The Best Counting Toys for 2, 3 and 4-Year-Olds

Counting starts long before a child can count to ten. You'll hear it on the swings ("one, two, three, wheee!"), on the stairs up to bed and when they count the raisins left in the pot. The right toys add to the fun and give little hands something real to count.

Below, you'll find what counting usually looks like at 2, 3 and 4, easy ways to practise every day, and the counting toys we love for each stage. Lots of them make lovely presents too.

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What counting looks like at each age

Every child gets there in their own time, so think of these as rough guides rather than targets. They're based on Development Matters, the early years guidance from the Department for Education (DfE).

• Up to 3. Toddlers start to say some numbers in order and point as they "count". They love joining in with number rhymes, and they can tell when a small group of up to three things changes, like when a toy goes missing. Skipping a number ("1, 2, 3, 5!") is completely normal at this age.
• Around 3 and 4. Children learn to say one number for each thing they count, and to keep counting past five. They can see up to three things at a glance without counting, and begin to understand that the last number they say is how many there are. Many can show up to five on their fingers and match the numbers 1 to 5 to the right number of things.
• In Reception. Children work towards counting past ten and comparing numbers to see which is bigger.

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Easy ways to count every day

You don't need anything special to get started. These ideas build on examples in the DfE's Development Matters guidance and slot into things you already do every day.

• Stairs up to bed. Count every step together on the way up to bath and bed. It's the same number every night, so they soon start to join in.
• Snack time. Count slices of apple together, moving each one aside as you count it. Then say the total: "One, two, three. Three pieces!" Repeating the last number helps them see that it tells you how many.
• Fingers and toes. Count them at bath time. Little ones love checking they've still got ten!
• Countdowns. Counting up to ten in hide and seek, or down from ten for a rocket launch, gets them saying numbers forwards and backwards.
• Finger rhymes and counting songs. Try "Five Little Ducks", "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" or "Two Little Dicky Birds". Fingers are always to hand for counting, and the rhythm and repetition help the numbers stick.

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What makes a good counting toy?

• Pieces to touch and move. Counting is easiest when there's one real thing for each number.
• Numbers and amounts together. Toys that show a number next to that many things help them link the two.
• It grows with them. The best ones are great for posting or stacking now, and proper counting later.
• Room for games. Simple games add turn-taking, so counting feels like play rather than a lesson.

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Our favourites

The counting toys we'd pick, from a first crinkle book to a first family game.

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Counting toys as gifts

Counting toys make great presents because they keep getting played with long after the wrapping paper has gone. For more ideas, see our gift ideas for 2-year-olds and gift ideas for 3-year-olds.

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Quick answers

When do toddlers start counting?
Bit by bit, and usually before they turn three. That's when they start to say some numbers in order and join in with number rhymes. Saying one number for each thing tends to come at around three to four, according to the DfE's Development Matters guidance.

Should I correct my toddler when they skip numbers?
Not always. Development Matters says that if a child is saying one number for each thing, you don't always need to correct them when they skip a number. Learning to count accurately takes a long time, and their confidence matters too.

What's a good counting toy for a 4-year-old?
Simple games work well at this age. Jungle Crash turns counting into a wobbly wall game (with a grown-up helping to add up the scores), while an abacus or the Learn to Count puzzle gives them plenty of real things to count.

Browse all our counting toys.