Many children can see how many are in a small group, such as the dots on a dice, without counting each one. Teachers call this subitising. It helps a child see that five is two and three, or that six is two groups of three. This can later help calculation, but it should be practised without speed pressure.

Use familiar patterns

Dice, dominoes and playing cards show small quantities in regular arrangements. Briefly show one pattern and ask, “How many did you see?” Then let the child count to check.

Board games with a dice, such as Snakes and Ladders, give this practice for free. Before moving, ask your child to say the number on the dice without counting the dots, then count to check.

Ask how they saw it. A child may say, “I saw three and two, so it was five.” Accept different accurate ways of grouping the same amount.

You can also arrange a few buttons, grapes or building blocks. Begin with familiar patterns and small totals. Gradually vary the arrangement or add one more item.

Know when counting is right

Instant recognition is not expected for large or scattered groups. Counting remains the correct strategy when the amount cannot be seen as a small pattern. The useful progression is:

• recognise familiar small patterns;

• describe the parts within the whole;

• count to confirm;

• connect the pattern with a number.

Stop before the activity becomes a test. A few turns within a game are enough. If the child cannot reliably connect very small quantities with number words or written numerals, tell school which amounts caused difficulty.

Free resources

National Numeracy’s Family Maths Toolkit contains practical activities that connect maths with everyday life. You need to give an email address to get them. Choose an activity that matches what school is currently teaching rather than trying to cover several skills at once.

Numberblocks on CBeebies shows numbers as blocks arranged in clear patterns, the same idea as reading a dice. Its clips and games are free. It is made for younger children, so some older children may find it babyish.

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