One to One Correspondence

How to Teach One to One Correspondence: Counting Made Fun for Preschoolers

Help your child master this fundamental math concept with play-based activities and insightful teaching tips.

By Jill Staake

Reviewed by Owen Bissell

What is One to One Correspondence?

One to One Correspondence vs. Rote Counting

Why is One to One Correspondence Important?

How to Teach One to One Correspondence to Preschoolers

Fun One to One Correspondence Activities for Preschoolers

What is One to One Correspondence?

When teaching counting, one to one correspondence (also written as 1:1 correspondence) means that you match each object being counted to exactly one number and that you use each number only once.

Children who master this concept can count a group of items one by one, assigning one number to each item, without skipping a number or counting any item twice. They also recognize that you can count the items in a group in any order and still end up with the same total.

Example: Imagine you’re counting grapes sitting in a bowl on the counter. As you take each grape out, you count it by assigning it a number. When you take out the first grape, you say “one.” When you take out the second, you say “two,” etc. Each grape is counted once, using the numbers in order without skipping or repeating any.

While this seems like an extremely simple concept, it’s not something children automatically understand. Teaching 1:1 correspondence involves explaining and modeling the desired behaviors. Kids don’t need to learn the term itself—they just need to learn how it works.

One to One Correspondence vs. Rote Counting

Most kids learn to recite the numbers one to ten during their toddler years. Reciting numbers in the correct order from memory is called rote counting. It’s an important prerequisite to mastering one to one correspondence and the two are often learned hand-in-hand. Both of these skills are an important part of developing number sense.

Example: Use this list of 30 engaging activities to help children grow their number sense skills.

Why is One to One Correspondence Important?

Number sense allows kids to work fluently with numbers as they move on to more advanced concepts. It includes an array of skills, including counting and cardinality, number recognition, order and comparison, and more.

Rote counting and one to one correspondence are two of the most basic number sense skills, and students who haven’t mastered them will likely struggle to keep up as they begin working on addition and subtraction.

How to Teach One to One Correspondence to Preschoolers

Because these skills are so vital, parents should give their child plenty of guidance and practice. You can start teaching 1:1 correspondence to children as young as age one, even before they’re able to count out loud. Use these basic steps to help your preschooler develop this vital skill.

Match One Item to One Other Item

Early correspondence activities focus on simply pairing items together, one to one. For instance, a child learns that one sock goes on one foot or that each person at the dinner table gets one fork.

Tip: You can also practice using more explicit activities, such as placing one cotton ball into each well of a muffin tin or one sticker into each spot on a grid.

These exercises demonstrate the concept of 1:1 correspondence without referring to numbers just yet.

Learn to Count by Rote

By age two or three, most children can recite the numbers one to ten in order, without skipping any. It’s okay to practice this skill separately from correspondence activities—the goal is for your child to be so comfortable counting that they don’t have to stop and think about the next number in the sequence.

Tip: Sing songs or chant together until rote counting is an automatic skill. You can also use these hands-on number and counting activities for preschoolers and kindergarteners.

Match One Number to One Item

Once your child has rote counting down, begin emphasizing the connection between those numbers and the items being counted.

Tip: Use physical actions like touching each item once as you count it, or moving an item from one place to another to show it’s already been counted. Give your child plenty of practice using hands-on activities, as well as throughout your daily life.

Fun One to One Correspondence Activities for Preschoolers

Play-based learning can be a highly-effective way to help young children grasp new concepts, as it infused fun and engagement into the experience. Try these ideas to help your preschooler practice with 1:1 correspondence.

Set the Table

A young girl in a red shirt happily setting the table with plates for dinner.

You can do this activity with or without counting, depending on your child’s age and skill level. Gather a number of people (or stuffed animals) around a table. Give your child a stack of paper plates and ask them to give one plate to each person. Repeat with utensils, cups, and napkins, ensuring your child passes each item out one at a time.

Hop and Count

A young girl hopping with one foot on numbers that are taped to the floor.

Adding a physical element to learning engages young learners on a whole new level! Practice 1:1 correspondence by pairing it with hops or jumps, counting each hop as you go. You can also try this with clapping, stomping, or any other action you like.

Sing Counting Songs

10 Little Pandas Counting Song

ABCmouse features catchy counting songs that children enjoy singing. In this version, children count pandas as they sing along!

Monster Counting Song

Here, children can work on 1:1 correspondence with help from cute and silly monsters, counting the number of spots, tails, legs, and eyes they have.

Fill an Egg Carton

A pile of colorful pompoms and large blue plastic tweezers laying on a white table.

Use number cards or magnets for this counting activity. Set up two bins, one for even numbers and one for odds. Then, have your child sort each card or magnet into the proper bin. Make it even more fun by trying to toss the card/magnet into the right bin from a few feet away!

Stack Them High

A mother and young daughter stacking wooden blocks on top of each other.

Build a tower of blocks one-by-one, counting as you go. See how high you can build your tower before it falls!

Step to It

A young mother holding her child's hand while counting the steps as they ascend.

Going up or down some steps? Count them as you climb! This is a fun way to burn some energy while learning.

Count Your Snacks

A young blond haired child eating strawberries from a bowl on a nice summer day.

Whether snacking on crackers, grapes, or another delicious treat, count them together one by one as you put them in your mouth.

Play an Online Game

A fun interactive online game called 'The Hungry Anteater' that helps children practice their one to one correspondence.

The online counting games at ABCmouse are designed by experts to help your child build their skills through fun but meaningful play. Here’s a favorite game for practicing 1:1 correspondence.

Hungry Anteater: Feed the anteater some yummy ants while getting some practice counting from 1 to 5.

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How to Teach One to One Correspondence: Counting Made Fun for Preschoolers

Help your child master this fundamental math concept with play-based activities and insightful teaching tips.

Table of Contents

What is One to One Correspondence?

One to One Correspondence vs. Rote Counting

Why is One to One Correspondence Important?