Finger counting is a topic of debate among preschool teachers. Some believe that children who rely on their fingers for math are struggling, while others view this practice as a sign of advanced numerical understanding. A recent study by researchers from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and Lea.fr, the educational and collaborative network for primary schools (Editions Nathan, Paris, France) investigated whether teaching kindergartners to use finger counting could help them solve math problems more effectively.
The study found that after teaching children between the ages of five and six a finger counting strategy, they show a significant increase in math performance. For children who didn’t originally use their fingers, correct responses improved from 37% to 77% after the training, compared to a much smaller increase in the control group. This is the first research to show that explicit finger counting instruction can enhance arithmetic skills in young learners.
Lead researcher Dr. Catherine Thevenot, from the Institute of Psychology at the University of Lausanne, shared that the idea for the study came from discussions with primary school teachers. Teachers often wondered whether they should encourage or discourage finger counting during math lessons. The research now provides a clear answer: teaching children to use their fingers can help them solve addition problems, especially those who don’t usually use this method.
The results of the study hold practical value for educators and caregivers. Finger counting training proved to be highly effective for over 75% of kindergartners, offering a simple yet powerful tool to boost early math skills.
The research team plans to continue exploring this field to better understand how finger counting can benefit children’s long-term mathematical development. The key question is whether teaching leads to a deeper conceptual understanding of numbers, beyond just solving problems. Initial results are promising, but further experiments are needed to confirm the impact of the training program.
Picture: Young child counting on her fingers (Designer) - How many fingers, exactly?
