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.
- Plus Plan
I Can Count to 10 Mini-Book
Practice counting small objects up to 10 with this student counting mini book.
- Free Plan
Count and Graph Worksheet Pack
Explore counting and graphing skills with this set of three worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Counting Up to 20 Zoo Animals Worksheet Pack
Count the different animal groups on this set of three worksheets perfect for practicing fundamental counting skills.
- Plus Plan
Counting Watermelon Seeds Task Cards
Practice counting with this set of watermelon-themed counting task cards.
- Plus Plan
Gumball Counting Clip Cards
Practice counting gumballs and matching the numeral with what has been counted with this set of fun clip cards.
- Plus Plan
Counting to 20 Interactive Task Cards
Explore the woods with this nature hike and count the different groups of objects along the way!
- Plus Plan
Bugs in a Jar Counting Activity
Practice counting to 20 with this engaging and hands-on bugs in a jar activity set.
- Plus Plan
Counting 1-10 Count and Color Worksheet Pack
Practice counting to 10 with this set of worksheets ready to go!
- Plus Plan
Jellyfish Count to 10 Matchup Activity
Use this match-up activity to help reinforce your students’ knowledge of one-to-one correspondence to 10.
- Plus Plan
Ice Cream Counting Game
Help students practice their knowledge of counting numbers 1-20 with this fun ice cream matching game.
- Plus Plan
Search and Find Bowerbird Worksheets
Explore images of bowerbirds and search, find and count objects that bowerbirds collect or bowerbirds themselves.
- Plus Plan
Thanksgiving Color-By-Number for Kindergarten - Counting
Count sets of objects up to ten with a printable Thanksgiving Color by Number Worksheet for Kindergarten.
- Plus Plan
Halloween Counting to 10 Worksheets – Kindergarten
Count, write, and match numbers and objects with printable Halloween counting worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Fire Safety Count and Match Activity - Clip Cards
Blend fire safety and mathematics with our printable Fire Safety Count and Match Activity Cards.
- Free Plan
Roll & Cover Counting Printables for Kindergarten
Build fine motor skills and counting skills with a set of printable Roll and Cover Counting Printables for Kindergarten.
- Plus Plan
Hundreds Chart Fireman - Color Sheet
Print the perfect math activity for Fire Prevention Week with a printable hundreds chart fireman color sheet.
- Free Plan
Halloween Number-Word Matching Worksheet
Match numbers and number words with a pack of Halloween printable math worksheets for kindergarten.
- Plus Plan
Halloween Math Worksheets - Spooky Ten Frames
Model numbers to twenty using ten frames with a spooky Halloween math worksheet for kindergarten.
- Plus Plan
Halloween Tracing Numbers Worksheets
Trace and write numbers to twenty with a set of spooky Halloween tracing numbers worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Pumpkin Count and Color - Halloween Math Worksheet
Use these Halloween math worksheets to practice counting sets of objects up to ten.
- Plus Plan
Spooky Halloween Math Centers for Kindergarten
Save time writing your October Math Lesson plans with a Digital Halloween math activity for kindergarten.
- Plus Plan
2nd Grade Even or Odd Socks Worksheets
Predict and confirm if a number is odd or even by pairing socks using this fun set of worksheets.
- Free Plan
Numbers to 100 - Printable Tens Frames
Print a colorful set of tens frames to enhance your small group math lessons.
- Plus Plan
Number Talks - Ten Frame Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 30 ten and double ten frame math talk task cards.
- Plus Plan
Numbers to 30 - Tens Frames - Printable
Use a printable ten frame when working on counting, addition and subtraction, odd and even numbers, or place value.
- Plus Plan
200-299 Number And Word Flashcards – Circles
Use these flashcards when learning about numbers and words.
- Plus Plan
Easter Puzzles - Numbers 1-20
Practice number recognition with this fun Easter puzzle activity.
- Plus Plan
Count the Chicks! Easter Counting Activity
Practice recognizing, counting, and subitizing numbers from 1-20 with this Easter math activity.
- Plus Plan
Basketball I Spy Worksheet
Have a bit of counting and coloring fun with a basketball worksheet for Kindergarten.
- Free Plan
Spring "Numberpillars" — Kindergarten Caterpillar Puzzles
Match numbers 1-10 with their various visual representations to build fun caterpillar puzzles!
- Plus Plan
Kindergarten Number Worksheets
Use this set of worksheets when students are practicing connecting numbers to words and quantities.
- Free Plan
Decomposing Numbers – Word Problem Worksheet
Challenge students to decompose numbers presented in a word problem by rearranging the parts and showing different combinations.