Counting – Learning to Say Numbers in Order
Counting starts with learning to say the number words in the right order – one, two, three, four… – a skill researchers call rote counting. At first, children often recite the sequence like a song, without yet connecting each word to an actual object. Only later does counting become a tool for finding out how many things are in a group, which is covered on the next two pages.
Humans have been counting for far longer than written numbers have existed. The Lebombo bone, discovered in southern Africa and estimated to be around 44,000 years old, is a baboon fibula carved with 29 notches, believed by many archaeologists to be a tally – possibly one of the oldest counting tools ever found. The Ishango bone, roughly 20,000 years old, shows similar notched tally marks. Both predate written numerals by tens of thousands of years, showing that the urge to count is one of the oldest mathematical instincts humans have.
Counting in Order
The counting sequence always goes in the same order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… Learning it solidly – forwards, and eventually backwards – is the foundation every later number skill is built on.
Counting on from 7: 7, then 8.
Counting in order between 5 and 7 gives 6.
Real-Life Application
- Counting stairs: one step at a time, all the way up.
- Countdowns: 3, 2, 1, blast off!
- Counting players: making sure a team has enough people.
- Waiting your turn: “I'm number 4 in the queue.”
Key Takeaways
- Counting begins with reciting the number sequence in the correct order.
- “Counting on” means continuing the sequence from any starting number.
- Notched tally bones tens of thousands of years old show that counting is one of humanity's oldest skills.