A counter is like a special box where you keep track of things by adding or taking away. Imagine you have a box of blocks. Every time you put a block in, you are counting up, and every time you take a block out, you are counting down. The box helps you see how many blocks you have at any moment. It’s like using your fingers to keep track of numbers when you’re learning to count.
Another way to think about a counter is like a scoreboard in a game. When you play a game, you might score points. The counter is the part that shows everyone how many points you have. It goes up when you score more points and might go down if you lose points. It helps everyone know who’s winning or losing.
A counter can also be like a tally chart. If you’re counting how many cars pass by your house, you might make a mark for each car. Each mark is like adding one to your counter. By looking at the marks, you can tell how many cars have gone by.