1, 2, 3!
Explore Counting
Numbers and counting help us understand ideas like amounts and sizes. When your child says “one, two, three” while touching three blocks, it helps them see that numbers have meaning. This early practice makes it easier for children to learn other math ideas, like adding, subtracting, and measuring.
- Audience
- Caregiver
- Subject
- Math
- Age
- KindergartenPre-KPreschoolToddler
- Languages
- Brazilian PortugueseEnglishHaitian CreoleSimplified ChineseSpanish
- Materials
- Pretend money, beach ball, die, tongs, animal figurines , bowls, painter’s tape
Many adults feel anxious about math, often because of past experiences. But here is the good news: you don’t need to be a math expert to help your child! Just be curious together. Notice the shapes and numbers around you, and talk about them while you play. When math is part of everyday life, it feels less scary for both of you. Laugh, explore, and don’t worry about mistakes.
Activities
Play shopping
- With your child, gather food (pretend or real), toys, and other items from around the house.
- Set up a pretend store. Take turns being the store owner or a shopper.
- As you play, talk about how many items you are getting (“I want 3 books!” “Do you have 5 apples?”).
- Use pretend money. Try using phrases like, “This toy car is $4.” or “I need 2 coins for this banana.” It’s okay if your child doesn’t count the money correctly—what matters is hearing and using numbers while playing.
Beach ball toss
- Blow up a beach ball.
- Take turns tossing the ball back and forth.
- Count out loud. How many times can you toss the ball before it falls to the ground? Try again to see if you get a different number.
Roll a die!
- With your child, gather two bowls, a die, a pair of tongs, and animal figurines.
- Roll the die. Help your child count how many dots are on the top side.
- Using the tongs, move the same number of animals from one bowl into the other.
- Roll the die again, and repeat!
- Try different ways to play. Use your fingers instead of the tongs. Make the opening of the bowl narrower by covering part of it with painter’s tape.
Ways to support your child
“I would like 6 bananas, please.”
“Let’s count together!”
“Let’s roll the die to see how many!”
Everyday interactions
Dramatic countdowns make counting fun! Excitedly count “3, 2, 1!” before your child goes down a slide or knocks over a block tower. It adds excitement and helps them learn number order.
Related Resources
CaregiverActivityUp, Down, and Around
When children crawl under a table, fit toys in a box, or figure out how to get through a narrow path, they are thinking about how to move through or fill up a certain space. Moments like these support spatial thinking—how we understand where objects are and how they move or fit together.
CaregiverActivityBig, Small, and in Between
Young children learn about measuring before they ever use rulers or scales. They practice these skills by pouring water, stacking blocks, or filling containers. Children use their senses and simple tools to explore size, weight, length, temperature, and more. They notice if something is big or small, heavy or light, long or short, or more or less.
CaregiverActivityPutting Together, Taking Apart
Adding and subtracting happens every day! It’s not just about equations like “1 + 1 = 2.” Young children learn about math by exploring how amounts change—like putting more colors onto their painting (addition) and giving a block from their pile to a friend (subtracting). As children explore putting together and taking apart groups of objects, they practice basic skills that help them get ready for the math they will learn in school.
CaregiverActivityCircles, Squares, and More!
Shapes are everywhere! Some shapes have names—like circle, square, or triangle. Some shapes don’t have names—like the puddles on the ground or the outline of a favorite toy. Children naturally experience shapes when fitting blocks together, sitting in a circle at story time, or trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Exploring shapes helps them observe, compare, and interact with the world around them.
CaregiverActivitySame and Different
Matching and sorting are key skills that help children learn how things are the same or different. Children might sort and match by color, size, shape, or what things are used for. When they do this, they are learning to compare items, understand groups, notice patterns, and organize information—all important ideas in early math and problem-solving.
EducatorGuideMath Everywhere – Playgroup Guide
You can use or adapt this playgroup structure to maximize playful learning about early math during your playgroup. Be sure to also visit the Math Everywhere collection to download the accompanying Family Activity Sheets. This playgroup guide includes:
CaregiverActivitySnip, Stick, Scribble!
In school, children do lots of activities. They write, draw, paint, and build with different materials. As children do these things, they use tools–scissors to cut paper, paintbrushes to mix colors, and pencils to write letters and numbers.
CaregiverActivityI Can Do It
At home, children can often get one-on-one help with what they need. At school, teachers have many children to care for and may not be able to assist right away. This is why it is important for children to learn to do tasks like zip jackets, put on shoes, and open snack containers. These everyday tasks use fine motor skills—small movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.