The Game of Quick Counting
Have a handful of small sticks or matches and lay a number in a row on the table. Let the children stand with their backs to the table and a few feet away from it. After you have arranged the sticks go several feet away from the table and say, "Ready!" The children then go to the table, count the sticks, run to you and whisper their answer. The object in your being away from the table is to keep the others from repeating the answer of the first child when they have not finished the count for themselves. From a simple beginning of a straight row of a few sticks, the game can be developed to any degree of complexity, so that it will tax the powers of the most alert and developed mind. The children will soon be able to glance at the group of sticks and count them from their mind's eye picture while they are coming to you and not have to stand at the table while counting them.
Lay the sticks in groups, make them into figures, into small piles, double lines of different length, etc. A few different groups are illustrated below—use matches, tooth picks, or any small articles.
The Game of Visual Counting
Take the same game described above for Quick Counting and have the children see the figure or pile of sticks for just a moment, then cover them and let them count from their visual picture and tell the number, rather than by the actual count as before. They can also have a handful of sticks in their hands and each try to arrange a group of sticks which is the duplicate of the one they have been observing.
The game of dominoes is good for small children in helping them to count quickly and accurately. Use a row of dominoes instead of sticks and have the children count the number of spots from their mind's eye picture.
For variety use any objects, let the child look at a flag and count the stars. Have him count the number of squares in a colonial window; the number of books on a shelf; the number of sections in the radiator. Anything of this kind can be easily used. Give him only a glance, do not allow time enough for an actual count. In each case let the time allowed for each exercise be less than required to count the objects.