All the lessons

Counting to 5

Math · Pre-K

Touch and count to three

By the end, Ivy will be able to count up to three objects by touching each one once.

See it in teaching mode

About 20 minutes to teach

Teach the idea

  • We say one number for each thing we touch, and we touch each thing only once. The last number we say tells how many there are. Moving each thing to the side after counting it helps us not count it twice. It is fine to stop while it is still fun.

  • Watch with three crackers. Touch the first cracker and say one. Slide it aside. Touch the next cracker and say two. Slide it aside. Touch the last cracker and say three. How many crackers are there? Three. That is the last number we said.

  • Now try with two crackers. Touch the first and say one. Slide it aside. Touch the next and say two. How many? Two.

Do it together

  1. 1. Sit together and hold up three of your own fingers. Guide Ivy’s hand to touch the first finger as you both say one, the next as you say two, and the last as you say three. Ask Ivy, How many fingers? Listen for three.

  2. 2. Now hold up just two fingers. Let Ivy touch each one and say the numbers out loud: one, then two. Ask, How many fingers do you see?

  3. 3. Hold up one finger. Have Ivy touch it and say one. Ask, How many?

  4. 4. On a piece of paper, draw three simple dots in a row with a pencil. Invite Ivy to touch each dot once while saying one, two, three, then ask how many dots were counted.

  5. 5. When Ivy is ready, move on to the snack activity below.

Activity

Together: Snack count. Put three crackers on a plate. Ivy touches one cracker and says "one," slides it to the side, then touches the next and says "two," then "three." Ask, "How many crackers?" and Ivy says "three." Put them back and try with two, then with one. Let Ivy eat the crackers at the end, counting each one.

Tip If Ivy touches too fast or skips a number, gently place your hand over Ivy’s and move together one cracker at a time. Stop while it still feels playful.

On paper

Worksheet

Count to Three

3 problems

The worksheet, as it prints

Math · Worksheet

Count to Three

Do this page together. Your child can point and say the answers out loud.

Name: Ivy

Score: ____ / 3

  1. 1. How many cars? 🚗🚗🚗

  2. 2. How many cats? 🐱🐱

  3. 3. Draw 1 dot.

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