Number order — Mathematics, 4–6 years
Learn that number words have a fixed order, and use that order to find what comes before and after.
Numbers in a path
Number words make a path: one, two, three, four and onward. Each next number means one more than the number before it. A number line shows this path, with numbers placed in order from left to right.
Why order matters
A fixed order lets people talk clearly about positions and amounts. If three children stand in a queue, we can say who is first, second or third. Counting words developed so people could keep track of things and compare where they are in a sequence.
What comes next?
Start at four on a number line. Take one small step to the right and say the next number: five. Take one more step and say six. So after four comes five, and before six comes five.
The number-word trap
A child may know how to count objects but still mix up the spoken words five and six. That is reasonable: number words are special sounds, not pictures of amounts. Use a row of six objects and say each word while touching the matching place.
Finding your place
Number order helps when you wait in a queue, follow steps in a game or look for a page. It tells you which turn comes next and where to look. You do not need to write the numbers for the order to guide you.
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