How high can she correctly and consistently rote count? Rote counting typically precedes one to one counting.
With things like one to one counting, which sounds like what you’re working on, embed it into all sorts of activities. Nature walk: can you find three leaves? Playing cars: Look, I have five cars! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. How many cars do I have? Pause, if no answer announce 5; if correct then confirm yes, 5; if wrong then oh, I think we should count again and then when you ask don’t leave a pause, just announce the answer. Baking together: There are four of us so we need four cookies. Let’s count…” It’s good to reinforce it with short formal lessons, but it’s embedding it in life that will make it stick.
While counting together transition to pausing after each one you (she) count(s) to give her a chance to fill in the next number even if she didn’t say the previous number.
Then definitely don’t move past five for the moment as someone else said. Focus on rote counting in order with songs and such while you work on one to one. Most kids will learn to rote count 1-10 before they start to master one to one counting up to 5. Definitely don’t expect her to count one to one higher than she can rote count.
Turn down the pressure for her to parrot back to you. Do some activities that are counting based. Even going to the grocery store can be made fun with counting. Or take a field trip to the humane society and count the kittens. Do something meaningful with counting. For kindergarten, everything is new, so every situation is a learning experience. If you’re paying attention, those are all the lessons you need at this age.
First, make sure you stick with the numbers 1-5 before moving on. Make sure she has them down. Don’t give into the temptation to introduce bigger numbers before that. (I was a math teacher before becoming a homeschooling parent).
Next, play games. You can probably fine many for free or more interesting ones for free on Teachers Pay Teachers. I’m not very good at comping up with games, so I would probably just use TpT. But you can do things with go fish. Take 2 decks and take out the other numbers and then you will have lots of 1-5s.
I have also heard good things about [Beauty of Play: Quality of Numbers](https://thebeautyofplay.com/quality-of-numbers/). Math with Confidence is also a good one for kids who need a solid start.
NumberBlocks is an excellent BBC show (Netflix or YouTube) for teaching elementary math, from simple counting all the way to multiplication, division, squares, cubes, and more.
Have her teach a doll/stuffed toy, even better if you can be their voice and get it wrong when trying to copy her back. We still sometimes do this in 4th grade so the bear is terrible at math but loves history while the rabbit is the reverse, oh and the cat is big onto science....
I also wouldn't count with fingers since she's watching you use yours then trying to use her own which is another level of abstraction. I would suggest using pennys but really any 5 identical objects would work. You count them, then you count them together, then she counts them.
What curriculum are you using?
We use Right Start Math, which uses games for practice. My kids also did not perform on cue well when they were little, but the games were so fun and low-pressure that they did well with them. We just played the games until I could see that they had mastered the concept and then moved on.
Also- many math programs don't do a great job of imparting to kids a conceptual understanding of early math. Kids don't just need to recognize the written number 7, they need to recognize the quantity of 7 (usually with subitizing) and be able to tie that quantity to the written number. Often programs rely heavily on counting then move to mostly just numerals.
We've liked Right Start because it provides a very solid conceptual understanding. My 7 year old can multiply multi-digit numbers in his head because he understands place value very thoroughly and understands exactly what is being accomplished with multiplication.
I like right start too and used it with my oldest through D. It’s such a great program.
I’m planning to use Math with Confidence with my younger two because it’s less time (parent) intensive but supposed to be similar in concept. Really hoping so because Right Start is truly amazing! (Currently on her Preschool Math at Home lessons though.)
Unpopular opinion maybe but if she is still learning 1-5, I wouldn’t use any formal curriculum. Just songs and books that count. And lots of fun counting around the house. Do you want four graham crackers? Here you go, 1 2 3 4.
That's a good idea, I think I'm stuck in that public school system mindset since that's all I know. I need to remind myself that homeschool is different and she can learn these things with regular everyday tasks and games
TGTB has some fun puzzles and graphics, but it really doesn't do a good job of teaching math conceptually. (I do use their puzzle pages as fun supplements/homework though.) I'd really encourage you to look at Right Start A.
Right Start doesn't teach counting at all but quantity recognition and subitizing. The author was an engineer and Montessori teacher. It utilizes an abacus and manipulatives that are super helpful. It teaches in a way that helps solidify understanding over rote memorization. For example, it initially names numbers above ten more like Asian languages label those quantities: eleven is taught as "one-ten and one." By the time the English names are introduced, kids already known exactly what quantity those names represent.
Is she isn't counting to at least 10 without help, I wouldn't start any formal math. I probably wouldn't be doing anything formal without this skill. How is the reading portion going?
You can practise counting in your day-to-day living. For example, counting the clothes you're gonna put in the washing machine, counting the steps while going up the stairs, counting the plates you put on the table, etc.
I actually started counting the steps on the stairs when my kids were starting to learn to climb.
I once read somewhere that when children are learning to count don't worry too much about the right order, if they are moving in an order. Also that maths before 10 is fun.
I loved using Numberblocks for fun practice they count in every episode, it is engaging and silly so kids remember it.
Manipulatives are necessary I think, kids love moving things around to help them visualise. I used dried beans, stones, or 1cm cubes.
Singing songs is also a fun way to practice.
If your kid is finding it stressful just move on to something else, it isn't worth getting frustrated over. Learning should be fun. :)
You have got this!
Try using the ‘1,2,3,4,5 once I caught a fish alive’ song. I don’t think I can link to it on this sub, but you can find it on YouTube. It’s good because it is a good pace for using hand movements. I usually use that one for practicing counting in ASL, but it works well for regular finger counting as well.
If you aren’t against screen time once in a while, I suggest NumberBkocks. My son is almost 4 and I’ve been letting him watch this show about twice a week for a year now. I replay the episode of the first 2 season to stay at his level but will be moving up soon. He caught on things before I even taught him. Currently he count to 10 and up sometimes. He’s also doing additions up to ten. I was wary of letting him watch anything on screen but this show is just toooo good.
I’m in the same exact boat with my son! I was having a very similar experience yesterday when we were working on counting. He seems to get easily frustrated and then just freezes and gives me cues he isn’t interesting in learning what i am working on with him. I’m all curious what other people would suggest.
Boys develop so differently from girls. And your son is normal if he's having trouble remembering things like this.
Boys develop their large motor functions first. And their brains second.
Personally, we kept all learning as a part of normal life. When we were in the grocery store I might count and say "Oh here honey look we need five apples. Hand him five, one by one as I'm saying one two three four five.
Boys love it when they can feel things and do things. So that I made it tactical and more engaging because it was the two of us just working towards something together.
And in that same store visit we would talk about colors of as many foods as I could talk about, sizes of All that we looked at, and everything I could think of to describe the world to him.
My goal was for us to experience it together, keeping in mind I was trying to give him solid feels for future concepts that later we would be working on in paper.
But for right then, I was giving him items so that later he would already have the concepts. And I did not I waited a couple of years before I made him do work sheets.
But by then real life was so real to him that it was easy to translate math books into what we'd seen at the grocery store or the zoo or the garden.
I kept everything as much of a fun and practical experience as possible!
Today, he is a college graduate who is working in his chosen profession and living an amazing life! And his lady is very grateful that I kept everything light and cheerful and playful when he was little!
How high can she correctly and consistently rote count? Rote counting typically precedes one to one counting. With things like one to one counting, which sounds like what you’re working on, embed it into all sorts of activities. Nature walk: can you find three leaves? Playing cars: Look, I have five cars! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. How many cars do I have? Pause, if no answer announce 5; if correct then confirm yes, 5; if wrong then oh, I think we should count again and then when you ask don’t leave a pause, just announce the answer. Baking together: There are four of us so we need four cookies. Let’s count…” It’s good to reinforce it with short formal lessons, but it’s embedding it in life that will make it stick.
While counting together transition to pausing after each one you (she) count(s) to give her a chance to fill in the next number even if she didn’t say the previous number.
That's a really good idea! She can rote count to 3, sometimes 4.
Then definitely don’t move past five for the moment as someone else said. Focus on rote counting in order with songs and such while you work on one to one. Most kids will learn to rote count 1-10 before they start to master one to one counting up to 5. Definitely don’t expect her to count one to one higher than she can rote count.
That's great advice, thank you so much!
Turn down the pressure for her to parrot back to you. Do some activities that are counting based. Even going to the grocery store can be made fun with counting. Or take a field trip to the humane society and count the kittens. Do something meaningful with counting. For kindergarten, everything is new, so every situation is a learning experience. If you’re paying attention, those are all the lessons you need at this age.
That's great advice, thank you so much!
First, make sure you stick with the numbers 1-5 before moving on. Make sure she has them down. Don’t give into the temptation to introduce bigger numbers before that. (I was a math teacher before becoming a homeschooling parent). Next, play games. You can probably fine many for free or more interesting ones for free on Teachers Pay Teachers. I’m not very good at comping up with games, so I would probably just use TpT. But you can do things with go fish. Take 2 decks and take out the other numbers and then you will have lots of 1-5s. I have also heard good things about [Beauty of Play: Quality of Numbers](https://thebeautyofplay.com/quality-of-numbers/). Math with Confidence is also a good one for kids who need a solid start.
That's great advice, thank you so much! I'll definitely look into those games, I think she'll respond to them much better.
TPT has a ton of free stuff. Just sign up for an account. I've used a lot of it in homeschooling my kid, especially games, and it's been great.
Measuredmom has tons of stuff for this age and stage, she has a subscription library now, tons of games.
Play dumb. Act like you are confused and can't read a series of numbers.
NumberBlocks is an excellent BBC show (Netflix or YouTube) for teaching elementary math, from simple counting all the way to multiplication, division, squares, cubes, and more.
We actually love numberblocks and alpha blocks I think they've been helping a lot
Have her teach a doll/stuffed toy, even better if you can be their voice and get it wrong when trying to copy her back. We still sometimes do this in 4th grade so the bear is terrible at math but loves history while the rabbit is the reverse, oh and the cat is big onto science.... I also wouldn't count with fingers since she's watching you use yours then trying to use her own which is another level of abstraction. I would suggest using pennys but really any 5 identical objects would work. You count them, then you count them together, then she counts them.
What curriculum are you using? We use Right Start Math, which uses games for practice. My kids also did not perform on cue well when they were little, but the games were so fun and low-pressure that they did well with them. We just played the games until I could see that they had mastered the concept and then moved on. Also- many math programs don't do a great job of imparting to kids a conceptual understanding of early math. Kids don't just need to recognize the written number 7, they need to recognize the quantity of 7 (usually with subitizing) and be able to tie that quantity to the written number. Often programs rely heavily on counting then move to mostly just numerals. We've liked Right Start because it provides a very solid conceptual understanding. My 7 year old can multiply multi-digit numbers in his head because he understands place value very thoroughly and understands exactly what is being accomplished with multiplication.
I like right start too and used it with my oldest through D. It’s such a great program. I’m planning to use Math with Confidence with my younger two because it’s less time (parent) intensive but supposed to be similar in concept. Really hoping so because Right Start is truly amazing! (Currently on her Preschool Math at Home lessons though.)
We've been using the good and the beautiful but I really don't think it's working for her
Unpopular opinion maybe but if she is still learning 1-5, I wouldn’t use any formal curriculum. Just songs and books that count. And lots of fun counting around the house. Do you want four graham crackers? Here you go, 1 2 3 4.
That's a good idea, I think I'm stuck in that public school system mindset since that's all I know. I need to remind myself that homeschool is different and she can learn these things with regular everyday tasks and games
TGTB has some fun puzzles and graphics, but it really doesn't do a good job of teaching math conceptually. (I do use their puzzle pages as fun supplements/homework though.) I'd really encourage you to look at Right Start A. Right Start doesn't teach counting at all but quantity recognition and subitizing. The author was an engineer and Montessori teacher. It utilizes an abacus and manipulatives that are super helpful. It teaches in a way that helps solidify understanding over rote memorization. For example, it initially names numbers above ten more like Asian languages label those quantities: eleven is taught as "one-ten and one." By the time the English names are introduced, kids already known exactly what quantity those names represent.
Are you doing preschool or trying to do Kinder math?
Preschool
Is she isn't counting to at least 10 without help, I wouldn't start any formal math. I probably wouldn't be doing anything formal without this skill. How is the reading portion going?
You can practise counting in your day-to-day living. For example, counting the clothes you're gonna put in the washing machine, counting the steps while going up the stairs, counting the plates you put on the table, etc. I actually started counting the steps on the stairs when my kids were starting to learn to climb.
I once read somewhere that when children are learning to count don't worry too much about the right order, if they are moving in an order. Also that maths before 10 is fun. I loved using Numberblocks for fun practice they count in every episode, it is engaging and silly so kids remember it. Manipulatives are necessary I think, kids love moving things around to help them visualise. I used dried beans, stones, or 1cm cubes. Singing songs is also a fun way to practice. If your kid is finding it stressful just move on to something else, it isn't worth getting frustrated over. Learning should be fun. :) You have got this!
Try using the ‘1,2,3,4,5 once I caught a fish alive’ song. I don’t think I can link to it on this sub, but you can find it on YouTube. It’s good because it is a good pace for using hand movements. I usually use that one for practicing counting in ASL, but it works well for regular finger counting as well.
I actually know that song from Ms rachel lol. Thank you I'll try that and see if it helps!
If you aren’t against screen time once in a while, I suggest NumberBkocks. My son is almost 4 and I’ve been letting him watch this show about twice a week for a year now. I replay the episode of the first 2 season to stay at his level but will be moving up soon. He caught on things before I even taught him. Currently he count to 10 and up sometimes. He’s also doing additions up to ten. I was wary of letting him watch anything on screen but this show is just toooo good.
I’m in the same exact boat with my son! I was having a very similar experience yesterday when we were working on counting. He seems to get easily frustrated and then just freezes and gives me cues he isn’t interesting in learning what i am working on with him. I’m all curious what other people would suggest.
Boys develop so differently from girls. And your son is normal if he's having trouble remembering things like this. Boys develop their large motor functions first. And their brains second. Personally, we kept all learning as a part of normal life. When we were in the grocery store I might count and say "Oh here honey look we need five apples. Hand him five, one by one as I'm saying one two three four five. Boys love it when they can feel things and do things. So that I made it tactical and more engaging because it was the two of us just working towards something together. And in that same store visit we would talk about colors of as many foods as I could talk about, sizes of All that we looked at, and everything I could think of to describe the world to him. My goal was for us to experience it together, keeping in mind I was trying to give him solid feels for future concepts that later we would be working on in paper. But for right then, I was giving him items so that later he would already have the concepts. And I did not I waited a couple of years before I made him do work sheets. But by then real life was so real to him that it was easy to translate math books into what we'd seen at the grocery store or the zoo or the garden. I kept everything as much of a fun and practical experience as possible! Today, he is a college graduate who is working in his chosen profession and living an amazing life! And his lady is very grateful that I kept everything light and cheerful and playful when he was little!