How I taught my 4 year old to count to 100.

math numbers Jan 27, 2025

How I taught my 4 year old to count to 100

I promise this isn't a flex, or me bragging about my kid because I am convinced that anyone can help their child gain these important early mathematical skills.

So here's my secret...

Games!! Yep just silly, fun games!

But first, It is very important to make sure your child is developmentally ready to learn letters. My daughter was ready at 2 but every child is different and we want to follow the child's natural development!

To learn how to know if your child is ready to learn numbers, check out my FREE Math Readiness Guide Where I give the signs of readiness and teach you how to prepare your child! Click Here

If your child appears to be developmentally ready and interested then you can start teaching numbers!! Here's how!

Start small and build gradually:

Here's the categories you are going to teach in order:

-Numbers 0-10

-Teens 11-19

-Tens: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90

-Numbers 0-100

Here's how to teach each category of numbers. Start with numbers 0-10 and don't move onto the teen numbers until your child has mastered them.

1: Give an initial lesson of each number in that category using the Montessori 3 period lesson. With this lesson you teach 3 numbers at a time. To learn how to teach numbers the Montessori way check out my blog post: Teaching numbers the Montessori way

2: Practice the Numbers your child has been taught by playing fun learning games everyday to increase repetition and retention. Here are some of our favorites:

✨Freeze dance: Take your number flashcards or sandpaper numbers and lay the ones they have learned on the ground. Turn on music and when the music stops, freeze on a number. take turns telling each other which number you stopped on.

✨Bean Bag toss: Place your numbers on the ground next to each other and take turns throwing a bean bag on the numbers from afar. Whichever number it lands on you say what the number is.

✨Knock Knock Game: Take 3 numbers and place them next to each other face down and pretend they are doors. The child knocks with their fist on the letter. You say "whose there" the child turns the number around and says what number it is.

✨Spin the Bottle: Place a few numbers in a circle and put a bottle or spindle in the middle. Spin the bottle or spindle and whichever number it lands on say what it is!

✨Hide and seek: Hide 3-5 numbers around the room. The child seeks for them and when they find a number they bring it to you and you ask "What did you find?"

By using fun games, we encourage repetition which leads to retention while strengthening your child's love for math.