Nursery World - Study indicates early counting development

Babies understand the concept of numbers and counting from as early as 18 months, according to new research.

In a study by Dr Virginia Slaughter at the University of Queensland, Australia, a video was played to 36 toddlers in which a woman pointed to pictures of six coloured fish and counted them in a correct sequence. She then counted up to six again but pointed repeatedly at just two of the fish.

Half of the toddler group were 15 months and half 18 months old. Researchers found the 18-month-olds preferred the correct sequential counting as they watched it for longer, whereas the 15-month-olds did not have a preference.

Dr Slaughter, in the research published in the British Royal Society's journal Proceedings B, said this showed that 'by 18 months of age, infants have sufficient experience with their cultural counting routine to discriminate between correct and incorrect counting'.

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