The handmade drums continue to be a popular choice during outdoor backyard playtime.  These children formed their own marching band.  Not only are the children exploring their musical side with beat, rhythm, and marching, we could hear the children practicing rote counting.  Rote counting is the act of verbally counting.  It is the simplest of counting concepts to learn. The ability to count by rote can deceive both the teacher and parent into assuming that the child who can count by rote with ease to a hundred or above, also has an understanding of those numbers. In most cases this simply isn’t true.  If teachers and parents take advantage of natural counting opportunities like beating a drum, there is little need to contrive special counting activities.