Number Sense Teaching Resources
Browse printable number sense worksheets, hands-on maths activities and more teacher resources created by teachers for teachers like you!
These resources are aligned with the Australian Maths Curriculum, and each was created by teachers with teachers — and students — in mind to help build foundational maths skills in ways that engage and excite students about numbers!
Want to learn more about number sense? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a definition of number sense, how to assess this important maths skill and more!
What Is Number Sense?
In the most basic sense (no pun intended), number sense refers to a student's intuitive understanding of numbers and their relationships. It includes the ability to estimate and compare quantities, understand numerical patterns and relationships and make reasonable judgments about the accuracy of calculations.
When students show an understanding of numbers, their size, relationships,and how they are affected by the four mathematical operations, what they're really showing is their number sense.
In an educational setting, building number sense is closely related to other foundational skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking and logical reasoning. As our students get older, it will become a crucial skill for daily life they will use to manage finances, calculate time and make decisions based on numerical information.
Teach Starter Teacher Tip: Although the names may seem interchangeable, it's worth noting that number sense is not the same as mathematical fluency or memorisation of algorithms, but rather a deep understanding of the underlying concepts and relationships between numbers.
When Does Number Sense Develop?
There is no single year level when we're teaching students number sense — instead, it continues to develop and become more sophisticated as students progress through primary school.
Research suggests that babies as young as 6 months old can distinguish between small and large numbers of objects, and by prep, students are already working on number sense as they begin to learn counting and one-to-one correspondence. At this level, they're also beginning to develop an understanding of quantity and relative size — both key to overall number sense.
Number sense will continue to grow in primary school as students become more adept at recognising and using numbers to solve problems, and it continues into high school and — for many students — into university.
Assessing Number Sense
When we assess students for their number sense skills, there are certain mathematical concepts that they should have under their belts. These include:
- Ability to Recognise Missing Numbers in a Pattern —When kids can fill in missing numbers in a sequence, they're showing that they can make connections between numbers and develop an understanding of the relationships between them.
- Ability to Use Maths Mentals — Students with number sense can use maths mentals to solve problems involving the four basic operations.
- Ability to Engage in Systematic Counting — Children who can count systematically can more easily understand the relationships between numbers, including number magnitude, patterns and sequences.
- Ability to Subitise Numbers — Students can use visual clustering skills to instantly recognise how many objects are in a group without physically counting them.
- Ability to Relate Numbers to Real-World Problems —For example, a student may understand that '3' means 'three objects' or 'three days' or 'three dollars.'
- Ability to Compose and Decompose Numbers — Students use number sense when they break down numbers and put them back together. For example, a student who can break down the number 10 into 8 and 2, then add the two back together to again make 10, is using number sense.
- Plus Plan
Base Ten Block Matching Cards (Random Numbers 100 - 1000)
Use these base ten block matching cards to help your students practise number recognition and place value skills for numbers up to 1000.
- Plus Plan
Counting 1-20 Number Game
Practise counting from 1-20 with this fun alien-themed counting game.
- Plus Plan
Subitising to 10 Interactive Task Cards
Practise subitising to 10 with these varied and engaging interactive task cards.
- Plus Plan
Subitising Small Collections PowerPoint
Teach your students to subitise with this editable set of teaching slides.
- Plus Plan
Ten Frame Variety Pack
Enliven your ten frame activities with this variety pack that contains both single and double ten frame templates.
- Plus Plan
Number Recognition Craft Activity Pack
Reinforce number recognition with this engaging craft activity pack for numbers 1 - 10.
- Free Plan
Paralympic Games Count and Colour Worksheets
Count and tally Paralympic icons with our engaging I Spy Worksheets, which are perfect for enhancing your students' observation and counting skills.
- Plus Plan
Counting Picture Puzzle Numbers 6-10
Practise counting 6 to 10 objects and matching groups to numbers through this 15-piece picnic scene picture puzzle
- Plus Plan
Spin, Count and Colour Counting Game
Practise counting skills with this fun spin, colour and count game for pairs.
- Free Plan
Which Is More? Counting Card Game
Compare and order collections up to 20 with this set of counting cards.
- Plus Plan
Counting Objects Sorting Numbers 6-10
Practise counting 6 – 10 objects with this colourful sorting activity.
- Plus Plan
Finger Counting Poster Set
Display this set of finger counting posters to10 in the early years classroom.
- Plus Plan
Aliens in a Spaceship Counting Game (1-6)
Practise counting with this fun aliens in a spaceship counting game.
- Plus Plan
Counting 1-20 Worksheet Pack
Practise counting to 20 with this set of worksheets ready to go!
- Plus Plan
Counting to 10 Match-Up Activity
Practise counting to 10 with this set of twenty object and number matching cards.
- Plus Plan
Ice Cream Counting Game
Help students practise their knowledge of counting numbers 1-20 with this fun ice cream matching game.
- Free Plan
Number Talk Task Cards - Ten Frames
Build number sense skills with this set of 30 ten and double ten frame maths talk task cards.
- Plus Plan
Pirate's Plunder - Number Line Subtraction Game
Practise using the jump strategy for subtraction from 20 with an exciting pirate-themed maths game.
- Plus Plan
Hands-On Numbers 1-10 Caterpillar Activity
Match numbers 1-10 with their various visual representations to build a fun mathematical caterpillar!
- Plus Plan
Comparing Integers – Maths Mazes
Compare positive and negative numbers while you work your way through this set of maths mazes.
- Free Plan
Real World Applications of Positive and Negative Numbers – Worksheet
Use positive and negative numbers to represent quantities in real-world scenarios with this worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Secret Number Patterns – Card Game
Keep your secret number pattern hidden as you race to be the first to create number patterns based on given rules.
- Plus Plan
Counting Peg Cards - Halloween
Practise counting objects with a set of 18 Halloween peg cards.
- Plus Plan
Colour by Number - Numbers 0-9
An engaging activity to consolidate your students’ recognition of one-digit numbers.
- Free Plan
I Have, Who Has – Rounding to 500 000
Use this engaging maths game to practise rounding numbers through 500 000 with your students.
- Plus Plan
Subitising Game — Memory
Use this subitising game to help your students learn to quickly subitise numbers 1 - 12.
- Plus Plan
Counting Collections to 20 Worksheet
A place value worksheet for students to use when counting small collections.
- Plus Plan
Prime Numbers - Assorted Backgrounds
Prime numbers displayed on a hundreds board.
- Plus Plan
Composite Numbers - Assorted Backgrounds
Composite numbers displayed on a hundreds board.
- Plus Plan
Frog in a Pond - Colour by Numbers
Colour by numbers is a fun and easy way to help students recognise digits.
- Plus Plan
Halloween Connect the Dots Worksheets (1-50)
Practise counting up to 50 with a set of fun Halloween Connect the Dots worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Number Ordering Game (Numbers 1 - 10)
Play this number ordering game for a fun way to increase student skill in ordering numbers 1 - 10.
- Number Sense Games
- Number Sense Worksheets
- Number Sense Posters
- Number Sense Templates
- Number Sense for Preschool/Kindergarten
- Number Sense for Foundation Year
- Number Sense for Year 1
- Number Sense for Year 2
- Number Sense for Year 3
- Number Sense for Year 4
- Number Sense for Year 5
- Number Sense for Year 6