Numbers 1, 2, 3

Numbers 1, 2, 3

These are our first three friends — the numbers 1, 2 and 3. Take a good look at them, because you are going to meet them very often.

The number one

The digit 1 looks like a stick. You can draw it with one stroke from top to bottom. When you have one thing, you say "one":

  • one sun in the sky
  • one heart
  • one mum
  • one you

The number two

The digit 2 looks like a swan. It has a neck that curves nicely. Two means a pair — something that goes together:

Three apples — one, two, three
  • two eyes
  • two hands
  • two feet
  • two ears

The number three

The digit 3 looks like two little bumps stacked on top of each other. Three is handy when we have a trio:

  • three little pigs in the fairy tale
  • three wishes from the genie
  • three pieces of cake

Let's try it together

Point with your finger and say out loud:

one apple... two apples... three apples.

The number you finished on — three — is how many apples there are. Three apples!

Try it yourself

Open the Counting exercise and click the right number when you see a picture of balls. Start with the ones that show only 1, 2 or 3 balls.

Once that feels easy, go on to the article Counting to 5.