This is a kinesthetic math lesson for learning to count up to 10 and backwards from 10. Your students of all abilities can give this a try, as it is a fun game whether or not everyone understands the concept. Repeat the game as often as desired.

Age: Preschool through 1st grade and older learning disabled students.

For: Teachers for the benefit of students.

Introduction: Make space at the front of the regular classroom for 10 students to move around; alternately push back chairs and tables to clear space in the center of the room. A multipurpose room or playground would be an ideal space to practice.

Counting to 10 and Back Again Math Game

1. Select 10 students to come to the front of the room. The remaining students watch and participate from their seats until it is their turn to play the game.

2. Have your 10 students line up across the room facing the rest of the class.

3. Verbally assign each student a number 1 to 10 and ask them to remember their own number. If the students are facing the rest of the class number them from the perspective of the onlookers left to right side to correspond with reading a line of text.

4. Now ask each student to say their number in order 1 to 10.

5. Again ask each student to say their number 1 to 10 and ask the students that are seated to say all the numbers as they are spoken.

6. Repeat step number 5. one or more times, at this point.

7. With all 10 students still standing at the front, ask the class how many students are standing. The answer is 10.

8. Moving on to counting backwards 10 to 1 - have the students that are standing one at a time say their number out loud starting at number 10, backwards to 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

9. Now engage the whole class in the counting out loud 10 back to 1. Repeat this several times.

Give another 10 students a chance to play the game.

This game benefits your 3 main kinds of learners: visual, auditory and kinesthetic: The visual learners see the quantity throughout the game; the auditory learners hear the numbers counted; the kinesthetic learners feel the quantity through their participation in the activity.

Lesson by Susan Kramer

More Kinesthetic Math and Language Lessons

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For offline reading

Kinesthetic Math and Language Lessons -
You´ll find 33 beginning and advanced kinesthetic math and language lessons in 78 pages for kids of all abilities in grades K-6, including teaching all ages the one-hand alphabet with large photos of the letter shapes.


And, for ages 2 to 5, more than 10 kinesthetic learning lessons, plus rhythms, dances and exercises in this workbook Rhythms and Dances for Toddlers and Preschoolers