals
• Books

Kinders love counting anything they can touch! If you count objects enough, they develop 1-1 correspondence really quickly.

After developing their growing counting skills, we move onto identifying numbers and counting objects to match the number. Here are some great activities I use:

Counting Tubs with ideas borrowed from Hubbard's Cupboard

Spot has lost his spots!

Students identify the number on Spot and count out that many beans to add spots to the dog.








You can also print out different pictures to mix it up a little. We have shirts to put buttons on, pigs to put coins in and lady bugs to put legs on.

I recently started using the game Where's the Worm to help students identify different numbers. Students guess numbers on apples trying to find where the worm is hiding. The kids love it when they can actually find the worm!

It's also really easy to create file folder games where students have to count dots and find the matching number.

If you want some great games to use with counting and numbers check out LakeShore Learning. They have some great games and different manipulatives that make teaching easy!

Also, if you are teaching at a Title 1 school like me, check out Donors Choose. All you have to do is type up a project, post it and keep your fingers crossed that it gets funded.

Counting in Kindergarten can be really fun and engaging when the students feel like they are playing a game instead of having to work. It's really easy to find great, engaging activities that will work for all students. Check out Pinterest for some more really good ideas!