Ten frames are a powerful tool for kids who are learning to recognize the numbers 1 to 10. And, when students are ready to stretch their learning through teen numbers, those same ten frames make the concept stick.  Whether you’re working on the numbers 0 to 10 or are learning 1 through 20, this easy prep ten frame game is for you!

Snag your set below and then hop over and grab our best-selling Number Formation Sheets in our shop!

Getting Ready

To prep the ten frame activity, I printed the ten frames on cardstock and laminated them for added durability.

I cut along the black lines to separate the pieces, shuffled the cards and then placed them in a stack face down on the table. Then, I printed a record sheet for each student and grabbed a container of crayons. (Bingo daubers would be fun, too!)

Note: This activity is a great opportunity to differentiate because there are three versions of the game! You can either practice the numbers 0 to 10 with the first record sheet or increase the difficulty by having students practice 1 to 20. For an even bigger stretch, give students the 1 to 20 sheet with the numbers written out of order!

Color by Ten Frame

My daughter is always excited to try out new activities with me, so she was eager to get started.

Before playing, we worked our way through the stack of ten frame cards to review how ten frames help us see numbers quickly.

I reminded her to start counting the upper left-hand box first and then move left to right across the ten frame just like she reads a book.

When we pulled the number six, we talked about how we easily knew there were five dots on top because the row was full, so we could put that five in our head and count up one more dot to make six.

After practicing a few more examples together, we were ready to dive in and play.

My daughter picked up a ten frame card from the pile and counted the fish: six!

She grabbed a crayon and colored in the matching number on her record sheet.

One ten frame after the next, she worked her way through the pile.

Then, because she was ready for a challenge, I pulled out another version of the game so she could practice the numbers from 1 through 20.

It was such an easy way to stretch the activity for her!

Grab Your Set

Snag your set below and then hop over and grab our best-selling Number Formation Sheets in our shop!

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12 Comments

  1. I just wanted to let you know the download option isn’t working, can you send me a link for it.

    1. Hi Tiffany! Thank you for letting me know that the color by ten frame download button wasn’t working. It’s all fixed now! I hope your students love the math center.

    1. Hi Hailey!
      When you click the blue “Download Here” button, a pop-up should open. You can try checking to make sure your browser isn’t blocking pop-ups from the site or try using a different browser. If you happen to be attempting the download at school, your district’s web filter may be blocking the pop-up. Let me know if you’re not able to get the ten frames!
      Warmly,
      Sarah // Playdough to Plato Team

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