Guess, Then Count

🏠 Do together

1. Look, guess, count

   You need: Up to twenty large things of one kind, such as spoons, socks or toy blocks

   Put a group of up to ten on the table. Let your child look briefly and say about how many there are. Count together, moving each one aside as you say its number. Was the count more or fewer than the guess? Try a new group.

2. Five to help

   You need: The same things and a sheet of paper

   Put five in a row on the paper as a helper group. Beside it, make a bigger heap of up to twenty. Ask whether the heap looks like about one five, two fives or more, then guess. Count the heap to check, and talk about how the helper group helped.

3. The guessing tub

   You need: A clear plastic tub and the same large things

   While your child watches, put some of the things into the tub. Everyone says or draws a guess. Tip them out, line them up and count together. Whose guess was closest? Put in a different number and guess again. Notice whether the guesses come closer as you practise.