Before you draw, count. How many legs does a spider have? How many petals does this flower have? How many windows does this house have? Counting helps your drawing get the details right.
Key idea
Count first, then draw the right number.
Why it works
People notice when a number is wrong: a hand with seven fingers looks strange right away. Counting is a quick way to look closely.
Worked example: Let's look
How many legs does a spider have?
- Count the legs on each side: four and four.
- 4 + 4 = 8.
Answer: 8 legs.
Common mistake
Many children guess the number: a spider with six legs, a hand with seven fingers. Count on the real thing, or on a picture, before you draw.
For the grown-up. Touch-and-count is a math skill too: point to each thing once while saying the numbers. The Math Ladder's Touch and Count practices it.