Counting and numbers to 20

Counting means saying one number for each thing, in order, without missing any or counting any twice. The last number you say tells you how many there are.

Key facts

  • Touch or point to each thing as you count it.
  • The last number you say is how many there are.
  • One more means the next number; one less means the number before.
  • Grouping in fives or tens makes big groups easier to count.

Worked examples

Example 1

How many stars are there?

  1. Point to each star and say a number: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5…
  2. Keep going along the second row: 6, 7, 8.
  3. The last number was 8, so there are 8 stars.

Answer: 8

Example 2

What is one more than 12? What is one less?

  1. One more: say the next number after 12. 12 → 13
  2. One less: say the number before 12. 12 → 11

Answer: 13 and 11