WorksheetsAbout this worksheet
A row of stars, hearts or circles, and a box for the number. This is the first written maths a child does. Start with counting up to 5 and move to 10 when the child counts without skipping.
What this skill is
Counting looks simple to a grown-up, but it is made of several small ideas. The number names must come in a fixed order. Each thing must get one number and only one. And the last number said tells how many there are in all. A child can recite to twenty and still not have the second and third ideas; these sheets practise exactly those.
A worked example
A row shows some stars and an empty box.
- The child puts a finger on the first star and says "one".
- The finger moves to the next star with each new number: two, three, four, five, six, seven.
- There are no stars left. The last number said was seven.
- Ask: "So how many stars?" The child says "seven" and writes 7 in the box.
That last question matters. Some children will start counting again from one, which shows they have not yet seen that the last number is the answer.
Tips for parents and teachers
- Let the child touch or tick each shape while counting. One touch, one number.
- Counting real things comes first: steps, spoons, biscuits. The sheet is for after that.
- Do not worry about the neatness of written numbers at this age. Number tracing is on the tracing sheet.
How to use this sheet at home and in class
- At home: one sheet of 6 rows is enough for a sitting. Let the child tick or colour each shape as it is counted.
- In class: after the sheet, ask children to draw the same number of dots as one of the rows. Making a set is the other half of counting one.
- Move from 5 to 10 to 20 slowly. The numbers from eleven to nineteen have odd names in English and need the most time.
Mistakes to watch for
- Counting faster than the finger moves, so the count runs ahead of the things. Slow the child down: one touch, one number.
- Counting a shape twice or missing one in a long row. Ticking each shape helps.
- Writing digits back to front, such as 3 or 7 reversed. This is common up to about class 1 and is a handwriting matter, not a counting mistake.
What to try next
- Letter and number tracing worksheets: writing the numbers 0 to 9.
- Hundred chart worksheets: the order of numbers up to 100.
- Addition worksheets: 1 digit sums, when counting is sure.