Spatial strategies in the counting of young children.

3--6-year-old children counted 7, 10, and 14 items arranged in columns or in rows. Developmental changes in spatial strategy and the relation of strategy to accuracy were examined. Increases with age in the organization of children's counting sequences were observed as they progressed from (a) a counting sequence based on the proximity of an item to the one previously counted, to (b) a sequence based on the exterior form of the array, to (c) a sequence based on the linear arrangement of items. The column or row arrangement of items did not affect strategy choice, but increasing the number of items caused some children to revert to a less organized count. Fewer errors were associated with more mature strategies at all ages.