Match two equal sets  

Lego bricks

Make a tower of 3 bricks and another identical one of 2 bricks. Hand the child the third brick needed for the smaller tower and help the child complete the tower.

Say 'Look...the same' and point to the 2 towers.

Compare the towers and count the bricks.

Increase the height of the towers and the number of the bricks the child has to add to make the towers the same. Make your tower and then say 'Look......make the same'.

Give lots of praise for making a tower the same.

Pegs and a peg board

Make a peg pattern e.g. red peg, blue peg, red peg.

Start the pattern off for the child. Say 'Look.........Make the same'. You may need to hand the child the pegs to complete the pattern to start with.

When the child makes the same pattern praise and say 'Look.......the same'

Allow the child to complete more and more of a pattern that you have made as they become familiar with the activity.

Praise for completion.

Care bears

Counters

Use 3 coloured counters and put them in a column on the paper.

Give the child the right coloured counters to make a match and give any support needed to put his/her counters in a column matching your column.

Make the activity more difficult by making the pattern more complex and increasing the number of items to be matched.

Colours and paper.

Draw a short simple pattern of dots or squares on the paper. Can the child copy?

If they copy successfully say 'Look ............the same' and reward.

Draw a circle and put, say 3 crosses inside. Can the child put 3 crosses inside a circle too?

Extend this e.g. 3 cars in a circle, 4 bears in a circle etc .Say 'Look...........the same.'

Large laminated numbers 1/2/3 on card

Small laminated numbers 1/2/3 on card

Pieces of food/crisps/biscuits (or other motivating items)

Marbles and marble run game

Cars and garage ramp

Place the large 1 and 3 cards on a table - space them out well.

Put one piece of crisps/biscuit/fruit (or other motivating items) on the one card and 3 pieces on the 3 card.

Put the small 1 and 3 laminated cards near the child.

Say 'what do you want?' and hold out your hand to receive the small laminated number that the child chooses. Take the card and say 'Take 3 pieces of fruit'. Guide the child to taking 3 pieces if necessary. Reinforce the lesson by saying 'Three.........three' etc.

The child may not need to use the small laminated card to support requesting. The child may just say 'One' or 'Three'. If so say 'Take one' or 'take 3' as above.

When understanding 1 and 3 is good introduce 2.

Follow the same procedure with motivating toys like marble runs and garages etc.