There are lots of opportunities to build early math skills with young children, as they learn number recognition, number words and correct number formation.
This blogpost will outline a range of fun math center ideas that will provide kindergarten students with plenty of practice when it comes to number writing, as well as recommend a range of simple kindergarten math worksheets and other great resources (including a range of free resources) to provide young learners with a little extra practice.
Tracing Activities
Before students are able to apply writing skills, they need to build their fine motor skills and pre-writing skills. One way to do this is by providing students with plenty of tracing practice.
These tracing mats get students to trace straight lines and curved lines, both of which are essential for writing numerals and letters.
Playdough Number Mats
Students can use playdough to create the numbers, then add balls to the ten frames. These mats come in all Australian State fonts, making them the perfect way to introduce early number formation to young students whilst also building fine motor skills.
Trace and Drive
These fine motor Kindergarten activities are perfect for a play-based learning environment! Students use toy cards to trace numbers 0-20, then trace or write the letters or numbers below.
Number Writing Mats
These number writing worksheets can be placed in write and wipe sleeves, providing students with independent practice of numeral writing. This printable pdf file also include all the letters of the alphabet too.
These printable worksheets come in all Australian State fonts, and are a great way to develop early writing skills.
Number Practice Writing Sheets
These free number tracing worksheets come in all Australian State fonts. The arrows help to support students to know where to start each number. I like to place these in write and wipe mats, and use with dry-erase markers - this means that I can use them over and over again with my students. However, you could also use these number practice sheets as free worksheets, and use pencils to focus on pencil grip too.
Number Booklet
I love to create a number booklet for the beginning of the school year. These number worksheets an easy way to help develop routines around work habits and independent work. Each page of these number practice worksheets focuses on one number. Students begin by tracing numbers and number words. They can then colour or circle the correct number of small objects to represent each number.
You don't necessarily have to create a number writing practice book, you could use a single page as a simple worksheet too.
Number Threading
Print these number templates on thick card, then use a hole punch or sharp object to create holes and make lacing templates. Students can lace shoelaces or string to build fine motor skills and also reinforce correct number formation- the star indicates where they need to start each time.
Building numbers
These dot or drop the number mats can be used in lots of different ways to consolidate number formation. The hands-on nature of these activities will help to build muscle memory for early learners.
Pom Pom Numbers
Younger kids will love building their fine motor skills and number sense as they transfer pom poms onto the number templates. Encourage them to form the numbers in the same way that they would write the numbers - you might like to mark the first dot so that students know where to start.
Drop the Number
Kids will have so much fun using twisty droppers or pipettes to drop dots of coloured water onto the number templates.
Dot the Number
This is another fun way to build early number skills! There are lots of different ways that students could dot the numbers - cotton tips with paint and bingo dabbers are two of my favourite ways.
Students may also like to build numbers using other classroom manipulatives. Here's an example of building numbers using peg boards.
Sensory Writing
There are lots of fun ways to combine number writing practice with sensory experiences. Here are a few suggestions:
- Chalk writing - writing numbers with chalk
- Sensory Tray -Students will love the sensory feel of writing numbers in salt, sand or rice.
Missing Numbers Mats
These missing number printables make a great no-prep math center for Kindergarten or first grade students. They can be used as a write and wipe activity by placing in wipe mats, or alternatively you could use them as a writing numbers worksheet.
Three levels are included for students to practice writing numbers as they identify the missing numbers:
- Missing numbers 1-10
- Missing numbers 1-20
- Missing numbers 1-30
Differentiated number lines are included to scaffold students or to check answers.
Number Before and After
Students can practise writing numbers as they identify the numbers that come before and after. These free worksheets can be download from the Freebee Library, and there are 4 different levels:
- 1-10 worksheets
- 1-20 worksheets
- 1-30 worksheets
- 1-50 worksheets
Loads more number before/after resources can be found in The Hive. Here are a few examples of what you'll find.
I hope you enjoy using these fun worksheets and activity ideas to consolidate early number activities and support your students as they are learning to write numbers.
If you're looking for more, you'll also find a range of free printable counting activities and other early number activities in the Freebee Library.