Teaching Number Sense – Over 50 Free Hands-on Learning Activities

Over the years, I’ve compiled some tried and tested hands-on classroom activities to help you teach mathematical skills. These free number sense activities are perfect for preschoolers, kindergarten kids and beyond.

Whether you’re looking for ways to teach and build number sense to cover things like counting, composing and decomposing numbers, number bonds, reading and writing numbers, identifying numbers, matching number digits with their corresponding items, ten frames, place value and much more!

Teaching Number Sense

Hands-on activities matter especially to younger learners, you will find that these activities aren’t just typical worksheets.

These are great for teachers, parents, tutors, and homeschool families. Come back often or bookmark the page, we add new resources regularly for more teaching activities and printables.

Number Sense Activities

Here are some must see resources for teaching number recognition, number sense, counting and more!

Click on each image to see each resource in action. It’s essential that we create a learning enronment with plenty of ways to practice number sense.

These help students gain a better understanding of math concepts. Appealing to many different types of learners is essential.

Click to download your copy of over 30 FREE activities for teaching number sense: counting, composing numbers, dough number mats and much more!

Number sense games

There is nothing like trying to get kids into math than playing games! From spinning to counting to rolling, there is something for everyone on this page!

Number Ten Frames Spin and Color Pumpkin Theme. This fun and free printable is perfect for kids who are beginning to learn number recognition.

Pumpkin math ten frame spin and color
Number Ten Frames Spin and Color

The Ugly Duckling Counting Mat Numbers 0-5. This super cute counting printable is a great way to preschoolers and even toddlers to start to learn one to one correspondence.

Just use any dice and the set up template below to get started.

The Ugly Duckling Counting Game
The Ugly Duckling Counting Mat within 5

Number Sense Dough Mats. Teaching math can go a long way when you use playdough.

Work on counting any time of year with these duper fun counting mats. Playdough is optional, but it makes it that much more fun!

Number Math DOugh Mats
Number Sense Dough Mats

Counting Cards with Mini Erasers Snowmen. Another mini erasers counting printable. These cards are great and can be used with any manipulative really.

Get them from Totschooling through the post.

Number Sense Games for Kindergarteners

When working on number sense skills in the early years, using manipulatives are the best way to help children understand and make the connection between numbers and the number of items (one to one correspondence).

Counting 1 to 10 Dot Stickers Dalmatian Dogs. Want to use some fun dot stickers that have been laying about in your home or at school?

These counting cards are perfect for fine motor skills and working on number skills.

Counting 1 to 10 Dalmatian Dogs Sticker Dots2

These Montessori Themed Counting Picture Puzzles are perfect for preschoolers and toddlers alike. Have them build the picture puzzles by sight or just count and add the numbers if they’re ready to do so.

Montessori Themed Counting Picture Puzzles
Montessori Themed Counting Picture Puzzles

Working on fine motor skills? I know I always am. Here are some fun apple themed counting punch cards. Use them in any math center.

Pick up your Ten Frame Punch Cards here.

There’s nothing like count and clip cards, especially if you’re working on math skills. These School Bus Counting Clip Cards are perfect for back to school or anytime of the year.

School Bus Counting Clip Cards

Looking for FUN Counting to 30 Activities? And more ways to encourage preschool and kindergarten kids to practice counting? 

Kids will love catchin’ tadpoles in this fun sensory bin count and play project! Get these Counting to 30 Activities Catching Tadpoles Sensory Bin printables here.

Math Number Sense Activities

Looking for a fun way to practice math number values? This number values math activity will have every students actively involved in learning math.

The numbers go up to 25, you can choose the set you want to use depending on your students’ needs.

The students than begin by choosing a cone and reading the heading on it ‘less than < 10’ and they try to find the numbers ‘scoops’ to go on top of the cone. FUN!

ice cream math activity

Number Learning Activities

These holiday themed counting cards and puzzles will make for great math practice during certain holidays or times of the year. Click on each image to go to the post and download the activity. 

Working on ten frames? Need some super fun worksheets to get the kids working on ten frames and filling them in? These St Patrick’s Day Math Making 10  activity worksheets are just the printables you’ll need.

Another fun making ten activity but this one involves finger paint. Have the kids work on their counting skills and recognising numbers to number with paint and these spider themed printables!

Get the Spider Finger Painting Making 10 Activity here.

Counting Puzzles

Do your kids love counting puzzles? These are so easy to make and the best part about the picture puzzles is that students will know whether their answers are correct.

Get these Spider Self Correcting Counting Puzzles here.

Spider Self Correcting Counting Puzzles

Number Activities

Fairy-tale Themed Counting Clip Cards

Unicorn Links Teaching Number Sense Counting Unicorn Hairs!

Interactive Hole Punch Activities Book: Free Clover Counting Book

3 Best Printable Math Dice Games Feed the Bear

Unicorn Counting Cards Teaching FREE Printable Cards

These fun and free number sense printables will have your kids engaged in learning math skills. It’s such an important step to have many different resources to cater for different learning styles.

One of my favorite ways to play math games is with dice, check out this super cute printable activity with bears:

Printable-Math-Dice-Games-Bear
Feed the Bear Roll the dice game

Bookmark this page for the future and come back to it when needed.

Click to download your copy of over 30 FREE activities for teaching number sense: counting, composing numbers, dough number mats and much more!

Cut & Paste Math Activities

There are SO many ways to engage kids in math. These fun and free cut and paste math activities will help your kids visualise the concepts as they show their answers on each interactive page!

Grab this FREE set from the post here. Using math cut and paste activities for first grade is a great way to help engage and motivate kids to learn. They are always excited to show their work!

Cut and paste math activities first grade

Free Christmas Math Puzzles to get your kids LOVING math!

Free CHristmas Math Puzzles
Free CHristmas Math Puzzles

2D Shapes Printables

If you’re looking for some fun and hands-on 2D shapes printables, I’ve got some ideas for you here!

Check out this fun 2D shape printable balloon themed (New Years) printable busy book.

It includes this fun 2D shape match game and more!

2D shape printable free pdf. Balloon theme printable preschool