Count the Cars Going Past
What you need
- a window onto a road, from the car, the cafe or the bus
How to do it
- Look out of the window together and count each car as it goes by: one, two, three.
- Stop at five, cheer quietly, and start again.
- Pick one colour and only count cars of that colour.
Why it matters
Saying one number for each car is the start of real counting, matching each word to one thing instead of just reciting.
What they're learning
- Counting
- One number for each car is counting with meaning, not just saying the numbers.
- Visual tracking
- Following each car until it has gone past the window.
- Colour words
- Counting only the blue ones means sorting by colour as they look.
What to look for
Watch for them saying a number as a car passes without waiting for you.
A tip
Hold up a finger for each car as you count. Seeing the fingers helps the number make sense.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: count to three and start again
Harder: count buses and cars separately and ask which there were more of
