Counting to 20 out loud
In Pre-K, children learn to say the counting numbers in order from 1 to 20.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
Try these with your child
These are real questions from our Pre-K practice. Tap the speaker to hear one read aloud, or the light bulb for a hint, and talk about the answer together.
Question 1 of 3
What number comes next? 1, 2, 3, __
- 4
- 5
- 6
Why this matters
Saying the numbers in order is your child's very first step in math. To count twelve crackers, add 8 + 5 by counting on, or later count by tens to 100, your child needs to know what comes after each number without stopping to think. A child who stumbles at fourteen or sixteen often loses their place in a count, so steady practice now makes kindergarten counting feel easier.
Where kids can get stuck
- Skipping a teen number, most often 15 or 13, and going straight from 14 to 16 without noticing.
- Inventing names like "ten-teen" or "eleventy," because the teen words do not follow an obvious pattern yet.
- Starting again at 1 after an interruption, instead of carrying on from where they stopped.
How you can help
- Count the stairs out loud together every time you climb them, and keep going past the top step until you reach 20 in a steady rhythm.
- Take turns saying the numbers in the car, where you say 1, your child says 2, and so on, so each of you has to listen for the next one.
- Count slowly to 20 while your child hides during hide-and-seek, then let them do the counting for you, pausing gently if they skip a teen number.
The kid-friendly video below explains it in a few minutes, and Bobby's Math Club offers free practice that grows with your child.
Kid-friendly explanation
Questions parents ask
Why is my child learning to count to 20 this way, by saying it out loud?
Saying the numbers aloud builds the list of number words your child will use for everything else in math. At this age the goal is a steady, correct order, not counting objects yet. Rhymes, songs, and taking turns make the sequence stick through repetition, the same way the alphabet song does. Once the words come automatically, your child can focus on what the numbers mean.
My child can count to 10 but gets stuck in the teens. Is that normal?
Yes, the teens are the hardest stretch of the counting sequence. The words eleven and twelve follow no pattern, and words like fourteen say the smaller part first. Many children skip 15 or mix up 13 and 14 for a while. Practice the stretch from 10 to 20 on its own, a few times a day, and say the numbers clearly with your child rather than correcting every slip.
What comes after counting to 20?
In kindergarten, children count to 100, both by ones and by tens, and learn to start counting from any number rather than always from 1. They also use the number words to count real objects and to say how many there are. A child who can say 1 to 20 steadily has the starting point those skills need.
Make learning math fun
Bobby's Math Club turns Pre-K math practice into something fun to do together.
- Unlimited free practice
- A few minutes a day, at just the right level
- Level-ups, badges, and a cheer for every win
Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.
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Join the clubNote for teachers: This skill is covered by the Pre-K math learning standard PK.CC.1: “Count to 20.” Learn how Bobby's Math Club can help your students grow. (Pre-K standard PK.CC.1)