First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, etc.....that is what mathematicians mean by ordinal numbers.
We describe so many things with the ordinal numbers. My 3 and 5 year old always compete to be first. This morning my 3 year old told me as I was taking him out of the car, "No mommy, Joshua first, me second, mommy third." Ordinal numbers are naturally used in competitions.
They can also be used to refer to steps or routine. Young children thrive on routine. For instance at bedtime the routine could be set up so first children take a bath, second they brush their teeth, third they read a story, fourth they say a prayer, fifth they get a drink of water, sixth they get tucked in and get a goodnight kiss. If the routine can be described using the ordinal numbers, it is a natural way to fit number sense into daily routines.
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