- Definition
Counting is simply figuring out how many items there are in a group.
When organizing toys, touching each car and saying 'one, two, three' to find the total is counting.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Counting is like touching each of your snacks one at a time while you say a number for each one.
Ask your child: Let's count these blocks together; can you touch each one as you say the number?
Common mix-up: Kids may think counting is just saying numbers in order. True counting means matching one number word to exactly one object, without skipping any.
Examples
- Counting the number of spoons needed on the table for family dinner.
- Pointing to each step as you walk upstairs and saying the numbers out loud.
counting is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
