Teaching Children About Numbers

Young children may not recognize that numbers are all around them. Pointing out numbers on everyday items increases their number sense.

What You Need

Boxes, cans and bottles of food and other household supplies

What to Do

Place several boxes, cans and bottles on the kitchen table. You might use a cereal box, a can of soup and a bottle of dishwashing soap. Sit with your child and point out one or two numbers on each item. (Numbers can be found in the names of some products, as well as in the list of contents and in addresses. However, rather than pointing to a very large number, such as a postal code, point to one digit in that code—a 6 or 3 or 8.)

Point to one of the items and say a number that is easy to see. Ask your child to find it. Then have him look for that number on the other items.

Have your child choose a number for you to find on one of the containers.