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.
- Plus Plan
I Can Count To Ten – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Use this set of counting worksheets to help your students sequence numbers from 0 to 10.
- Plus Plan
Hickory Dickory Dock – Nursery Rhyme Poster
Use this “Hickory Dickory Dock” nursery rhyme poster to teach your youngest students about rhyme, rhythm and counting.
- Plus Plan
Ten Frame Matching Game
Use this ten frame game to strengthen your students’ number sense and foundational math skills.
- Plus Plan
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!
- Plus Plan
Counting Picture Puzzle Numbers 1-5
Practice counting objects within 5 and matching groups to numbers through this 15-piece camping scene picture puzzle
- Plus Plan
Counting to 20 Match-Up Cards
Count objects up to 20 with our match-up card game.
- Plus Plan
Finger Counting Cut and Paste
Count to ten using this finger counting cut and paste worksheet.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Spin, Count, and Color Counting Game
Practice counting skills with this fun spin, color and count game for pairs.
- Plus Plan
Counting to 10 Partner Games
Play games and practice counting to 10 with these fun partner game templates.
- Free Plan
Counting Crowns Numbers 1-10
Create number crowns when learning to count to 10 with this set of crown templates.
- Plus Plan
Monster Counting Mats Numbers 1-10
Count monster eyes up to 10 with this fun counting activity for the early years classroom.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Build a Pizza Counting Interactive Activity
Build a pizza by using counting skills with this fun interactive game.
- Plus Plan
Counting Cookies Sorting Activity
Practice counting to 10 with various representations with this cookie sorting activity.
- Plus Plan
Counting to 10 Interactive Task Cards
Count groups of aliens up to 10 with this set of fun and engaging interactive counting task cards.
- Plus Plan
Counting to 10 Interactive Activity
Practice counting to 10 with this fun and engaging interactive activity.
- Plus Plan
Build a City Counting Game
Build towers consisting of numbers up to 10 with this fun build a city game.
- Plus Plan
Numbers 1–20 Clip Cards
Facilitate counting practice with this set of multisensory peg cards.
- 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.