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.
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Number and Word Posters 0-99
Posters showing numbers and words from 0-99.
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Maths Activity Ideas for Parents - Place Value
An information sheet for parents or carers to use when assisting children with place value at home.
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1-9 Number and Value Match-Up Worksheet
Match-up 1-9 numbers and words with this simple and easy to use worksheet.
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Ordinal Numbers Worksheet
A worksheet to help students consolidate their understanding of ordinal numbers.
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One, Two, Three, Four, Five - Counting Rhyme Poster
A counting rhyme to use when learning to count to ten.
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Ordinal Number Word Search with Solution
A fun word search to help your students learn ordinal numbers.
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1 to 20 Dump Truck Number Cards
Support early number sense with these number cards 1 to 20 through a fun dump truck counting activity.
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Roman Numeral Sign 1 - 10,000
Give your students a handy reference for ancient number systems with this Roman numerals poster set!
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Animated Flip Book (Ordering Numbers)
Delight your students with this animated flip book that will help them solidify their understanding of counting and ordering the numbers 1 through 20.
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Sequencing Activities — Numbers 1-9 Sausage Dog
Use our sequencing activities like this sausage dog to help your students practise ordering the numbers 1 - 9.
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Recognising Numbers 0 — 20 BINGO Game
Help your students identify numbers 0 - 20 with this printable Bingo game!
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Spin, Count and Colour Counting Game
Practise counting skills with this fun spin, colour and count game for pairs.
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Counting to 10 Partner Games
Play games and practise counting to 10 with these fun partner game templates.
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Build a Pizza Counting Interactive Activity
Build a pizza by using counting skills with this fun interactive game.
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Counting Cookies Sorting Activity
Practise counting to 10 with various representations with this cookie sorting activity.
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Counting to 20 Interactive Task Cards
Explore the woods with this nature hike and count the different groups of objects along the way!
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Counting Within 20 Picture Puzzle
Practise counting objects within 20 and matching groups to numbers through this 15-piece winter scene picture puzzle.
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Search and Find Bowerbird Worksheets
Explore images to find and count objects for a bowerbirds nest and bowerbirds themselves.
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Halloween Maths Worksheets - Spooky Ten Frames
Model numbers to twenty using ten frames with a spooky Halloween maths worksheet for year 1.
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Autumn Counting to 10 Clip Cards
Practice counting objects with 18 autumn-themed counting to ten clip cards.
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Colourful Tens Frames
Print a colourful set of tens frames to enhance your small group maths lessons.
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Numbers to 30 - Printable Tens Frames
Use a printable ten frame when working on counting, addition and subtraction, odd and even numbers, or place value.
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Adding and Subtracting Integers - Tarsia Puzzle
Practise adding and subtracting integers with a printable Tarsia puzzle!
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Pirate's Plunder - Number Line Subtraction Game
Practise using the jump strategy for subtraction from 20 with an exciting pirate-themed maths game.
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Ten is a Match! - Memory-Style Game
Practise matching rainbow facts, or two numbers that add up to 10, with this set of 24 number cards.
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Using Tape Diagrams to Find the Whole From a Percentage – Worksheet
Calculate the whole from a percentage using tape diagrams with this worksheet.
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Hands-On Numbers 1-10 Caterpillar Activity
Match numbers 1-10 with their various visual representations to build a fun mathematical caterpillar!
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Real World Applications of Positive and Negative Numbers – Worksheet
Use positive and negative numbers to represent quantities in real-world scenarios with this worksheet.
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Four in a Row – Numbers 1–10
Match picture cards with numerals to practise counting to 10.
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Comparing Two Digit Numbers — Clash Game for Year 1
Practise comparing two-digit numbers with the help of this year 1 board game.
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Christmas Colour By Number - Hundreds Chart Mystery Pictures Activity
Print the perfect maths activity for Christmas: a set of 12 Christmas-inspired mystery hundreds charts.
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Counting Peg Cards – On the Farm
Practise counting objects with a set of 18 farm-themed counting peg cards.