One, two, buckle my shoe. Three, four, shut the door. Five, six, pick up sticks. Seven, eight, lay them straight. Nine, ten, begin again. You did it, didn’t you? Before you finished reading that nursery rhyme, you found yourself singing it, instead. It’s okay. You probably do that with the ABCs, too. We can relate. It’s how many of us learned those building blocks of maths and reading—through nursery rhymes, songs, and maybe a few dance moves!
And now, a generation later, your toddler learns the same way. Like you did, your little one learns to count by rote—a memorizing process using routine and repetition. Learning to count by rote helps your child develop number vocabulary, memory, patterning, and sequence—all foundational skills for maths. So, in Kindermusik classes each week, we give your child many opportunities to practice counting. When we “roll, roll, roll…1, 2, 3” the rainbow shakers, count to three and jump up during the circle dance, or recite numbers while playing with balls, your child practices counting in a fun, engaging way, which reinforces the beginning stages of learning numbers.
Everyday Connection: 1, 2, 3, Count with Me! Toddlers love games. Tap into that love to help reluctant toddlers make smoother transitions from one activity to another. Invite your child to play the “1, 2, 3, Count with Me!” game as you count together how many toys to put away, how many steps it takes to get to the bathtub, or even how many people need a plate for dinner.
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