Family Math Activity: Counting with Fishes
When children are learning to count, they often call out numbers in no particular order. This is normal and part of their learning process. Help your child learn the correct number sequence by counting out loud and pointing out numbers and quantities through your daily routines. In this hands-on craft activity, children will practice counting from one to 10.
Learning Goal
This activity will help your child:
- Practice counting to 10
- Recognize the number of objects in a small set
Materials
- Construction paper
- Markers
- Glue or tape
- Scissors
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Help your child draw out 10 large circles and 10 small triangles. Cut out all the circles and triangles. Place a circle on top of a corner of a triangle and glue them together. Here is your first fish! Repeat until you have created 10 fishes altogether.
2. Write the number one on a fish and have your child draw one dot. Then write the number two on the next fish and have your child draw two dots. Continue until you have all 10 fishes labeled.
3. For fun, you can decorate the fishes with markers or crayons. Give them some eyes, teeth and maybe a mouth. Be as creative as you want! You can make them look like they’re all from different species!
4. Spread the fishes out on the floor, call out a number, and have your child find that number on a fish. Count the number of dots together.
5. Ask your child to order the fishes from one to 10.
6. Have your child count the dots on each fish and then trace the number with their finger.
7. Practice counting backwards by showing your child the fish and counting the dots backward (five, four, three, two, one, zero).
Keep the Conversation Going
Point to items in the house, like spoons, books and people, and count the items with your child. As you take a walk, count the number of steps you take. When you play outside, count the number of birds you see. Counting in other languages also helps children build their number sense — it's also a great chance to flex those bilingual muscles!
Book Suggestions
- “Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On” by Lois Ehlert
- “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle
- “Not a Bean” written by Claudia Guadalupe Martínez and illustrated by Laura González
Corresponding Standards
Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework
- Goal P-MATH 1. Child knows number names and the count sequence.
- Goal P-MATH 2. Child recognizes the number of objects in a small set.
- Goal P-MATH 3. Child understands the relationship between numbers and quantities.
Common Core State Standards
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.B.4 Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.
