Free family activity
Pond counting cards, 1–10
Ten large number cards and ten paper fish turn the idea behind Their First Numbers into a tabletop activity. A child can make a quantity with their hands, hear each count once, and see what changes when one more fish arrives. No app is needed for this activity.
Three ways to play
- Make the number: start with cards 1–3. Let your child pick a card and move that many fish beside it, one at a time. Touch each fish as you say “one,” “two,” “three.” Stop when the group matches the numeral.
- One for each: place three everyday destinations, such as three large bowls, next to the “3” card. Give each bowl one fish. Ask, “Does each bowl have one?” This makes the same quantity visible in a different arrangement.
- One more: show the “4” card with three fish already there. Place a fourth fish nearby and ask what happens when it joins. Add it, then recount all four. Move on to larger numbers only when your child wants to.
For grown-ups: Cut the cards and counters yourself. Supervise play with loose pieces; for a child who still mouths objects, leave the fish uncut and point to them together instead.
Number cards
Their First Numbers · 1–10
An adult cuts along the dashed lines. Choose one card at a time rather than giving all ten at once.
Ten fish counters
One fish for each count
Keep the ten fish together so the same set can serve any card from 1 to 10.
Why the fish can move
In the app, each number keeps a familiar pond object: two fish, three tulips, four frogs, and so on. These printable counters use fish for every card so you need only ten reusable pieces. A child can move them into a row, a cluster, or bowls and discover that four is still four even when the arrangement changes.
There is no speed goal or score. If the child wants to count the same three fish again, that is enough for today. See the Numbers FAQ for the app’s six activities, languages, offline play, and privacy details.