Toddlers will often sort objects although we may not know the criteria they are using to form their sets. Very young children know the sequence of their day if there is a schedule to their day. They learn many concepts of number, size, shape, and weight during trips to the grocery store. When they enter preschool, children know many concepts in their own way of knowing. Use number songs to familiarize your child with the numbers repeated in order.
Finger plays which use numbers help teach the order of the numbers.
Count for fun during a spare minute of the day. Begin with small sets of 2 or 3 and ask your child how many there are. Tell fairy tales and have pictures of the characters to count or act out the story and count the characters together. Set out three objects and have your child touch each object as they count it. Count golf tees - the child can make towers with them and then count them.