Developing Number Sense Using Ten Frames

There are two kinds of people – those who love math and those who don’t. I’m fairly certain most people fall into one of those two categories. I know my family does. My husband and two of my school-age children are math whizzes. They can literally do just about any math problem in their head, even long division.

Then you have me and the other two school-age children who struggle. I can do basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, but beyond that…I’m lost. And really it takes a lot for me to remember math facts at times too.

But I don’t want that for my kids. Even if they struggle, I know there are ways and tricks to help them learn math facts easier. I know not everyone will be great at math, but if I can help them in any way, I will do it. 

Enter Ten Frames.

We have had success with one of our children using ten frames and I literally cannot believe the difference. I think it is the combination of the visual and actually seeing how the numbers add together to create a solution. While my child hasn’t suddenly become a genius in math, this child has grown leaps and bounds in their understanding all by using ten frames!

Why Use Ten Frames?

Here’s a very quick example of the “magic” of ten frames:

When kids learn how to see numbers in ten frames from the very beginning of their educational journey, this number sense becomes like a natural second language to them.

So, for instance, when they come to addition, they will know intuitively (and quickly!) that 7 + 8 = 15 because …

7 is made up of 5 and 2 more.

8 is made up of 5 and 3 more.

The 5 and 5 make a ten. Combine the 2 and 3 to get 5. Put the 10 and 5 together to get 15!

When you take the time to help them learn to see numbers in ten frames, the process of arithmetic follows quite naturally.

And the best part? Whether they’re adding one digit numbers or 10 digit numbers, they will never need to add numbers greater than 4!! (But that’s a story for another day!)

I hope your kids enjoy using the activities in this packet and that it spurs great math conversations in your home about how numbers work!

This FREE 24 page math activity pack will help kids use ten frames to strategically develop a deep understanding of how numbers work.

Through hands-on practice with ten frames and counting items (provided in the packet), kids will work on:

• subitizing (instantly recognizing small amounts of numbers)
• composing numbers (“creating numbers” in groups of 1’s, 5’s, and 10’s)
• decomposing numbers (seeing whole numbers in individual groups of 1’s, 5’s, and 10’s and knowing how to re-arrange numbers to work with them quickly and confidently)

These skills lay a very natural foundation for moving into addition and subtraction (which in turn lays the base for understanding multiplication and division!).

Practice Pages

This packet also includes practice pages to help kids see addition as a simple extension of recognizing numbers in ten frames.

The reusable practice page templates can be used as often as needed as kids learn to add numbers with sums up to 20.

Worksheets follow to give students the opportunity to turn their intuitive understanding of numbers and addition into “math talk” equations.

What’s included?

This ten frame activity sample pack consists of the following activities:

• Ten frame mats with counting items (owls) in both color and black and white versions
• Twenty frame mats with counting items (owls) in both color and black and white versions
• Practice page reusable templates for
  • Counting/identifying numbers 1-10 in ten frames
  • Counting/identifying numbers 11-20 in ten frames
  • Adding numbers 1-10 in ten frames
  • Adding numbers 11-20 in ten frames
• Worksheets to practice both seeing and writing equations for combinations of 5 and 10

Developing Number Sense Course for Kids

If you enjoy this free sample pack and would like to see more, you can check out my full Developing Number Sense using Ten Frames course for kids.

This course is designed for 4-6 year olds. Through the use of hands-on activities, video lessons, and quizzes, it helps kids systematically develop a strong sense of how numbers work and how to use that number sense to add and subtract numbers up through 100.

By the end of the course, kids will have a strong foundation in Math and will be confident in themselves as learners.

[A follow up course for older kids is in the works and available now for pre-launch pricing. Part 2 will cover all the content from this course at a faster pace and then cover multiplication and division through similar types of hands-on activities, videos, quizzes, and a large activity pack with games, puzzles, practice pages, booklets, worksheets, and more.]

The complete course comes with:

• A 175+ page activity packet
• 15 video lessons
• Self-grading quizzes
• A pacing guide to walk you through the course in 15-30 minute sessions a day with built-in review activities
• An overall focus on skill mastery and deep understanding, not just memorization.

Grab Your FREE Ten Frames Math Pack Available Until 9/06/19

This ten frame activity sample pack includes ten frame mats, twenty frame mats, practice pages with re-usable templates and worksheets to practice seeing and writing equations!

Sign up to receive a free copy of my Ten Frames Math Pack below! Psst – it’s only free for In All You Do subscribers!

This free offer has expired.

However, you can read more about the full course and download a FREE Sample Lesson over at R.E.A.L. World Learners.

Sandra, formerly a high-school math teacher (M.A.), now homeschools her three kids and shares her interactive, authentic learning activities, homeschooling stories, and passion for learning and teaching at R.E.A.L.-World Learners. You can view her products (including several freebies!) in her Teachers Pay Teachers store, or follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.