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Everything Can Be Counted

Count the stones in each cup and arrange the cups from the smallest quantity to the largest.

  • 3½ years
  • Some prep
  • At home
  • About 15 minutes
Focus
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Developmental benefits

  • Cognitive：Counting the stones in each cup, ordering the cups by quantity, and writing the matching numerals gives your child practice with numbers one through five.

Preparation

What You’ll Need

  1. 1

    Number cards

  2. 2

    five cups

  3. 3

    stones or buttons

Step 1

How Many Are There?

Place one to five stones in five separate cups and count each group together. If scattered stones are hard to track, pour them out, arrange them in a row, and touch each one while counting. Then return them to the cup.

What to notice

  • Touches or moves each stone once while counting Counting and Cardinality
  • Looks toward you for a response after counting the stones Sense of Identity and Belonging

Tips

  • Replace the stones with other small items, such as buttons.
  • Your child may use different ways to determine the quantity. A small group may be recognized at a glance, while a larger group may be counted one stone at a time.

Step 2

Match Each Number Card

After counting every cup, read the prepared number cards together. Ask your child to place each card beside the cup containing the matching number of stones.

What to notice

  • Places a number card beside the cup with the matching quantity Counting and Cardinality
  • Talks with you about where a card belongs or how many stones are in a cup Communicating and Speaking

Tips

  • If a card does not match the stones, ask your child to name the numeral and count the stones again. This shows whether the numeral or the quantity needs another look.

Step 3

Put the Cups in Order

Invite your child to arrange the cups from one through five. If they want another challenge, choose two cups, compare which has more stones, and line the stones up in pairs to see how many are left over.

What to notice

  • Orders the cups from 1 to 5 Counting and Cardinality
  • Keeps adjusting the cups while trying to put them in order Cognitive Self-Regulation (Executive Functioning)

Tips

  • Begin by comparing smaller quantities from one to three, then gradually include larger groups.
  • Mix up the five cups before the activity so your child must use both the numeral cards and the quantities to order them.

Better Parenting Content Team · Updated September 11, 2026