3.5 yr kid skipping 5 while counting

sirisha81 · Jan 9, 2012

Hi,
My 3.5 year old son tells from 1 - 4 and then from 6 - 10. He is not able to remember that 5 comes after 4. Also, he stops with 10. All the kids in his class (Nursery) are easily counting till 40. This is causing me lot of anguish. Please let me know how to make my kid say 5 after 4.

Thanks,
Nageshwar

lakshmi13 · Jan 9, 2012

Hi

Firstly start by showing him real objects along with the number. For example show him one pencil and say one then two pencils say two and so on. Your child is facing difficulties in sequencing hence play a game like arranging picture stories in a particular order, show him various patterns and ask him to predict what comes next. For example, show a circle, square, triangle, circle, ask him what should come next. Answer is a square. How is his language skills? Is he able to remember alphabets correctly and in sequence? If yes, ask him what comes next after a alphabet. Such exercises will stimulate his brain and make him be able to perform sequential learning.

teacher · Jan 20, 2012

That's because your child is counting by rote...which is age appropriate. He has to develop the concept of one to one corespondence (adding one more increases the vaue by one) which sets in around 5 yrs. If his peers count upto 40 all it means is that their parents are good at drilling. It is not a reflexion of their ability or your son's lack thereof!

Try to use counting before starting an activity..."let's count to 10 before we do...count with me." When you do this don't trick him by changing the sequence of numbers...ydour goal is to consolidate his counting skills not to test if he knows the sequence.

Try the opposite...counting in reverse is a very important skill. Pretend you are blasing a rocket and count backwards...10, 9, 8...and blast off at 0. If you are starting this for the first time then count backwards from 5...once your son is comfortable with it, start from 10.

Use counting in all your everyday activities...that will make it meaningful for him.

I need ten rupees for shopping...can you count out 10 one rupee coins?

Let's see how many color pencils can fit in this box...1. 2, 3,...(usually there are 8 or ten pencils to a pack)

Can you put ten grapes in the snack bowl?

Let's draw ten dots on the butterfly picture..

Just review your day and identify all the activities where you can incorporate counting. When you count make sure you add one item for each number.

Have fun.