Number Sense Teaching Resources
Browse printable number sense worksheets, hands-on maths activities and more teacher resources created by teachers for teachers like you!
These resources are aligned with the Australian Maths Curriculum, and each was created by teachers with teachers — and students — in mind to help build foundational maths 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 maths 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 memorisation of algorithms, but rather a deep understanding of the underlying concepts and relationships between numbers.
When Does Number Sense Develop?
There is no single year level when we're teaching students number sense — instead, it continues to develop and become more sophisticated as students progress through primary school.
Research suggests that babies as young as 6 months old can distinguish between small and large numbers of objects, and by prep, 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 primary school as students become more adept at recognising and using numbers to solve problems, and it continues into high school and — for many students — into university.
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 Recognise 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 Maths Mentals — Students with number sense can use maths mentals 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 Subitise Numbers — Students can use visual clustering skills to instantly recognise 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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Adding and Subtracting Integers - Tarsia Puzzle
Practise adding and subtracting integers with a printable Tarsia puzzle!
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Counting Collections and Connecting Numbers PowerPoint
A 16 page editable PowerPoint presentation to use as part of a numeracy lesson when teaching place value to younger students.
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One More, One Less - Worksheet
Practise foundational addition and subtraction facts using the concepts of one more and one less.
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Number Talks - Building Numbers Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.
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Number Matching Puzzle - Subtraction
A hands-on game to play when learning about subtracting numbers.
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How Many Eyes? - Alien Counting Worksheet
An alien themed place value worksheet for students to use when counting small collections.
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Number, Name and Ten Frame Match-Up Cards 1-30
Cards to consolidate numerals, names and values up to 30.
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Number Bonds Subtraction - Worksheet
Practise subtraction using number bonds with differentiated number bond worksheets.
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Numbers 0 to 20 Handwriting - Worksheet
Activity worksheets to use in the classroom when learning about the numbers 0 to 20.
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Subitising Leap Frog Game
A fun game for students to play during numeracy rotations when learning to subitise numbers from 1 to 6.
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0-9 Digit Cards
A set of 0-9 digit cards to be used for numeracy games in the classroom.
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Prime Numbers - Assorted Backgrounds
Prime numbers displayed on a hundreds board.
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Number Matching Puzzle - Addition
A hands-on game to play when learning about adding numbers.
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Number Puzzle with Solution - 4
A number search to help your students to learn place value.
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Identifying Numbers PowerPoint
A 14 page editable PowerPoint presentation to use when teaching number recognition to younger students.
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Firefighter Colour By Number Worksheet - Hundreds Chart
Print the perfect maths activity to accompany your fire safety lessons with a printable firefighter colour-by-number worksheet
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Numbers to 30 - Printable Tens Frames
Use a printable ten frame when working on counting, addition and subtraction, odd and even numbers, or place value.
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Rounding Numbers Cut and Paste - Worksheets
Provide your students with engaging practise to help them understand rounding with a set of differentiated rounding worksheets.
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Number Talks - Subitising Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 30 subitising task cards.
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Number Talks - Number Sense Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.
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Colour by Number Worksheet - Multiplication Facts (Rabbit)
Bring some colourful fun into your maths lessons with a multiplication colour by number worksheet.
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Subitising Game - Slap It!
Help students strengthen subitsing skills with this multiplayer maths card game!
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Counting Peg Cards – Bugs and Insects
Practice counting objects with a set of 18 insect-themed counting clip cards.
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Representations of Numbers 11-20 Flashcards
A set of flashcards showing various representations of numbers from 11-20.
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Spot the Dots Subitising Activity
Build number sense skills with these sets of cards.
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Cover Up! – Subitising Numbers Game
A game to practice subitising numbers 1–6.
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Subitising 1 to 12 - Domino Cards
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when learning to subitise numbers from 1 to 12.
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Counting Crocodiles - Numbers 1 to 10 Worksheet
A crocodile themed place value worksheet to use when identifying and counting numbers from 1 to 10.
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1-10 Counting Worksheet
A simple worksheet to help students with their counting skills.
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Multiplication Colour By Number Worksheet - Kangaroo
Hop your way through multiplication mastery with a multiplication colour-by-number worksheet.
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Comparing Integers – Maths Mazes
Compare positive and negative numbers while you work your way through this set of maths mazes.
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Subitise and Exercise
Get active with this subitise and exercise teaching brain break presentation.
- Number Sense Worksheets
- Number Sense Games
- Number Sense Posters
- Number Sense for Preschool/Kindergarten
- Number Sense for Foundation Year
- Number Sense for Year 1
- Number Sense for Year 2
- Number Sense for Year 3
- Number Sense for Year 4
- Number Sense for Year 5
- Number Sense for Year 6
- Number Sense for Year 7