There are two meanings of counting in early childhood maths. Saying the number names in order is one way, like counting to ten when you are playing hide and seek. The other way is counting how many objects there are. The second kind of counting needs more understanding and more skill, and as adults we often forget what a complex task this kind of counting is.
Once children know the number names in order, other skills they need to learn are:
Two concepts that underpin later understanding are that the final number said describes 'how many,' and that rearranging the objects does not affect the amount.
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