The Importance of Counting (and How to Make It Fun)

We all know numbers matter, but let’s be honest—counting can feel a little… well, repetitive. And toddlers? They aren’t exactly known for their patience with repetition. The trick? Make it playful. When counting turns into a game, kids don’t even realize they’re laying the foundation for math skills they’ll use for life.

Why Counting Actually Matters (Beyond Just Reciting Numbers)

Counting isn’t just about saying “one, two, three” on autopilot. It helps little minds grasp big concepts like:

1. Number recognition – learning that “5” isn’t just a squiggle on a page but represents an actual amount.
2. One-to-one correspondence – understanding that each number matches one item (aka, counting objects instead of just rattling off numbers like a song).
3. Cardinality – realizing the last number they say is how many are in the set.
4. Number order – because “1, 2, 3, 4” makes sense, but “1, 5, 2, 9” is a math disaster waiting to happen.
5. Basic addition & subtraction – sneaky early math skills that build from counting.
6. Number sense – that gut feeling for how numbers work together.

The best part? You don’t need worksheets or flashcards to teach these. You just need a little creativity.

Enter: The Animal Counting Race

If you’ve got magnetic tiles and some animal toys (or anything that “races”), you’re all set for a game that makes counting actually fun.

What You’ll Need:

• 24 magnetic tiles (two rows of 12 for the “racetrack”)
• Two animal toys (or cars, figurines, anything that moves)
• A foam die (or any dice you have)

How to Play:

1. Set up two rows of 12 tiles—this is your racetrack.
2. Place an animal at the starting line of each track.
3. Roll the die, count the dots together, and move your animal forward that many spaces.
4. Take turns rolling and moving.
5. First to the finish line wins!

Learning (Without Even Trying)

Learning happens best when kids don’t even realize it’s happening, and this game is the perfect example. Beyond counting, it sneaks in a few key skills. Turn-taking becomes part of the fun, teaching patience even when you’re racing like a lion. Number recognition is reinforced as kids see and say numbers, providing double the learning. And basic addition also gets in the mix, as kids figure out that two rolls of 3 and 4 add up to seven spaces. All of this happens while they’re simply playing and having fun. So, grab some magnetic tiles, choose your fastest animal, and let the counting race begin!