Number Sense Teaching Resources
Browse printable worksheets, hands-on math center activities and more teaching resources designed to teach number sense in the elementary classroom.
Developing number sense is an important building block for elementary math students and unlocks a deeper understanding of numbers and their relationships. Aligned with Common Core, each worksheet, game and century activity was created by teachers with teachers — and students — in mind to help build those 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 math 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 memorization of algorithms, but rather a deep understanding of the underlying concepts and relationships between numbers.
When Does Number Sense Develop?
There is no one grade level when we're teaching students number sense — instead, it continues to develop and become more sophisticated as students progress through elementary school.
Research suggests that babies as young as 6 months old can distinguish between small and large numbers of objects, and by preschool, 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 elementary school as students become more adept at recognizing and using numbers to solve problems, and it continues into high school and — for many students — into college.
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 Recognize 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 Mental Math — Students with number sense can use mental math 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 Subitize Numbers — Students can use visual clustering skills to instantly recognize 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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Numbers 1-30 Fishy Find Game
A fishing game to practice counting and recognizing numbers 1-30 in number and word form.
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Numbers, Words, and Tallies Mix-Ups - Tens
A game to help your students understand numbers and all of the different ways they can be represented.
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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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Numbers 1 - 20 Representation Matching Cards
Practice representing the numbers 1 - 20 with your students using these matching cards that enable them to engage with numbers in different formats.
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Ordinal Numbers - Worksheet
A worksheet for students to practice using ordinal numbers.
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Number and Word Posters 0-99
Posters showing numbers and words from 0-99.
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Numbers 1–30: Standard, Word, and Ten Frame Matchup Cards
A set of matchup cards to practice representing the numbers 1–30.
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0-9 Digit Cards
A set of 0-9 digit cards to be used for numeracy games in the classroom.
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Tracing Numbers 0-10
A worksheet to assist students when learning how to write the numbers 0–10.
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0-20 Number Matching Game
Match different representations of numbers 0 to 20.
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Free Counting From 1 to 10 Activity — Hands And Numbers Template
Teach counting from 1 to 10 and one-to-one correspondence with a creative (and free) printable activity for preschool, kindergarten, or 1st grade.
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Halloween Connect the Dots Worksheets (1-50)
Practice counting up to 50 with a set of fun Halloween Connect the Dots worksheets.
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Ten Frame Number Posters (0-20)
Decorate your classroom with our ten frame number posters that will delight your animal-loving students while providing concrete representations of the numbers 0-20.
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Counting Birthday Candles Activity
“Gift” this counting birthday candles activity to your students for hands-on counting and number representation practice.
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Counting 1-20 Number Game
Practice counting from 1-20 with this fun alien-themed counting game.
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Counting to 10 Match-Up Activity
Practice counting to 10 with this set of twenty object and number matching cards.
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Counting Picture Puzzle - Numbers 6-10
Practice counting 6 to 10 objects and matching groups to numbers through this 15-piece picnic scene picture puzzle
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Kindergarten Math Flip Book (Ordering Numbers)
Delight your students with this math flip book that will help them solidify their understanding of counting and ordering the numbers 1 through 20.
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Sequence Puzzle for Numbers 1 - 10 — Gingerbread Man
Share this sequence puzzle with your students for a fun way to practice ordering the numbers 1 - 10.
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Sequencing Activities — Numbers 1 - 9 Sausage Dog
Use our sequencing activities like this sausage dog to help your students practice ordering the numbers 1 - 9.
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Subitizing Worksheets for Kindergarten
Incorporate these subitizing worksheets for kindergarten into your lessons to give your students practice subitizing collections up to 12.
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Subitizing Bingo Games (Numbers 1 - 10)
Play these subitizing bingo games in your small groups to give your students practice subitizing numbers up to 10.
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Subitizing Mazes (Numbers 1 - 10)
Solve our subitizing mazes to have fun practicing subitizing quantities up to 10!
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Printable Ten Frames (Single and Double)
Introduce these printable ten frames to your students to promote number sense with hands-on learning.
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Subitizing Worksheets
Utilize these subitizing worksheets to help your students learn many ways to subitize to 10.
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Subitizing to 10 Teaching Slides
Display our Subitizing to 10 Teaching Slides to encourage mathematical discussions in your classroom.
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Number Recognition Activity Mats (Numbers 0 - 10)
Use these Number Recognition Activity Mats to give your students hands-on practice building and writing the numbers 0 - 10.
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Subitizing to 10 Interactive Task Cards
Practice subitizing to 10 with these varied and engaging interactive task cards.
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Subitizing "Construct-a-City" Activity
Help your students subitize to 5 and beyond with this hands-on subitizing activity for kindergarten.
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Subitizing Numbers to 10 - Worksheet
Practice subitizing numbers to 10 with your students using this printable worksheet set.
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Subitizing Games — Leapfrog!
Play this subitizing game in your classroom to help your students practice subitizing small collections.
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Subitizing Game — Memory
Use this subitizing game to help your students learn to quickly subitize numbers 1 - 12.