Number Sense: Body-Count + Zero Game

Level 3 develops early academic independence—organising information, explaining reasoning, and communicating clearly.

Objectives

Materials

Instructions

Materials

- Large paper or whiteboard

- Markers or crayons

- Pictures of families (from books or magazines)

- A set of family member cutouts (e.g., mum, dad, sibling, pet)

- Small manipulative objects (e.g., buttons, blocks, pom-poms)

- Music player and fun music

- Handkerchief or blindfold

- Comfortable floor space

Learning Objectives

- Children will be able to count up to ten using body parts.

- Children will demonstrate understanding of the concept of zero through a game.

- Children will verbally identify different family members pictured.

- Children will participate cooperatively in group counting activities.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Gather the children in a circle on the floor. Explain that today we're going to explore numbers using our amazing bodies, just like we explore our families are all amazing and unique. Show a picture of a family and ask who they see.

2. Begin the "Body Count" by singing a song like "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" and counting the body parts as you touch them. Encourage children to join in the counting.

3. Transition to counting fingers and toes. "Let's count all the fingers on one hand. Now the other! How many do we have altogether? That's like counting all the members in a big family!"

4. Introduce the "Zero Game." Hold up a set of family member cutouts. "Let's say we have three family members here. If all of them go to sleep, how many are awake and playing? Zero!"

5. Have children sit down. Play music and have them walk around the circle. When the music stops, say "Freeze! If I have five red blocks here and I give them all away, how many blocks do I have left? Zero!"

6. Continue the game with different scenarios, using the manipulative objects. "If there are two yummy biscuits on this plate and you eat them all, how many biscuits are left for Mummy? Zero!"

7. If time permits, have children draw a picture of their own family, pointing out the number of people.

8. Finish by asking children to show you "zero fingers" and then "ten fingers".

Educator Tip

Ensure all children have space to move comfortably during the counting game. For children who may be hesitant to participate physically, encourage them to count with their voices or to touch their own body parts. You can also invite families to send in a photo of their family to display and refer to during discussions about different family sizes.

Assessment

Observe children's participation in the counting activities, noting their ability to count sequences and their understanding of the concept of zero. Listen for their verbal responses during the "Zero Game" and their ability to identify family members in pictures. You can also collect their family drawings to assess their representation of family members and any associated counting.

Educator tip

Use simple rubric; insist on justification; allow multiple correct solutions; support with exemplars/word banks.

Assessment

Assess against Early Learning Goals (ELGs). Document evidence of 'expected' or 'exceeding' descriptors. Note: independent application of skills, ability to explain reasoning, and capacity to build on prior learning. Rubric (1–4): accuracy, reasoning, clarity of communication, and independence/collaboration.

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