Pump It!

Do your kiddos struggle with counting up {Uh, YEAH!!!}?

I have been teaching "Pump IT" for awhile now and it really helps the students with counting up. If you have a problem like 8 + 6 begin by pumping your arms in & saying eight aloud. Then count up, until you see six fingers showing - reciting each number you are counting up by (1 finger 9, 2 fingers 10, and so on). By the time 6 fingers are showing you have said 14 aloud.

In my experience {7 years} I have found that the kiddos want to hold up 8 fingers, then count up - thus running out of fingers!!

Also, by pumping the 8, they learn not to "count that number" just to count up from that number, emphasizing the hops, jumps, or spaces - not the actual digit. It is a fun kinesthetic action that will reinforce the strategy of counting up.

Happy pumping,

~Kristan

P.S. Thanks Clare for inspiring my first post! You're the greatest...have I told you that today, :0)?