When you begin teaching one-to-one correspondence, demonstrate the technique frequently. Children will benefit every time you model the skill. For example, during whole-group instruction draw circles on the board, then count each one using a pointer. You can also place items like transparent counting chips on an overhead projector and demonstrate one-to-one correspondence by touching each one while the class counts out loud.
Students enjoy hands-on activities, so practicing one-to-one correspondence can be fun and educational. They can count plastic cubes, toy animals or large buttons while placing them in a straight line or in a container. Using activities like these repetitively do not usually bore kindergarten and first-grade students. They like to handle manipulative items, so you can incorporate these types of activities into daily instruction.
Working with students in small groups is also effective for helping them grasp one-to-one correspondence. This also allows you to determine who is having difficulty mastering the skill. One fun activity suggestion is animal cracker counting. Children place animal crackers on the mat according to the specified number. After checking to make sure they have counted correctly, you can allow students to eat this healthy snack. This particular activity also helps with number recognition.
There are many online games that students can play to help them understand one-to-one correspondence. Soft Schools has a counting game in which kids count the specified number of items and place them in a basket. A similar game, Gingerbread Man Counting, has students matching a gingerbread man with a certain number of buttons to his mate with the corresponding written number, or placing a given number of cherry buttons on him. These games are colorful and animated and give instant feedback to students.