Grab and Count

Grab and Count is a game that encourages these kindergartners to 'count on' and 'count back'. When children are first learning numbers and counting skills, they often have a 'rote' understanding of counting, meaning that they have only memorized the sequence of numbers. I recognize this because a student will have to start counting from 1 every time. In kindergarten, one math goal is for children to be able to count on from a random number, like 4, "4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, etc..." Or, counting backwards from a random number like 17, "17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, etc..."

How to play Grab and Count:

1) Children pick a number card (1-50) out of the 'number pouch'. 

2) Starting with that number, they count on, and record the following 20 numbers on the Grab and Count sheet.

3) Then, children grab another number.

4) This time, they count back from that number, recording the previous 20 numbers (or stopping at 0).

This game also promotes number dictation!

Counting on from 5.

Counting on from 31.