How to Teach Ordinal Words: First, Second and Third
"I want to go first!" Few phrases come more naturally to a small child. That fierce interest in being first is a perfect doorway into a different kind of number word. First, second and third do not tell you how many, they tell you where something sits in an order, and children pick them up fastest when the order really matters to them.
Ordinal is about position, not amount
There are two families of number words. Cardinal words, one, two, three, count how many. Ordinal words, first, second, third, mark position in a sequence. They are related but distinct, and the difference is real: three sweets is an amount, but the third sweet is one particular sweet in a line. To teach ordinal words like first, second and third well, keep that idea of position front and centre.
First and last come easiest
Begin with the two positions children feel most keenly: first and last. Every child understands wanting to be first, and nobody wants to be last, so these words carry emotional weight that makes them stick. "You are first up the stairs." "That was the last biscuit." Once first and last are solid, the middle positions, second and third, slot in more easily between them.
Use lining up and taking turns
Daily life is full of sequences, and turn-taking is the richest of all. "It is your turn first, then me second, then your brother third." Queues, whether for the slide, the bath or a game, naturally put children in an order they can feel. Narrating these positions as they happen gives your child real, lived examples of ordinal words rather than an abstract list to memorise.
Playful ways to practise
- Line up toys and name them: this teddy is first, this one second, this one third.
- Race toy cars and announce who finished first, second and third.
- Take turns in a game, naming each person's place in the order.
- Read a story and talk about who arrived first, second and last.
Races are especially good, because finishing order is exciting and clear, a lively way to teach ordinal words first, second and third.
Point along the line
Ordinal words make most sense with a physical line to point at. Set out a row of objects and touch each as you name its place: "first, second, third." The pointing shows that these words label positions in a sequence, not the whole group. Ask your child to hand you the second car, or point to the third teddy, so they connect the word to a spot in the line.
Tie it to first, next and last
You may already use first, next and last to talk about the order of the day. Ordinal words build straight on that. "First we get dressed, second we eat, third we brush teeth." This links the new words to a sequencing idea your child already knows, which makes them feel familiar. Everyday routines are a gentle, repeated setting for practising position words without any pressure.
Do not rush past third
There is no need to march quickly to fourth, fifth and beyond. First, second and third, plus last, cover most of the situations a young child meets, and they are plenty to master well. The higher ordinals follow the counting words fairly logically later on. For now, deep familiarity with the first few positions is far more useful than a shaky list of many.
Expect some mix-ups
Children often confuse ordinal and cardinal words at first, saying "two" when they mean "second", or muddling second and third. This is completely normal, since the words sound related and the ideas are subtle. Rather than correcting sharply, simply model the right word: "Yes, you were second, right after me." Warm repetition in real situations teaches these better than any drill.
Signs of understanding
You will notice your child using first, second and third correctly in their own play, arguing precisely about whose turn is second, or narrating the order of a race. They might arrange their toys and announce which is third. These spontaneous, accurate uses show that the idea of position in a sequence has become a real part of how your child thinks about order.
When to seek a little advice
Understanding order and position words develops gradually across the preschool years, with wide variation between children. It is reasonable to have a relaxed chat with your health visitor, GP or your child's nursery if they show little grasp of sequence and order language well beyond their peers, struggle broadly with counting, talking and following simple instructions, or seem to lose skills they had. Raising it early is routine and simply makes any useful support easier to arrange.
The takeaway
Ordinal words turn a child's natural passion for being first into real mathematical learning about order and position. Use races, queues and turn-taking to teach ordinal words first, second and third, point along real lines of objects, and keep it playful, and your child will soon be marking positions with confidence, a small but genuine step in their growing number sense.
Key point: Teach position words through races, queues and turn-taking, starting with first and last, and point along real lines so first, second and third mean a place, not an amount.