Counting Teaching Resources
Teach counting skills this school year with printable worksheets, educational games, digital activities and more elementary school resources designed to help students when they are learning to count.
This extensive collection of curriculum-aligned teaching resources includes Base 10 flashcards, subitizing worksheets and more to save elementary teachers time on lesson planning.
Created by expert teachers, each resource in this math collection has been carefully reviewed and curated by our team. That means it's ready to use in the classroom! You'll even find editable resources, plus differentiated options.
New to teaching counting, or just looking for fresh ways to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teaching team!
What Is Counting?
It may seem obvious, but let's start at the beginning.
The basic counting process involves a one-to-one correspondence between the items in the set and the counting numbers. It's a fundamental mathematical concept taught in the early years that helps our students develop number sense and mathematical skills.
In the primary grades of elementary, students typically learn to:
- Recite the numbers in sequence
- Count objects by pointing to them and saying the corresponding number
- Recognize and write numerals
- Count forward and backward
- Skip count by twos, fives and tens
- Use counting strategies to solve simple addition and subtraction problems
Counting Vocabulary Terms
Let's dive into some common math vocabulary terms related to counting that students encounter in elementary school.
Numerals
Numerals is another word for symbols representing numbers, such as 1, 2 and 3.
Digits
Digits are the individual symbols that are used to make up numerals. For example, let's look at the numeral 12. The digits 1 and 2 make up the numeral 12.
Skip Counting
One of the early skills students learn in counting is the process of skip counting, in which they literally skip over numbers. A precursor to traditional addition, skip counting involves counting by a specific number sequence, such as 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.
For example, when skip counting by 2s, a student would start at 2, counting out 4, 6, 8, 10 and so on.
Counting On
Counting on is a simple strategy for performing addition. Using this strategy, students start with a smaller number and count up by the number being added to find a sum.
For example, if a student faces the addition problem 3 + 4, they would start with the number 3 and count on 4 more: 4, 5, 6, 7. In this case, the answer is 7.
Counting Back
The opposite of counting on is counting back. This strategy for solving subtraction problems involves starting with a larger number and counting down by the number being subtracted to find a difference.
For example, a student who wants to solve the subtraction problem 5 - 3 could count backward from the larger number to find the solution. In this case, the larger number is 5. The student would start with 5, counting back 3 — 4, 3, 2. The answer is 2.
Tally Marks
Tally marks are a great tool for teaching early counting skills. When teaching counting with tally marks, you ask your students to draw a certain number of tally marks to represent a given quantity.
For example, if a student is going to count to four using tally marks, they would draw a single vertical line and then draw three more lines next to it.
Tally marks are typically drawn in groups of five, so if a student were asked to count to five using tally marks, they would draw a diagonal line crossing through the four vertical lines to represent all five.
Understanding how to create sets of five tally marks can help students count to larger numbers easily. For example, if a student is asked to count to 15, they would create three sets of five tally marks.
Grouping
The term grouping has several definitions, depending on how it's being used. But when it comes to counting, grouping refers to a method of organizing objects into groups of equal size to facilitate counting.
Sets of tally marks are a perfect example of grouping — they're a visual representation of grouping numbers into sets of five.
How to Teach Counting
Are you looking for some fun ways to teach counting in your classroom? The more hands-on and active, the better!
In addition to the worksheets, games and other activities in this collection, try some of these fun ideas from our teacher team!
- Use Snacktivities — Math manipulatives help young kinesthetic learners understand counting by making the concepts more concrete, and using snacks adds a real-world element to the lesson! Challenge students to string snacks like cereal loops for practice with grouping or simply to count out exact numbers of gummy bears. Just make sure no one samples the manipulatives!
- Get Arty — Incorporating art into counting activities adds an element of fun. For example, ask kids to draw a certain number of circles, squares or other shapes and then count them out loud. This also helps students work fine muscles and develops their understanding of basic shapes.
- Play Store — Even before students learn about currency, kids enjoy the role-play of "shopping" like adults. Use this to your advantage by setting up a classroom "store" and asking children to count out the correct amount of play money to purchase items.
- Get Active — Encourage movement and help students get their wiggles out while learning. Ask children to count out loud while jumping or hopping, or play a game of Simon Says that involves specific numbers of a specific movement.
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Hickory Dickory Dock – Nursery Rhyme Poster and PowerPoint
Use this “Hickory Dickory Dock” nursery rhyme poster and PowerPoint to teach your youngest students about rhyme, rhythm and counting.
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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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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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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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Ten Frame Printable Templates
Use these printable ten frames in various math lessons to reinforce number sense and other essential skills.
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Number Recognition Craft Activity Pack
Reinforce number recognition with this engaging craft activity pack for numbers 1 - 10.
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Paralympic Games Count and Color Worksheets
Count and tally Paralympic icons with our engaging I Spy Worksheets, perfect for enhancing your students' observation and counting skills.
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Numbers 1–20 - Puzzle Pack
Identify and sequence the numbers from 1 to 20 with a set of Numbers 1-20 puzzles for preschool and kindergarten..
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Make a Pizza Counting Game
Use this pizza-themed counting game to get your students matching numerals with their corresponding quantities.
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Ten Frame Matching Game
Use this ten frame game to strengthen your students’ number sense and foundational math skills.
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Here Comes the Band – Counting Rhyme Poster
Use the counting rhyme “Here Comes the Band” poster to teach your students about numbers and rhyme simultaneously!
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Counting Picture Puzzle Numbers 1-5
Practice counting objects within 5 and matching groups to numbers through this 15-piece camping scene picture puzzle
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Counting to 20 Match-Up Cards
Count objects up to 20 with our match-up card game.
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Finger Counting Cut and Paste
Count to ten using this finger counting cut and paste worksheet.
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Counting Wheel Clip Cards Numbers 1-10
Practice counting objects to 10 and using fine motor skills to put a peg on these clip cards.
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Spin, Count, and Color Counting Game
Practice counting skills with this fun spin, color and count game for pairs.
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Counting to 10 Partner Games
Play games and practice counting to 10 with these fun partner game templates.
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Counting Crowns Numbers 1-10
Create number crowns when learning to count to 10 with this set of crown templates.
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Counting to 20 I Have, Who Has? Card Game
Show student knowledge of counting to 20 with this fun I Have, Who Has? Counting Card Game.
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Build a Pizza Counting Interactive Activity
Build a pizza by using counting skills with this fun interactive game.
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Counting Cookies Sorting Activity
Practice counting to 10 with various representations with this cookie sorting activity.
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Counting to 10 Interactive Task Cards
Count groups of aliens up to 10 with this set of fun and engaging interactive counting task cards.
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Finger Counting Poster Set
Display this set of finger counting posters to 10 in the early years classroom.
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Build a City Counting Game
Build towers consisting of numbers up to 10 with this fun build a city game.
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Numbers 1–20 Clip Cards
Facilitate counting practice with this set of multisensory peg cards.
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I Can Count to 10 Mini-Book
Practice counting small objects up to 10 with this student counting mini book.
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Aliens in a Spaceship Counting and Subitizing Game
Download a fun, hands-on game for teaching kids to count and use one-to-one correspondence or to subitize.
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Counting 1-20 Worksheet Pack
Practice counting to 20 with this set of worksheets ready to go!
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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.
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Counting Watermelon Seeds Task Cards
Practice counting with this set of watermelon-themed counting task cards.
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Gumball Counting Clip Cards
Practice counting gumballs and matching the numeral with what has been counted with this set of fun clip cards.