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).
- Plus Plan
Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Threes (Castle) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by threes.
- Plus Plan
Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Sevens (Wolf) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by sevens.
- Plus Plan
Guided Maths Groups – National Numeracy Learning Progression – Student Tracker
An individual student tracker for sub-elements of the National Numeracy Learning Progression.
- Plus Plan
Cinderella's Shoes - Skip Counting Worksheet
Count Cinderella's shoes using skip counting by 2s.
- Plus Plan
Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 2 - Anchor
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
- Plus Plan
Pattern Activity Cards - Little Red Hen
Pattern activities using pictures from The Little Red Hen.
- Plus Plan
Pattern Activity Cards - Birds
Pattern activities using birds.
- Plus Plan
Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 3 - Cat
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
- Plus Plan
Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 1 - Dove
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
- Plus Plan
Numeracy Songs - Speckled Frogs Game
A game to use in conjunction with numeracy songs.
- Plus Plan
The Number Pattern Robot
A fun place value activity to help students identify number patterns and their rules.
- Plus Plan
Patterns and Algebra Worksheets - Foundation
4 patterns and algebra worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
- Plus Plan
Skip Counting Robot Template
A fun robot template to help students skip count by 2s, 5s and 10s.
- Plus Plan
Skip Counting Robot Strips - 2s, 5s and 10s
A set of 12 skip counting robot strips to help students skip count by 2s, 5s and 10s.
- Plus Plan
Skip Counting by 10s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 10s.
- Plus Plan
Skip Counting by 5s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 5s.
- Plus Plan
Skip Counting by 2s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 2s from 0 to 100.
- Plus Plan
Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 5 - Dinosaur
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
- Plus Plan
Dividing by Powers of 10 Worksheet Set
Utilise this dividing by powers of 10 worksheet set to give your students practise dividing whole numbers by 10, 100 and 1000.
- Plus Plan
Additive and Multiplicative Patterns Worksheet
Analyse additive and multiplicative patterns in a fun ‘this’ or ‘that’ format that encourages students to reason logically and defend their answers.
- Plus Plan
Patterns in Multiplication Cut and Paste
Teach your students about odd and even products in multiplication with this cut-and-paste worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Odd and Even Patterns in Multiplication Task Cards
Help your students discover patterns in odd and even numbers in multiplication sums with this set of task cards.
- Plus Plan
Year 4 Odd and Even Products in Multiplication Interactive Activity
Explore patterns in odd and even products from multiplication sums with this fun soccer-themed interactive activity.
- Plus Plan
Odd and Even Number Spinner Template
Make an odd and even number spinner to use during maths lessons.
- Plus Plan
Ordering Numbers Worksheets - Halloween Cut and Paste
Share these ordering numbers worksheets with your students for some spook-tacular Halloween fun!
- Plus Plan
Halloween Tracing Numbers Worksheets
Trace and write numbers to twenty with a set of spooky Halloween tracing numbers worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Odd or Even Sorting Game (Coins)
Help your students reinforce their knowledge of odd and even numbers with this fun coin sorting activity.
- Plus Plan
Odd or Even Number Popcorn Sorting Activity
Sort popcorn shaped numbers into either the odd popcorn bucket or the even popcorn bucket.
- Plus Plan
Odd and Even Monsters Sorting Activity
Sort odd and even numbers in this fun monster-themed sorting activity.
- Plus Plan
Even or Odd Socks Worksheets
Predict and confirm if a number is odd or even by pairing socks using this fun set of worksheets.
- Plus Plan
100 More , 100 Less Matching Game (Three-Digit Numbers)
Match 3-digit number cards to find pairs that are 100 more or 100 less of each other.
- Plus Plan
10 More, 10 Less Colouring Worksheets (Differentiated)
Use this ten more, ten less worksheet set to engage your students while they practise computing 10 more or 10 less than a number within 120.
- Number Patterns Worksheets
- Number Patterns Games
- Number Patterns Posters
- Number Patterns Templates
- Number Patterns for Preschool/Kindergarten
- 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