The most basic skills in mathematics are counting and grouping ("seeing" numbers in groups). To develop counting skills, help children learn to count from any number, to any number, by any number. Do all counting forward (addition) and backward (subtraction).
-Count by 1s, starting at 0 (0, 1, 2, 3...250...), then starting at any number (e.g., 28, 29, 30...40...).
-Count by 2s, (adding by 2s) starting at 0 (0, 2, 4, 6...24...), then starting at 1 and then starting at any number (e.g., 23, 25, 27...49...).
-Count by 10s, starting at 0 (0, 10, 20...150...), then starting at 5, and then starting at any number (e.g., 37, 47, 57, 67...347...).
-Counting by 1/2 s, starting at 0 (0, 1/2, 1, 1 1/2, 2, 2 1/2...5...), and then by 1/4 s starting at 0 (0, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1...5 1/4...) and then by 3/4 s starting at 0 (0, 3/4, 1 1/2, 2 1/4, 3...6 3/4...), and then starting at any number (e.g. (if counting by 1/4 s) 5/8, 7/8, 1 1/8, 1 3/8...).
-Counting bakwards by 3 (subtracting by 3s) starting at 99, (99, 96, 93, 90, 87...0), and then starting at any number (e.g., 77, 74, 71, 68...2). No need to go to negative numbers unless grade level appropriate.
-Counting by 15s, starting at 0 (0, 15, 30, 45...120...).
- Counting by 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s, 8s, 9s, 11s, 12s, 20s, 25s, 50s, 75s, 100s, and 150s starting at 0.
The benefits of this type of counting practice are strong addition and subtraction skills and the painless development of Times Tables.
