Grades K–1
Counting and ten frames
Before kids add, they learn what a number is: that the last number you say when counting is how many there are, and that 7 is always one more than 6. A ten frame, a box of two rows of five, helps them see numbers at a glance instead of counting one by one.
What kids learn, grade by grade
- KCount to 20 and then 100, count real objects, and compare two groups to say which has more.
- KSee small amounts without counting, like 3 dots or a full row of 5.
- 1Count to 120, and see numbers to 20 as “10 and some more”.
Try this at home
- Count things you're already handling: stairs, grapes, socks in the wash.
- Use an egg carton with two eggs cut off. That's a ten frame. Drop in buttons and ask “how many?” and “how many more to make 10?”
- Ask “which has more?” with two small piles, then “how many more?”
Guide for this topic
What is a ten frame, and why does my child's teacher use one?
A ten frame shows numbers as dots in two rows of five. Here's why schools use it, how it leads to adding, and how to make one at home. · 4 min read
Sample worksheet to print
One sample sheet for this topic, with the answers on page 2. Want a new sheet every time, built from the facts your child misses? That comes with Eagerly Math Plus.
The app · iPhone and iPad
Practice it in Eagerly Math
- The same pictures as these guides
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