Number Patterns Teaching Resources
Explore number patterns in your maths classes this school year with fun worksheets, games and more teacher resources created to help your students understand how numbers in a sequence relate to one another.
Aligned with the Australian Version 9.0 maths standards, the printable and digital activities in this collection were created by the maths teachers on the Teach Starter team to help you save time on your lesson plans.
Whether this is your first year teaching about number patterns or you're just looking for a little extra help, we've got you covered. Read on for a primer from our teacher team! We explain what number patterns are so you can share with your class, plus we explore three common patterns.
What Are Number Patterns? A Kid-Friendly Definition
A number pattern is a series of numbers that each follow the same rule. These patterns or sequences can help us find missing numbers or identify what number will come next in a series.
For example, let's say you are given the following list of numbers:
- 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24
This is an example of a number pattern in which the next number in the series is 4 more than the previous number. Once you can identify the pattern in a series of numbers like this one, you can then use that pattern to determine what number comes next or even what numbers could have come before the list began.
This is one of the many reasons number patterns are an important part of building our students' algebraic reasoning skills. They help kids understand how numbers can be related to one another and apply what they know about those relationships to solve problems.
3 Common Types of Number Patterns
We can't talk about number patterns without breaking down the different types your students are going to encounter in their maths journey!
Linear Patterns
Linear patterns are number patterns in which the numbers increase or decrease by the same amount each time.
The example used above — in which each number in the series increased by a quantity of 4 — is a simple example of a linear pattern.
Geometric Number Patterns
Another type of pattern students may have to contend with is the geometric number pattern. This type involves numbers that are multiplied or divided by a constant factor.
The multiplication table is an example of a geometric number pattern.
Recursive Patterns
Students will have to make full use of their understanding of the four whole number operations to work with recursive patterns. That's because this pattern involves finding each successive number in the sequence by performing a specific operation on the previous number(s).
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Skip Counting by 5s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 5s.
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Skip Counting by 2s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 2s from 0 to 100.
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Continuing Patterns Game Boards
Support hands‑on maths learning with this continuing patterns game board activity.
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Input and Output Poster
Hang this input and output poster in your classroom to serve as a quick reference during a unit on number patterns.
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Divisible by 2 Maze Worksheets
Help students practise determining if a number is divisible by 2 with this fun set of maze worksheets.
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Divisible by 2 Interactive Activity
Explore the divisibility rule of 2 with your students using this fun ocean-themed interactive activity.
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Patterns in Multiplication Cut and Paste
Teach your students about odd and even products in multiplication with this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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Snail Trail Odd and Even Properties Worksheet Pack
Help students identify the properties of odd and even numbers and using the ‘rules’ when calculating with this worksheet pack.
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Odd and Even Number Games
Practise identifying odd and even numbers in this fun set of game boards.
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Year 4 Odd and Even Properties Task Cards
Assess students understanding of the properites of odd and even numbers with these task cards.
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Odd and Even Maze Worksheets
Explore odd and even numbers with your students with these fun maze activities.
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Space-Themed Odd and Even Board Game
Play this space-themed game and practise odd and even numbers at the same time
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Odd and Even Numbers Poster Set
Help students memorise the rules for identifying odd and even numbers.
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I Have Who Has: Skip Counting by 2,3,4,5,10
Teaching skip counting? Introduce your students to our I Have Who Has - style whole class games with this fun and interactive card activity!
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Writing Equations – I Have, Who Has? Game
Practise identifying word sentences for different equations with an exciting I Have, Who Has game.
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Cowboy Peg Cards – 10 More, 10 Less/100 More, 100 Less
Use an understanding of place value to determine a number that is 10 or 100 more or less than a number with this set of peg cards.
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Evaluating Expressions – Match-Up Activity
Practise substituting values for variables while evaluating expressions with this match-up activity.
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Exponential Expressions – Match-Up Activity
Match numerical expressions with exponents to their expanded expressions and solutions with this match-up activity.
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Prime Factorisation Match-Up
Practise how to find the prime factorisation of a number with this match-up activity.
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1-100 Number Chart - Sequencing Activity
Count by 1’s with your primary students by arranging number tiles 1-100.
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One More, One Less Task Cards
A set of 24 task cards to enable students to practise identifying one more and one less than a number.
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Comparing Numbers Board Game
A hands-on Board Game to practise comparing numbers less than ten.
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Guided Maths Groups – National Numeracy Learning Progression – Student Tracker
An individual student tracker for sub-elements of the National Numeracy Learning Progression.
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Ten Add Bowling Active Learning
A whole class active game that encourages learning through a physical setting.
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Prime Numbers - Assorted Backgrounds
Prime numbers displayed on a hundreds board.
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Composite Numbers - Assorted Backgrounds
Composite numbers displayed on a hundreds board.
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Skip Counting by 3s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 3s.
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Basic Algebra Symbols Poster
A poster with eight basic mathematics algebra symbols to display in your classroom.
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Number Patterns PowerPoint
A 12 page editable PowerPoint presentation to use as part of a numeracy lesson when teaching place value and number patterns to younger students.
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Counting to 30 Activity
Use this number activity to consolidate your students' knowledge of numbers 1-30.
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Properties of Numbers Worksheet Pack
Build student understanding of the properties of numbers with this worksheet pack.
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Classroom Toys Challenge - Repeating Patterns
Discover repeating patterns with this hands-on resource that helps teachers build student confidence through an engaging, easy‑to‑use activity.
- Number Patterns Worksheets
- Number Patterns Games
- Number Patterns Templates
- Number Patterns Posters
- Number Patterns Teaching Presentations
- Number Patterns for Foundation Year
- Number Patterns for Year 1
- Number Patterns for Year 2
- Number Patterns for Year 3
- Number Patterns for Year 4
- Number Patterns for Year 5
- Number Patterns for Year 6
- Number Patterns for Year 7