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Young learners need regular opportunities to participate in hands-on counting activities, and to see larger groups counted in different ways. Beginning with developing 1-1 correspondence, students work towards developing efficient strategies for counting larger groups. Activities also need to allow students to extend their knowledge of numerals (both the names and how to record them). Interactive games and activities that provide real purposes for counting, can be built into the learning program. These should include opportunities to make estimations as well as to count groups of different sizes, by 1s, 2s, 10s, and so on. Early childhood students develop understandings about rearranging groups of objects in order to count large sets accurately. This concept also crosses into the area of manipulating numbers with computations, as students become more numerate.
How many more to make 10?
A card game to practise recalling the combinations that make 10 (or 'friends of 10'), with 10 grids to give visual support of the concept.
Instant Numbers 2 3 4 (subitising game)
A card game to practise recognising groups of numbers instantly (subitising). Some special cards are included to add interest to the game.
Dice Pattern Card Game (subitising game)
A card game to practise recognising groups of numbers instantly (subitising). Some special cards are included to add interest to the game.
Instant Numbers 4 5 6 (subitising game)
A board game with cards to develop familiarity with groups of objects in the patterns shown on dice.
Bird Race (skip counting by 2s)
A board game to develop familiarity with odd and even numbers and skip counting by 2s.
Run Rabbit Run (skip counting by 10s)
A board game to develop familiarity with numbers divisible by 10 and 5 and skip counting by 10s.
Rabbit Race Free resource
A game for 2 or 3 players involving multiplying by mentally by 10, and skip counting by 10s.
(best printed in A3)
Gorillas Game(numerals 6-10)
Recognise numerals 6-10 and count groups between 10 and 20.
Block Number Line Game(counting groups and counting on)
Cut the three strips and join to make a long number line.
Two sets of instructions:
Simple goals: count groups with 1-1 correspondence from 5-10
Harder goals: counting on 1-6 and recognising numerals 1-30
Monkey Fun Game (numerals 1-5)
Recognise and count numerals 1-5.
Number Line Pegs Free resource
(counting on and back; recognising numerals to 40)
Cut two strips and join to make a number line 1-40. Three different coloured lines are included. Use pegs to keep players' places and make moves.
Teddies out for a Walk Board Game with cards
A counting game where students collect and lose teddy friends.This game encourages independent counting up to 6 as well as counting much larger numbers to find the final total (students may need assistance at the end).
Looking for Crabs Board Game with cards
A game to practise counting groups of objects from 2 to 15. Each player starts on a bucket. Take turns to roll the die and move that many spaces. If you land in a rock pool, take one counter for each crab in it. To collect counters, you must finish your turn in the rock pool (the exact number is needed). Count how many crabs you have collected at the end of each turn. The first player to collect 15 crabs is the winner.
Frightened Frogs Cards (save and print 6 to make the set)
Frightened Frogs Lizards and Instructions (print 1)
Goals:To count small groups from 1 to 6 independently. To count larger numbers with support at the end of the game when all cards are totalled.
More or Less 1-20
Decide before playing whether the goal will be to have ‘more’ or ‘less’ and turn the appropriate More or Less card over for all to see. Instructions: Shuffle cards and deal 1 card to each player. If playing the ‘More’ Game, the player with the larger number scores a point (collect a counter). If playing the ‘Less’ Game, the player with the smaller number scores a point. The first player to collect 10 counters is the winner. Instructions for 'Chances of More or Less' included.
More or Less 20-100
Decide before playing whether the goal will be to have ‘more’ or ‘less’ and turn the appropriate More or Less card over for all to see.
Instructions: Shuffle cards and deal 1 card to each player. If playing the ‘More’ Game, the player with the larger number scores a point (collect a counter). If playing the ‘Less’ Game, the player with the smaller number scores a point. The first player to collect 10 counters is the winner. Instructions for 'Chances of More or Less' included.
Froggy Cards Comparing numbers from 1 to 10
(Use with a deck of playing cards with picture cards removed)
Instructions: Shuffle Froggy Cards and place face down in a stack . Deal 10 playing cards to each player. Players must display their cards in front of them on the table. Take it in turns to take a Froggy Card from the top of the stack. All players follow the Froggy Card instructions and remove those cards specified. The first player to have no cards left is the winner.
Trading Game Boards (Ships, Cargo, Trucks, Trains, Elephants) Making 3 digit numbers (use same boards in a different way) Trading Game: Trains Free resource Trading Game and 3 Digit Numbers: Instructions Counting Games at Family Learning
Skip counting by 2s, 5s, 10s
Goal:To practise counting by 2s, 5s and 10s.
Instructions: Each player chooses a counting pattern to use. Place all counters on Start. Take turns to roll the die and move that many squares in any direction. Players try to land on the numbers from the nominated counting sequence in order, and then circle them on the Player Card. The first player to circle all the numbers in their counting sequence is the winner.
Games for Base 10 Concepts (Hundreds, Tens, Units)
Trading Game: Cargo Board
External Links to
Online Activities and Games
Counting Activities (Count Us In)
Count Me In Too Children's Page