• Practicing Numbers: 1 to 10
• Practicing Using Numbers to Count Objects (for example, helping a child understand that he/she says the number “three” it means there are three items.)

• Help children make simple hand puppets from old socks or small paper lunch bags (one puppet for you, and one for each child playing the game).
• Arrange on a table or the floor the 10 items the puppets will count (buttons, socks, snacks, etc.).

• Numbers page.
• Pretend Money.

• Old socks or small paper bags (lunch bags) to decorate as hand puppets.
• 10 items to count: buttons, socks, snacks (crackers, slices of vegetables or cheese), or the “Pretend Pennies” from the Pretend Money page.
• Crayons or non-toxic markers, scissors, glue and old magazine (for Activities).

Tell the Story:
Two puppets are friends. They like to count and to share. One puppet is on your hand; the other is on your child’s hand.

Play the Game:

1. Place 10 items to count in a row (buttons, socks, snacks, Pretend Pennies).
2. Your puppet says, “I’m going to count the 10 pennies (or 10 buttons, or 10 snacks or 10 socks)."
3. Your puppet points to each item, one-by-one, and counts them out loud, “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.”
4. Your puppet tells your child’s puppet, "These are for you to count." Your child’s puppet says, “Thank you.” Your puppet says, “You’re welcome.”
5. Ask your child’s puppet to point to each item, one-by-one, and count them out loud.
6. Ask your child to remove his/her puppet. Your puppet counts the 10 fingers on your child’s hands.
7. Remove your puppet, and ask your child to replace the puppet on his/her hand. Ask your child’s puppet to count the 10 fingers on your hands.
8. Then your puppet says, “Let’s see what else we can count with each other.”
9. Ask your child’s puppet to find and count 10 other items in your house: furniture, clothing, items in the kitchen.

• Help children count and cut out 10 pictures from an old magazine. Then paste them on a piece of paper to make a special picture.
• Ask children to draw 10 things – faces, balloons, flowers, suns, or stars – and then count them out loud.
• Go on a walk and help children find 10 little pebbles to count. Bring them home and ask children to color them with crayons or non-toxic markers.
• Now, make up your own Counting Games!