We use ordinal numbers to order and position items and numbers, perhaps to say which position someone came in a race or to recite numbers or place numbers on a number line/time line.
Children should start developing their understanding of ordinal numbers in their early years and pre-kindergarten. It’s important that children expand their vocabulary and learn about what ordinal numbers are so that they can describe the position and ranking of objects and various other things. Children will develop their own working theories by using numbers in everyday contexts. They will learn to communicate these to others and overtime remember mathematical concepts.
