Counting Game: The 'Ten Frame' Challenge
A structured counting game using manipulatives and a Ten Frame (a 2x5 grid) to help solidify early concepts of counting, addition, and grouping to ten.
- Takes
- 30 min
- Your setup
- 5 min prep
- Ages
- Ages 4–6
- Mess
- No mess
- Cost
- $
- Where
- Indoors
How to do it
- 1Draw a Ten Frame (a grid of 10 equal boxes, 2 rows of 5).
- 2Explain that the goal is always to fill the frame starting from the top left, filling the top row first.
- 3Ask the child to show you a certain number (e.g., 'Show me 7'). They place the counters on the frame.
- 4Ask 'How many spaces are empty?' This visually teaches simple subtraction/addition to 10 (e.g., 7 + 3 = 10).
- 5Repeat with various numbers up to 10.
What they're practising
- Numeracy Skills
- Subitizing (instant recognition of quantity)
- Base-Ten System Introduction
- Concentration