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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Spin, Count, and Color Counting Game
Practice counting skills with this fun spin, color and count game for pairs.
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Monster Counting Mats Numbers 1-10
Count monster eyes up to 10 with this fun counting activity for the early years classroom.
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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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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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Counting to 10 Interactive Activity
Practice counting to 10 with this fun and engaging interactive activity.
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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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Numbers 1–20 Clip Cards
Facilitate counting practice with this set of multisensory peg cards.
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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 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.
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Counting to 20 Interactive Task Cards
Explore the woods with this nature hike and count the different groups of objects along the way!
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Bugs in a Jar Counting Activity
Practice counting to 20 with this engaging and hands-on bugs in a jar activity set.
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Search and Find Bowerbird Worksheets
Explore images of bowerbirds and search, find and count objects that bowerbirds collect or bowerbirds themselves.
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Thanksgiving Color-By-Number for Kindergarten - Counting
Count sets of objects up to ten with a printable Thanksgiving Color by Number Worksheet for Kindergarten.
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Counting Clip Cards - Fire Safety
Practice counting objects with a set of 18 fire-themed counting clip cards.
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Firefighter Color By Number Worksheet - Hundreds Chart
Print the perfect math activity for Fire Prevention Week with a printable firefighter hundreds chart color-by-number worksheet.
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Halloween Math Worksheets - Spooky Ten Frames
Model numbers to twenty using ten frames with a spooky Halloween math worksheet for kindergarten.
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Halloween Tracing Numbers Worksheets
Trace and write numbers to twenty with a set of spooky Halloween tracing numbers worksheets.
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Pumpkin Count and Color - Halloween Math Worksheet
Use these Halloween math worksheets to practice counting sets of objects up to ten.
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Spooky Halloween Math Centers for Kindergarten
Save time writing your October Math Lesson plans with a Digital Halloween math activity for kindergarten.
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Number Talks - Ten Frame Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 30 ten and double ten frame math talk task cards.
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200-299 Number And Word Flashcards – Circles
Use these flashcards when learning about numbers and words.
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Christmas Color By Number - Hundreds Chart Mystery Pictures
Print the perfect color-by-number math activity for Christmas: a set of 12 Christmas-inspired mystery hundreds charts.
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Kindergarten Math Review - Easter Worksheets
Practice various Kindergarten math concepts with a pack of Easter worksheets.
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Easter Basket Digital Math Center
Save time lesson planning in the lead up to Easter with this Easter-themed Digital Math Activity.
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Count the Chicks! Easter Counting Activity
Practice recognizing, counting, and subitizing numbers from 1-20 with this Easter math activity.
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Lucky's Loot - Digital St. Patrick's Day Math Activity
Save time lesson planning with a St. Patrick's Day Digital Math Activity that reviews multiple math concepts at once!
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Counting On – Word Problem Worksheet
Practice adding within 20 by using the counting on strategy to solve word problems.
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Touchdown Throwdown Number Recognition Game
Win the number recognition championship with a football-themed partner game!
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Spring Math Activity - Ten Frame Task Cards
Step up your students’ number recognition, counting, and subitizing skills with a printable set of Spring Tens Frame task cards.
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Numbers 0 to 20 - Playdough Mats for Fine Motor Development
A set of number playdough mats to help children develop their fine motor skills and identify the numbers from 0 to 20.
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Build It! Decomposing Numbers – Task Cards
Practice decomposing numbers with this activity that has students splitting numbers into parts.