Place Value Teaching Resources
Browse place value charts, printable worksheets, games and more teaching resources aligned to the Australian curriculum.
This collection of teacher-created resources has been carefully reviewed by the expert teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure every single one is ready to use in the classroom. That means you can save hours on lesson planning with activities ready to print or use digitally!
Want to learn more about this section of the maths curriculum, or just looking for fresh ideas to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a look at the meaning of place value and tips on teaching place value in the classroom!
What Is Place Value? A Kid-Friendly Definition
When it comes time to teach place value, it helps to have a simple definition to use to introduce this core maths concept to your class. Here's how we explain the meaning to our students:
In maths, the term place value refers to the value of a digit in relation to its position in a number. For example, in the decimal system (also referred to as the Hindu-Arabic system), which is based on powers of 10, the value of a digit in a number depends on its position relative to the decimal point, as follows:
- The digit in the ones place has a value of 1 times the digit.
- The digit in the tens place has a value of 10 times the digit.
- The digit in the hundreds place has a value of 100 times the digit.
- The digit in the thousands place has a value of 1000 times the digit.
- And so on.
Place Value Example
Like most maths concepts, looking at place value examples with your students is key to helping them understand the concept. So let's look at an example of place value using the number 3245:
- 3 is in the thousands place
- 2 is in the hundreds place
- 4 is in the tens place
- 5 is in the ones place
Therefore, its value can be calculated as:
(3 x 1000) + (2 x 100) + (4 x 10) + (5 x 1) = 3000 +200 +40 + 5 = 3245.
Why Is Place Value Important?
Place value is an important concept for primary students to understand, as it is a major factor in understanding numbers and their overall value.
Understanding place value is also essential for performing the four maths operations, and it will help students as they move on toward working with decimal fractions, scientific notation and other mathematical concepts.
What Is a Place Value Chart?
A handy tool for teaching this maths concept is the place value chart! This visual teaching tool can be used to represent and organise numbers based on their value and position in a given number.
A place value chart is typically divided into columns representing the different powers of 10 in our number system. Each column is labelled with the name of the place value it represents (e.g. ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.) and contains a series of boxes or cells — each of which corresponds to a single digit.
The rightmost column will represent the ones place, the next column to the left will represent the tens place, the next represents the hundreds place, and so on.
Place Value vs. Face Value — What's the Difference?
At some point, your students may ask about face value — after all, the terms sound similar! So are they interchangeable? The answer is no.
Face value and place value — despite their similar names — are not the same, but they are related.
As we've already noted, the place value of a digit tells us the value of that digit based on its position in a number. The place value of a digit changes depending on where it is in the number.
On the other hand, the face value of a digit tells us the actual value of the digit itself, regardless of its position in the number. So, for example, in the number 357, the face value of the digit 5 is simply 5.
In essence, place value is what helps us understand the value of a number based on the position of its digits, but face value is what helps us understand the value of individual digits in a number.
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2 Digit Place Value Puzzles
Teach students the different representations of 2-digit numbers with this place value puzzle.
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Writing Numbers in Expanded Form Interactive Activity
Help students master reading and writing numbers up to 6 digits with this expanded form interactive activity.
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Thousands Place Value Number Expander Template
Explore expanding 4 digit numbers with your students using this number expander template.
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3-Digit Number Expander Template (Peacock)
A foldable peacock-themed number expander for students to record 3-digit place value.
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4-Digit Expanded Form Worksheet
Help students grasp the concept of expanding 4-digit numbers up to 2,000 with this 1-page worksheet.
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Comparing Numbers-Halloween Word Problems
Practise comparing numbers using MAB blocks with a Halloween Maths word problem worksheet.
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Owls Round, TOO Matching Game
Practise rounding through to the nearest hundred thousands place with our set of 36 whole number rounding match-up cards.
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Number Patterns: More or Less – Puzzle Match-Up
Use your understanding of place value and skip counting to determine 10 or 100 more or less than a 3-digit number with this set of puzzles.
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Rounding Bingo — Using a Vertical Number Line
Review how to round numbers to the nearest ten, hundred, thousand, and ten thousand with a vertical number line Bingo game.
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Rounding Task Cards (Numbers to 100 000)
Use place value knowledge and vertical number lines to round numbers up through the hundred thousands place with a set of 24 task cards.
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Rounding Numbers on Vertical Number Lines Matching Activity
Practise rounding to the nearest ten and hundred on a vertical number line with this set of 36 match-up cards.
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Rounding Using a Vertical Number Line Posters
Display how to round numbers to different places using a vertical number line with a set of posters.
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Tens Frames Counting Flowers Task Cards
Step up your students’ place value skills with a set of spring-themed task cards.
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Valentine's Day - Number Form Match-Up
Identify three-digit numbers in standard form, word form, expanded form, and in MAB form with a printable Valentine’s Day Maths activity.
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Rounding Whole Numbers – Riddle Worksheets
Integrate riddles and maths with this set of rounding worksheets.
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Three and Four-Digit Place Value Memory Game
Practise matching numbers in standard form, expanded form and word form with this memory-style place value game.
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Rounding Numbers – Match-up Activity
Practise rounding decimals and whole numbers with this match-up activity.
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Rounding Task Cards
Use place value knowledge to round numbers to the nearest ten through to the nearest hundred thousand with this set of 20 task cards.
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Comparing Three-digit Numbers – Worksheet
Practise comparing three-digit numbers with this hands-on worksheet.
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Number Hunt Description Cards
A set of 32 task cards that have students use their knowledge of place value to find specific numbers.
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Comparing Numbers Board Game
A hands-on Board Game to practise comparing numbers less than ten.
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Place Value Wall Display
A place value wall display for the classroom.
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Place Value - Bunting
A display bunting which can be used to practise Place Value from units to quadrillions.
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Place Value Banner - Billions to Thousandths
A banner that displays extended place value.
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Numbers and Symbols Mini Flashcards
Print a set of colourful number and symbol cards for various maths lessons.
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Number Talks - Near, Far, and in Between Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.
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Expanded Notation Dominoes (5-Digit Numbers)
Use this set of dominoes when learning how to match 5-digit numbers written in standard form and expanded form.
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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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Counting Collections in the Hundreds PowerPoint
A 15 page editable PowerPoint to use in the classroom when exploring efficient ways of counting collections in the hundreds.
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Place Value STEM Challenge - Number Forms
Show numbers in picture, word, and expanded forms with an engaging Place Value S.T.E.M. Activity!
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Place Value Bingo Game – Numbers 0–1000
Thirty-two different bingo cards using place value to 1000.
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3-Digit Place Value Scavenger Hunt Worksheet
A scavenger hunt worksheet to use in the classroom when exploring 3-digit place value.