Learning to Count: One-to-One Correspondence

Making your children learn to count could be a tedious task, and parents can sometimes have a really hard time teaching their children how to count. Some people realize that daycares or Montessori Preschools teach counting better than the parents do, but if you understand the one-to-one correspondence, then you can easily teach your children at home as well. Blossoms Preschool in Spring, TX teaches one-to-one correspondence in a highly effective way. Here is everything you need to know about the one-to-one correspondence.

• What is One-to-One Correspondence?​ ​

The first thing you need to know is what one-to-one correspondence actually is. It is an early learning math skill, and it involves counting each object in a set at least once, and the children learn it by touching an object once.
​

• Difference between Rote Counting and One-to-One ​​

 Rote counting is much different than one-to-one because rote counting includes only reciting and repeating the numerals in a sequence such as '1, 2, 3, 4, 5’ and so on. On the other hand, one-to-one counting involves touching the object and then saying the numerals out loud; it is a little complex skill for younger children.  Blossoms Montessori Childcare and After Schools use both of these methods to teach children how to count.

•  The objective of One-to-One Correspondence

​
​One-to-one correspondence counting skills are used to solve problems by matching sets as well as comparing quantities and counting the number of objects to 10 and beyond. If you are wondering why Blossoms Preschool uses these techniques in the classroom, then the answer to your question is that this technique is more effective to teach math than any other method.

• Activities to Learn One-to-One Correspondence​​

​
Some people might be wondering how to accomplish this task using the one-to-one correspondence. Here are a few activities that are used for one-to-one correspondence to teach math skills.

​ i.  Ice Cube Tray Games

First, you need to give each child his own tray. If it is a silicone ice cube tray, that is even better. Children will take turns rolling the dice, and they then will place the correct number of cubes in the ice cube tray that will correspond with the dots on the die. As the erasers will represent ice cubes, your tray will be filled with erasers.

  ii. Rubber Duck Counting

This is probably the most entertaining, and my personal favorite; children love to play this for hours. You need to have a shallow bowl filled with water and place it in the middle of the table. Give your kids a foam dice and ask them to take turns rolling dice. Children will have to count the dots on the dice and then place the number of corresponding ducks in that bowl that is filled with water.

 iii.  Spill the Bears
​
First, take plastic cups and put a specific number of small teddy bears in each cup, then put a lid on. Ask the children to sit in a circle on the floor and take turns in shaking the cup and spilling the bears out. After spilling the bears, children will have to count the bears they just spilled.
​