Year 1 · Mathematics · Number
Counting to 20
Saying the number names in order, counting objects one at a time and knowing that the last number said tells how many there are.
Awaiting educator review. This material was drafted by our content team with AI assistance and is waiting for review by a qualified educator. Please check it suits your child before using it. Created 10 October 2026.
These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to New Zealand year levels by age (NZ Year 1 is the first year of school). They are not yet mapped to The New Zealand Curriculum, so check them against your own learning programme.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Say the counting numbers forwards from 1 to 20 and backwards from 10.
- Count a small collection by touching or moving each object once.
- Understand that the last number counted tells how many are in the group.
Success looks like
- I can count out loud from 1 to 20.
- I can touch each object once as I count it.
- I can tell you how many are in a group after I count it.
- I can say which number comes next.
The big idea
Counting has two parts. First, children need to know the number names in the right order: one, two, three and so on. Second, they need to match one number to one object, so every object is counted once and only once.
Start by counting out loud together while doing an action, such as clapping or jumping. Once your child can say the numbers to 10 smoothly, keep going to 20. The 'teen' numbers can be tricky because 'eleven' and 'twelve' do not sound like 'one' and 'two'.
To count objects, line them up and move each one into a cup or across the table as you say its number. Moving objects makes it much easier to keep track than just pointing.
The last number you say tells how many are in the group. After counting, ask 'So how many pasta pieces are there?' If your child starts counting again, gently show them that the answer is the last number they said.
Counting backwards is just as important. Try a rocket countdown from 10 to 0 before 'blast off', crouching down low and jumping up at the end.
- Count forwards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 …
- Count backwards: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 …
- The last number said tells how many.
Worked examples
Counting pasta into a cup
There is a small pile of pasta on the table. How many pieces are there?
- Line the pasta up in a row so none are hiding.
- Pick up one piece, say 'one' and drop it into the cup.
- Keep going: 'two', 'three', 'four', 'five', 'six', 'seven', moving one piece each time.
- When the table is empty, the last number said was 'seven'.
Answer: There are 7 pieces of pasta.
What comes next?
We are counting: 11, 12, 13 … What number comes next?
- Say the numbers out loud from 10: ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen.
- Think of the next number: after three comes four, so after thirteen comes fourteen.
Answer: 14 (fourteen) comes next.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
What number comes straight after 8?
9 — Counting on from 8: eight, nine. So 9 comes next.
Which number comes just before 5?
4 — Counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 — the number just before 5 is 4.
Count the stars: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★. How many stars are there?
6 — Touch each star once: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. There are 6 stars.
Count backwards and fill the gap: 5, 4, 3, ___
2 — Counting backwards, the number after 3 is 2.
Lily has 3 apples. Jack has 7 apples. Who has more apples?
Jack, with 7 apples — 7 comes after 3 when we count, so 7 is more than 3. Jack has more.
Which of these is the number twelve?
12 — Twelve is written with a 1 and then a 2: 12. The number 21 is twenty-one.
What number comes straight after 15?
16 — Fifteen, sixteen. So 16 comes next.
Fill the gap: 10, 11, 12, ___
13 — After twelve comes thirteen, so the missing number is 13.
Watch out for
- Counting an object twice or skipping one. Encourage moving each object to a new spot as it is counted.
- Thinking the answer to 'how many?' means counting all over again. Show that the last number said is the total.
- Mixing up teen numbers with 'ty' numbers (such as fourteen and forty). Say them slowly and stress the endings.
Tips for parents
- Keep sessions short — five to ten minutes of counting several times a day is better than one long session.
- Count during daily life: stairs, pegs on the washing line, oranges in the fruit bowl.
- If your child gets stuck, count together in a whisper and let them say the last number out loud.
Go further
- Play 'Egg carton count': drop one piece of pasta into each cup of an egg carton and count how many cups are filled.
- Go on a counting walk and count letterboxes, trees or parked cars up to 20.
- Roll a dice and jump that many times, counting each jump out loud.