Mathematics in the EYFS: Number names in order - 1,2,3

Assess how children are beginning to understand the order of numbers with ideas from Sheila Ebbutt and Carole Skinner

Knowing the right order in which to say number names is as important as knowing the number names themselves. It is almost impossible to count anything successfully unless you know the names in order. You will notice that young children take a while to understand this idea and that many think that just saying number names in any order is enough.

Some children can recite numbers up to 40 or even 100 - this is within the capability of many five-year-olds and some four-year-olds. Doing so helps them recognise the tens structure of the number system by spotting the patterns in the number names, and it develops familiarity with them, as well as confidence and positive attitudes.

Numbers in order

How children learn

Many children know some number names by two and a half or three years old.

They may know their own age and the ages of people in their family. They may know a bus or a door number. They build on this knowledge by learning additional random words, such as 4 (the TV channel) or 12 (the number on their T-shirt). They also learn runs of numbers, such as 5, 6, 7, or pairs of number names. Children connect these number names together in some sort of order, although it can be a different order each time they count.

Talking, singing, chanting, whispering, reciting, shouting and echoing number counts help children to learn the names in the right order. Using their fingers when repeating number rhymes can help, as can exploring the rhythm of counting through making large physical movements, such as hopping or jumping.

Children can also learn about number names by acting as apprentices and counting alongside people in real-life activity or when they are working in the role-play area.

Helping children learn

* Provide collections of appealing and stimulating objects for children to talk about, rearrange and put in order.

* Discuss with children what number names they know and create opportunities for them to use number language. How many balls do you think it will take to fill the bucket? How many shells can you hold in your hand?

* Make number labels to count around the room. For example, look at these five paintings of sunflowers; six aprons hang on these pegs.

* Play action games, using hands and feet, as much as possible. Jump three times, then clap your hands.

* Put number picture books in the book corner and share them.

* Use every opportunity to count - pieces of fruit at snack time, groups of children, organising games.

Progression

A child:

* knows some number names

* uses some number names spontaneously

* joins in with number rhymes and songs

* attempts to count along with adult

* can say sequences to five and later to ten, with numbers in correct order

* begins to be able to say sequences backwards, from five or ten to zero

* begins to say the number sequence beyond ten

* can say the number that comes after any number up to nine or even higher.

Child-initiated play

Robot numbers Turn the role-play area into a 'robot repair workshop'.

Resource with battery-operated toys that have push-button numbers, as well as robots made by the children themselves. Pre-record a tape with counting numbers in a robotic voice for children to listen to. Encourage the children to pretend to be robots, robot operators, and robot repairers.

Get ready to jump Make a loud-hailer from a cardboard cone or use a pretend microphone. Encourage the children to take it in turns to count 'one, two, three, jump!' through the loudhailer as their friend jumps from one hoop into another and another.

Carry on counting Make a recording studio with a tape recorder, blank tape, headphones and pretend or real microphones. Have the children record themselves counting and provide ready-made tapes of adults and children counting in a range of languages.

Adult-led activities

Teaching Teddy Introduce a teddy who has difficulties counting. Ask the children to help you teach Teddy the order of the numbers.

* Explain that Teddy can count up to five (or ten) but he always misses a number out.

* Count to five (or ten) several times, each time missing out one of the numbers, and ask children which number Teddy missed that time.

* Ask/say: How do you know which number Teddy missed saying? I wonder which number he will miss saying next time. How can we help Teddy to remember the numbers? Can you teach Teddy a number rhyme?

Hide and seek Play hide and seek with the children, taking turns to count up to five or ten with your eyes closed before looking. Or play Teddy hide and seek, and take turns to hide Teddy.

Provision

Book corner Provide number books, counting books, rhyme and song books; large laminated pictures to go with songs and rhymes; soft toys and puppets as characters in stories containing numbers.

Activities

* Make a class number book using photos of the children.Take photos of them standing in different sized groups and display them in order.

* Act out number rhymes and stories using objects, toys and puppets.

* Make an illustrated book of children's favourite number rhymes, using their paintings and drawings.

ICT area Provide a tape recorder, tapes of counting rhymes, and tapes of children singing, blank tapes.

Activities

* Children say numbers into the tape recorder and play it back to each other, listening and using their fingers to illustrate the numbers said.

* Listen to counting tapes in a range of languages.

* Children make a tape of themselves singing number rhymes to take home.

* Ask/say: I wonder what number comes next. Shall we say the numbers together?

Important words and phrases

number, zero, one, two, three... to 20 and beyond

bigger, greater,smaller

order, first, second, third... to tenth last, next, before, after, between

Assessing children's development

If a child

* mentions numbers they know, in talking about ages

* makes comments about the number of conkers collected, saying there are 'lots, hundreds'

* joins in with number rhymes and songs, but is unsure what number comes next

* finds some wooden numerals and takes them to an adult to talk about

then they may be on this step

* use some number names and number language spontaneously

* enjoy joining in with number rhymes and songs use number words in play

* seek out others to share experiences

If a child

* looks at a birthday card and talks about people's ages

* chooses to play with a number game or a game involving dice

* recites a number rhyme alone with some of the numbers in the correct order

* talks about which bit of the jigsaw they will do first

then they may be on this step

* show curiosity about numbers by offering comments or asking questions

* use some number names accurately in play

* show independence in selecting activities

If a child

* can play a game where you say a number and they say the next one in sequence

* points out errors made by 'silly teddy' in counting to 5 or 10

* recites a rhyme with numbers up to 10, in the correct order

* counts backwards from 5 or more as part of a story

then they may be on this step

* show increased confidence with numbers by spotting errors in number sequence

* say the number after any number up to 9

* begin to count beyond 10 If a child

* can find the first page in a book or point to the second doll in a row

* joins in the chanting of number sequences over 10

* can say which of two numbers comes first in the number sequence

* counts competently in a language other than English

then they may be on this step

* say number names in order

* order numbers up to 10

* continue to be interested, motivated and excited to learn

If a child

* continues a sequence over 10, unsupported

* recites an entire number rhyme or song where the numbers to 10 go in reverse order and gets the numbers in the correct order

* says what number comes before or after 8, 12 or 17 without going back to 1 again

then they may be on this step

* say and use number names up to 20 with confidence

* sustain involvement and persevere