How do you get a 4 year old to recognise numbers?

[terrydoo73]

I have a little one who will be 4 next month and she does say her numbers 1 to 10 easily but would not recognise them on a piece of paper. Am I expecting too much yet?

What I have done is put up a Christmas frieze which I found in Nursery World 3 years ago - it is based around the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and has like the number 1 with a picture of a partridge in a pear tree, 2 turtle doves etc. I would like to help her see numbers and recognise how many makes up 5 objects for instance but am wondering how exactly do I do it?

[grindal]

I have a number frieze by my front door. My 2 yr old points to the number 2 and says that is his number. My 3 yr old recognises 1-10. Just keep reinforcing them thru fun activities. Focus on a number that is important to them - like 4 cos thats their age - cut out some number 4s and paint them, use rice and sand etc to decorate them. Hide numbers in sand, draw them and write it when ever you can - in mud, sand, on paper. When they start to recognise 4 choose another number and do the same. Keep it fun and try not to worry about it.

[helenlc]

My sons pre-school told me that he was struggling with recognising his numbers in written form when he was a similar age. I spent a week doing things with him to encourage number recognition and he did it!!

We did things like played with a toy telephone and practised putting in people's phone numbers, made a number lotto game, looked at numbers when we were out for a walk ie door number, bus numbers etc, looked at books with numbers in and then just had flashcards that we looked at lots.

I made it fun and gave lots of praise when he got them right. Just use written numbers that are every where around you.

[The Juggler]

Some do, some don't. I wouldn't worry unecessarily at this age. They teach it in reception anyhow. Children will learn by absorption. I would do lots of numbers songs, maybe hold up numbers as you sing along. You could have mats on the floor and say jump to a number 1, or 2 etc. Have lots of number books around. I have a two year old who can recognise most numbers to 10 but only because he's obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine and knows all the train numbers.

And, as everyone else has said have lots of numbers around the setting. Make your own posters with the number and a group of objects on. I printed and laminated some off the sparklebox website. I use them outside and as placemats for the table.

There quite a few aspects to understanding number and counting and children learn them all at different paces and times. Some children learn them quickly together and some learn one at a time and its only when they can put them all together they properly that they understand what counting/number truly mean. They need to be able to recite number in order (which she is doing), count one-for-one (each thing only once), understand the last number said is the size of the group, and then link this to the symbol. So most of the play things you provide for children in the setting will provide for each of these different skills and it will come as they get older as long as there is plenty of opportunity.

[angiemog]

I spoke to my 3 year old's nursery. They suggested starting off with 1,2,3 and 4 and introduce more when they are recognizing. I just wrote the numbers on card and laminated them. He is now 4 still struggles with numbers but is loads better. He found it easier to learn is letters. x

[madasahatter]

Sparklebox have lots of number resources. Recently I've printed off things like 10 green bottles, 10 numbered apples, 10 numbered scarecrows, 10 numbered snowmen. I have one of those old fashioned net curtain wires (covered in plastic) that is attached to one of my doors (in the hall which is the toy room) to use as a washing line. We also use them for counting activities and songs, playing with them on the floor. Both my 3 yr old mindees can recognise the written numbers up to 10 and put them in the correct order when mixed up etc.

Whilst out and about we look for numbers on doors, lamp-posts, telegraph poles, car number plates etc. The more activities you do that involve the written numbers they will soon learn to recognise what they look like (if of course they are ready to learn their numbers and interested in playing number games)

[terrydoo73]

Thank you for your suggestions - I am going to look up Sparklebox website and see if there are some sheets I could print out and laminate - I like the idea of her own tablemat with her number on it - I guess I could use number 3 at the moment and then when it is her birthday give the 4 one to her.

I will also try and do a few games with her like find me 3 of something and then 4 of something and that way make it fun too. This web site is fab for ideas - thank you everyone!

[PixiePetal]

Thank you for your suggestions - I am going to look up Sparklebox website and see if there are some sheets I could print out and laminate - I like the idea of her own tablemat with her number on it - I guess I could use number 3 at the moment and then when it is her birthday give the 4 one to her.

I will also try and do a few games with her like find me 3 of something and then 4 of something and that way make it fun too. This web site is fab for ideas - thank you everyone!

You can't go wrong with Sparklebox, just make sure you have plenty of ink for your printer :thumbsup:

[The Juggler]

Thank you for your suggestions - I am going to look up Sparklebox website and see if there are some sheets I could print out and laminate - I like the idea of her own tablemat with her number on it - I guess I could use number 3 at the moment and then when it is her birthday give the 4 one to her.

I will also try and do a few games with her like find me 3 of something and then 4 of something and that way make it fun too. This web site is fab for ideas - thank you everyone!

or even one with a little number train picture maybe just up to 5 so she starts to recognise these at each mealtime and point out her number and the one she is going to be.

x

[moogster1a]

watch Numberjacks on cbeebies. it was the only thing my 2 year old watched for about 3 months. Half an hour a day and he knew all his numbers by 2 1/2! we used to point out other numbers in newspapers, ones we'd written etc. as they came on screen so he recognised the variations. Of course we did the pointing out numbers as we were out and about but it was definitely Numberjacks that cemented his knowledge so early on.