Counting games for kids

Before you start

Stay with your child for every game and keep the mood playful. Counting aloud together is the whole point, so there is no need to correct every slip. Keep objects bigger than a fist for children under three, since small things can be swallowed. Use chalk outdoors only and keep it out of mouths. Stop whenever your child has had enough. Age hints are only a guide, so you know your child best.

For older children, see our easy maths games for kids aged 5 to 10, which move on to adding, doubling and patterns. For sorting and spotting, try the shape and colour games.

1. Stair counting

Age hint: 3 and up, with a grown-up close by.

Bring: a staircase with a firm rail, and a grown-up on the same stairs.

1. Stand at the bottom with one hand on the rail and your grown-up right beside you.
2. Say each number out loud as you take one slow step up.
3. Stop at ten, or earlier if you like, and look back down at the steps you counted.
4. Count the steps down too, still holding the rail, one foot at a time.

Notice: Did going down feel the same as going up, and which number did you stop on?

Safety: Never rush or run on stairs, and skip this game if the stairs have no rail or are slippery. Wear shoes or grippy socks and keep both hands free.

2. Counting jar

Age hint: 3 and up. Use objects bigger than a fist for under 3s.

Bring: a large clear container or basket, and big soft things such as balls of rolled socks, wooden blocks or large toy fruit.

1. Put a few objects on the floor and the jar beside them.
2. Pick them up one at a time, drop each into the jar and say its number.
3. Tip them out and count again to see if you get the same number.
4. Try a new group, such as three blocks and two socks, and count them all.

Notice: Is the jar fuller with five or with two, and what happens when you count the same things again?

Safety: Keep objects larger than a fist so nothing can be swallowed, and keep small items well out of reach.

3. Number hop

Age hint: 4 and up.

Bring: chalk on a path outdoors, or ten sheets of paper with the numbers 1 to 10 written large.

1. Draw or lay out the numbers 1 to 10 in a line with a stride between them. Use chalk outdoors only, on a safe, flat, dry surface away from traffic.
2. Hop or step onto number 1 and say it.
3. Move along the line one number at a time, saying each one aloud.
4. Try hopping to a number your grown-up calls out.

Notice: Which number was easiest to find, and which one hid from you?

Safety: On a floor indoors, tape paper down so it cannot slide, and wear shoes or grippy socks. Chalk stays outdoors and away from mouths.

4. How many claps?

Age hint: 3 and up.

Bring: just your hands and a quiet spot.

1. Sit facing your grown-up and close your eyes or look at the floor.
2. Your grown-up claps a small number of times, from one to five.
3. Listen, then say how many claps you heard. Check by clapping them back together.
4. Swap, so you clap and your grown-up listens.

Notice: Was it easier to hear two claps or five, and what happens if you clap very softly?

Safety: Keep claps gentle and at a comfortable volume, and take a break if little ears feel tired.

5. Sharing plates

Age hint: 4 and up.

Bring: three or four paper plates, and about ten smooth pebbles or similar objects bigger than a fist, or soft toys.

1. Set the plates in a row on the floor or a table, with the objects in a pile.
2. Share the objects onto the plates one at a time, counting as you go.
3. Count how many are on each plate and whether they match.
4. Take a plate away and share again to see what changes.

Notice: Did every plate get the same number, and what did we do with any left over?

Safety: This game uses no food, so nothing needs tasting. Choose pebbles bigger than a fist, wash them first, and keep them away from mouths.

6. Number scavenger hunt

Age hint: 3 and up.

Bring: a basket, or just your eyes, indoors or in a garden or park.

1. Pick a number from 1 to 5. Say, find three of something.
2. Search for a group of that many things, such as three cushions, three leaves on the ground or three doors.
3. Show your grown-up and count the group aloud together, touching each one.
4. Choose a new number and hunt again.

Notice: What was easy to find three of, and what did we find lots of?

Safety: Stay with your grown-up, leave plants and animals alone, and do not touch anything unsafe or unknown.

More to do on Rangooo

Spot repeats and rhythms with pattern games for kids, try quiet listening games for kids, sort things with sorting and collecting games for kids, draw your favourite counted things with easy drawing ideas, browse more stories and activities, or see resources for teachers.

Questions

What age are these counting games for?

They are written for ages three to six with a grown-up beside them. Younger children can join in by touching and moving objects while you count aloud, and older ones can count higher or take the lead.

How high should my child count?

There is no target. Start with numbers up to five or ten, whichever feels comfortable, and let your child set the pace. Counting aloud together is enough, and you can stop any time.

What if my child skips numbers or counts the same object twice?

This is very common and nothing to worry about. Gently count again together, touching or moving each object once as you say its number, and keep the mood light.

Are the objects safe for toddlers?

Choose objects bigger than a fist for children under three, and never use coins, buttons, beads, small pebbles or anything that could fit in the mouth. Stay close, supervise throughout and put everything away when you finish.