Numbers to 5 (EYFS)

Inside Numbers to 5 (EYFS)

counting things up to 5, spotting how many in a flash, matching numbers to amounts, one more and one fewer, and making 5 from two little parts like 4 and 1, or 3 and 2. Use your fingers, toys and snacks. About 15 gentle minutes with a grown-up.

Learning objectives

• count small groups of objects to 5, touching each one once and knowing the last number tells them how many;
• subitise — recognise small amounts like 2 and 3 in a flash, without counting one by one;
• match the written numeral to the amount it stands for;
• find one more and one fewer than a number within 5;
• explore the composition of 5 — how 5 is made of two parts, like 4-and-1 or 3-and-2 — and build finger patterns to 5.

Activities in this book

1. Play 1 — Counting Up to 5

   touch each thing once as you count it, nice and slowly. The last number you say tells you how many there are!

2. Play 2 — Match the Number, One More & One Fewer

   use your fingers! Hold up the number, then pop one more finger up for 'one more', or fold one down for 'one fewer'. Say the new number out loud.

3. Play 3 — Finger Patterns to 5

   one hand has exactly 5 fingers — it is a ready-made counting toy! Try showing each number a different way, like 3 as thumb-and-two or three-tall-fingers.

4. Play 4 — Making 5 from Two Parts

   grab 5 toys or 5 little snacks. Split them into two piles, count each pile, then push them back together — they always join back into 5!

5. Play 5 — Numbers to 5 at Home

   snack time, tidy-up time and the sock drawer are perfect for numbers to 5. Count together and have fun — there is no wrong answer here.

Suggestions for teaching

• Use real things. Toys, snacks, socks and fingers let children touch and move each item while counting.
• Counting. Encourage touching each object once and saying one number for each — the last number said is how many there are.
• Subitising. Flash small groups of 2 or 3 for a second and ask "how many?" — the goal is seeing the amount, not counting it.
• One more / one fewer. Play quick finger games — hold up a number, then pop one more up or fold one down and say the new number.
• Composition of 5. Give five objects and let children split them into two groups over and over — 4 and 1, 3 and 2 — to feel that the parts always rejoin as 5.