A Circle of Make-Believe Learning Game for Preschool Children
THE COUNTING GAME
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GOALS: What Children Will Learn
• Using numbers to count objects (For example, helping a child learn that when he/she says the number “three” it means there are three items). • Practicing numbers: 1 to 10
• Practicing politeness and taking turns
• (OPTIONAL: Practicing number words: first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth.)

Counting Game from Circle of Make-Believe video.
1. WHAT YOU NEED
"MATERIALS" FROM THIS WEB SITE:
• Numbers
FROM YOUR HOME OR SCHOOL:
• Old socks to decorate as puppets
• 10 items to count: pennies, crayons, buttons, socks, spoons, clothespins or other objects
2. BEFORE YOU PLAY
• Help children use crayons or non-toxic markers to make hand puppets from old socks (one puppet for you and one for each child).
• Arrange 10 things the puppets will count (pennies, crayons, buttons, socks, spoons or clothes-pins).
3. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PLAYING THE GAME

TELL THE STORY:
Tell children: "Our puppets are very good friends. They like to count everything they see, and they are very good counters."

PLAY THE GAME: Ask children to give their puppets names and voices.

  1. Adult Counts: Place ten items to count in a row (pennies, crayons, buttons) on a table or the floor. Your puppet lifts up each item, one-by-one, and counts them out loud, “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.”
  2. Child Counts: Tell the child's puppet: “It's your turn to count.” The child's puppet says, “Thank you.” Your puppet says, “You're welcome.” Then the child's puppet counts the ten items.
  3. Finger Counting: Ask a child to remove his/her puppet. Your puppet counts the ten fingers on the child's hands. “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.” Remove your puppet. Ask the child to use his/her puppet to count the ten fingers on your hands.
  4. How Many? Arrange 3, 6, 8 and other numbers of pennies or other items. Ask a child's puppet to count how many items there are.
  5. What Else? Your puppet asks, “What else can we count?” Ask children's puppets to find ten other items to count: furniture, clothes, (safe) kitchen items.
  6. OPTIONAL: For children who can already count to ten, try playing these Counting Games:
    • TWENTY ITEMS: Use the puppets to count 20 or more items.
    • FIRST, SECOND, THIRD: Arrange ten pennies (or other items) to count. Your puppet picks up each item and says: “This is the first penny; this is the second penny…” Say the word for every item from the first to the tenth. Then ask children's puppets to: “Point to the third penny. Point to the sixth penny.” Help children learn each word from first to tenth.