Count the objects, tap the number
A little group of objects appears on the screen, maybe apples, stars or balloons, and the whole job is to work out how many there are and tap the button with that number. A right answer scores a point and brings up a fresh group, while a wrong one simply shows the correct number so the next try is easier. A round runs to ten groups, the numbers grow gently as you go, and your best score is kept for next time. Pick To 5 to begin, then reach for To 10 and To 20 once small groups feel easy.
Counting each thing once
The hard part of counting for a young child is not the numbers but keeping track: touching each object exactly once, never doubling back, never skipping one. So point a finger at each thing as you say its number out loud, one, two, three, and move steadily across the group in one direction. When the objects are scattered, count the top row first and then the bottom, so nothing gets counted twice or left out.
The skill hiding under counting
Reciting numbers by rote and truly counting are not the same thing, and this game trains the second one. Tying a spoken number to each object, then landing on a single total that stands for the whole group, is the idea that a numeral means an amount, which everything later in math is built on. Play it enough and a child stops counting small groups one by one and simply sees that there are four, the quiet leap that makes adding and taking away possible.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play the Counting game?
Some objects appear on the screen. Count how many there are, then tap the button with the right number. It is a friendly first math game for young children learning to count.
What ages is it for?
It is great for younger children who are learning to count. Start with the small numbers and move up to bigger ones as counting gets easier.
Why does pointing at each object help?
Because the mistake young counters make is losing their place, either counting one object twice or skipping it. Touching each thing as you say its number keeps a one-to-one link between the word and the object, so the final number is right. It is a habit worth encouraging early, since it is exactly how accurate counting works.