Early Math Counts

• Dice
• Counters such as pennies, beans, buttons, marbles, or paperclips
• Containers to hold the counters for each group of 3 children
• Book: Richard Scarry’s Best Counting Book Ever by Richard Scarry

Note: Small parts pose a choking hazard and are not appropriate for children age five or under. Be sure to choose lesson materials that meet safety requirements.

1. Read Richard Scarry’s Best Counting Book Ever by Richard Scarry.
2. Choose children to come up and identify an item to count on each page of the book. As each child counts, observe each child’s ability to use one-to-one correspondence while counting items on the page. Make notes for yourself as needed about which children may need further assistance or instruction on counting using one-to-one correspondence.
3. Show children a die and explore each side with them.
4. Choose one child to come up and roll the die and then count the dots from the roll to identify the number.
5. Choose a second child to come up and count out the counters to match the roll on the die.
6. Repeat steps four and five until every child has had a turn rolling a die or counting counters.

1. Say: “Now we are going to play a counting game in small groups, using a die and a bowl of counters.”
2. Place children in groups of three. (Note: You will need to make decisions about how to group children. You may want to group those that can reliably count using one-to-one correspondence together OR you may want to group those needing assistance with those who are confident and can assist others.)
3. Give each group a container with counters and one die. For more advanced children you may want to give them two dice.
4. Identify the child in each group that will roll the die first. Each child takes a turn rolling the die and then counting out the matching number of counters for his/her own pile.
5. Continue the game until all counters are used.
6. Ask the children to count their total number of counters at the end of the game.
7. Ask questions:
   • “Who has the most counters?”
   • “Who has the least counters?”
   • “Does anyone have the same number of counters?”

• Most: Having the greatest quantity or number (e.g., “Who has the most counters?”)
• Least: Having the smallest quantity or number (e.g., “Who has the least counters?”)
• Same: Identical in kind or quantity (e.g., “Who has the same amount of counters?”)

Early Math Glossary

Adapt Lesson for Toddlers

Toddlers may:

• Place small pieces in their mouths
• Take all of the counters at once
• Not be able to count numbers up to six
• Not have one-to-one correspondence

Child care providers may:

• Use large counters
• Give the counters to children one at a time
• Provide assistance when children need to count all counters at the end of the game
• Provide assistance when children are counting to emphasize counting one by one with the counters

Adapt Lesson for Preschoolers

Preschoolers may:

• Want to work alone
• Be able to count higher than six
• Not be able to count the total number of counters at the end of game if the number is high

Child care providers may:

• Give each child a die and instruct the children to take turns rolling the die, taking the appropriate number of counters and counting their piles once the counters are all gone
• Allow children to use more than one die
• Provide assistance when children need to count all of the counters at the end of the game