Five and Some More: Ordering and Estimating – Infants 1 Maths

October 30, 2026 Aven Brisail1 Comment

Five is a helpful number. You have five fingers on one hand! Today we will use five to make numbers, order numbers and make good guesses.

Six brown and white eggs in an egg box — Six eggs in a box. Five eggs and one more egg make six. Photo: Evan-Amos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Five and some more

Hold up five fingers on one hand. Now hold up two more on the other hand. That makes seven. Seven is two more than five.

🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴
🔵🔵

Six is one more than five. Eight is three more than five. Ten is five more than five.

Putting numbers in order

We can order numbers from the smallest to the biggest: 2, 5, 8. Or from the biggest to the smallest: 8, 5, 2.

Eight is more than five. Two is less than five.

About how many? Estimating

To estimate means to make a good guess. First, look at five things. Then look quickly at a new group. Is it less than 5, about 5, or more than 5? Then count to check! About 5 means 4, 5 or 6.

Try it

TRY ITFive and more, guess, then order

Pick a game. Then tap your answer.

Let’s practise

Try each one. Then tap Show answer to check.

1. Five and three more make how many?

Show answer

Eight. Eight is three more than five.

2. Order from smallest to biggest: 9, 3, 6

Show answer

3, 6, 9.

3. A plate has 9 grapes. Is that:
(a) less than 5
(b) about 5
(c) more than 5

Show answer

4. Which is more, 7 or 4?

Show answer

7 is more than 4.

Quick check

Can you answer these by yourself?

1. Seven is how many more than five?

Show answer

Two more.

2. Order from biggest to smallest: 1, 10, 5

Show answer

10, 5, 1.

3. What does estimate mean?

Show answer

To make a good guess, then count to check.

Maths words

Say these words with an adult. Can you use each one in a sentence?

five · more than · less than · order · smallest · biggest · estimate · guess

Try it at home

Show five fingers and some more. Say it: “Five and two more make seven.”
Guess how many spoons are in the drawer. Then count to check.
Put 2, 5 and 8 beans in three cups. Line the cups up from smallest to biggest.

For parents and teachers

After this lesson, your child should be able to:

make the numbers 6 to 10 as five and some more
compare and order numbers up to 10
estimate a small group using 5 as a helper, then count to check

Praise sensible guesses, then count to check. Number symbols for add and take away come later, in Infants 2.

Previous: Reading and Writing Numbers to 10
Next: First, Second, Third and Last (coming soon)

Updates

2026/10/30
– First version of this lesson (draft).

Attributions to media used in this post:

6-Pack-Chicken-Eggs.jpg – Evan-Amos – Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Reading and Writing Numbers to 10 – Infants 1 Maths

October 30, 2026October 30, 2026 Aven Brisail2 Comments

Every number has a numeral, like 3, and a number name, like three. Today we will read them, match them and write them.

Numerals and number names

Read each line with an adult. Point to the numeral, the name and the dots.

0	zero	(none)
1	one	●
2	two	●●
3	three	●●●
4	four	●●●●
5	five	●●●●●
6	six	●●●●●●
7	seven	●●●●●●●
8	eight	●●●●●●●●
9	nine	●●●●●●●●●
10	ten	●●●●●●●●●●

They all mean the same number

The numeral 4, the name four and 4 dots all show the same number. When you match them, you show you know the number.

Writing numerals

Use your finger first. Trace the numeral in the air, in sand or on the screen below. Start at the top. Then write it with a pencil.

Try it

TRY ITMatch the numbers, then trace them

Look at the picture. Tap the one that matches.

✏️ Trace a numeral

Use your finger. Start at the top. Go over the grey numeral.

Let’s practise

Try each one. Then tap Show answer to check.

1. Write the numeral for seven.

Show answer

2. Read this numeral: 9

Show answer

Nine.

3. Which one shows five?
(a) ●●●
(b) ●●●●●
(c) ●●●●●●●

Show answer

(b) ●●●●●

4. Put these in order: three, one, two

Show answer

One, two, three.

Quick check

Can you answer these by yourself?

1. What is the number name for 10?

Show answer

Ten.

2. How many dots? ●●●●●●

Show answer

6, six.

3. Which numeral comes after 7?

Show answer

8, eight.

Maths words

Say these words with an adult. Can you use each one in a sentence?

numeral · number name · dots · read · write · trace · order

Try it at home

Go on a number hunt. Find numerals on clocks, doors, buses and phones.
Write numerals in sand, flour or with a wet finger on a wall.
Make number cards: write the numeral on one side and draw dots on the other.

For parents and teachers

After this lesson, your child should be able to:

read the numerals 0 to 10
match numerals to number names and to dot pictures
write the numerals, starting at the top

Backwards numerals (like a back to front 3 or 7) are common at this age. Gently show where to start and which way to go, rather than correcting every time.

Previous: How Many? Counting to 10
Next: Five and Some More: Ordering and Estimating

Updates

2026/10/30
– First version of this lesson (draft).

Attributions to media used in this post:

Dominoes tiles.jpg – Vijayanrajapuram – CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

How Many? Counting to 10 – Infants 1 Maths

October 30, 2026October 30, 2026 Aven Brisail2 Comments

How many mangoes are in the bowl? Let us count to find out. Touch each one as you count!

Touch and count

Touch each mango once. Say one number for each mango. Do not skip one. Do not count one twice.

🥭 🥭 🥭 🥭 🥭
1 2 3 4 5

The last number tells how many

When you finish, the last number you said tells how many. “One, two, three, four, five.” There are five mangoes.

Move them: still the same

Put the mangoes in a line. Now put them in a circle. Count again. There are still five! Moving things does not change how many.

Now add one more mango. Count again: there are six. Six is one more than five.

Try it

TRY ITTap and count the mangoes

Touch each mango once and count. Then tell how many.

Let’s practise

Try each one. Then tap Show answer to check.

1. Count the stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Show answer

7, seven.

2. Ravi counts his cups: “one, two, three, four.” How many cups are there?

Show answer

Four. The last number tells how many.

3. Mia has 6 shells in a line. She puts them in a circle. How many shells are there now?
(a) 5
(b) 6
(c) 7

Show answer

(b) 6. Moving them does not change how many.

4. What is one more than 8?

Show answer

9, nine.

Quick check

Can you answer these by yourself?

1. When you count, how many times do you touch each thing?

Show answer

Once.

2. Count the fish: 🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠

Show answer

9, nine.

3. What is one more than 4?

Show answer

5, five.

Maths words

Say these words with an adult. Can you use each one in a sentence?

count · how many · one more · touch · last · same · number

Try it at home

Count fruit into a bowl, one at a time. How many are there?
Count some stones. Spread them out. Count again. Is it the same?
Count the buttons on a shirt or the windows in a room.

For parents and teachers

After this lesson, your child should be able to:

count up to 10 objects, touching each one once
say that the last number counted tells how many
see that the number stays the same when the objects are moved, and say one more

Watch for skipping or double counting. Moving each object as it is counted (for example, into a cup) helps a lot.

Previous: Counting to 20, Forwards and Backwards
Next: Reading and Writing Numbers to 10

Updates

2026/10/30
– First version of this lesson (draft).

Attributions to media used in this post:

Mango ‘Julie’ Fruits.jpg – Filo gèn’ – CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Counting to 20, Forwards and Backwards – Infants 1 Maths

October 30, 2026October 30, 2026 Aven Brisail2 Comments

Can you count to 20? Today we will count forwards and backwards. Use your voice and your fingers!

Counting forwards

Start at 0 or at 1. Say each number in order. Each new number is one more.

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

The teen numbers can be tricky. Say them slowly: eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen.

Counting backwards

Start at 20. Each new number is one less. It is like a rocket!

20, 19, 18, 17 … 3, 2, 1, 0
Blast off! 🚀

Counting on and counting back

You do not always start at 1. Start at 6 and count on: 6, 7, 8, 9.

Start at 15 and count back: 15, 14, 13, 12.

Try it

TRY ITCount up to 20 and back

Tap a number to hear it. Tap Count up or Count down to count one step at a time.

Tap Count up or Count down.

Let’s practise

Try each one. Then tap Show answer to check.

1. Count on: 4, 5, 6, ___

Show answer

7, seven.

2. Count back: 12, 11, 10, ___

Show answer

9, nine.

3. What number comes after 19?

Show answer

20, twenty.

4. What number comes just before 14?
(a) 15
(b) 13
(c) 12

Show answer

(b) 13.

Quick check

Can you answer these by yourself?

1. Count back from 10. What is the last number you say?

Show answer

0, zero. Blast off!

2. Count on: 16, 17, ___, ___

Show answer

18, 19.

3. Say the numbers from 11 to 15.

Show answer

Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen.

Maths words

Say these words with an adult. Can you use each one in a sentence?

count · forwards · backwards · count on · count back · before · after · next

Try it at home

Count the steps as you go up. Count back as you come down.
Do a rocket count from 20 back to 0. Jump up at zero!
Clap and count to 20. Next time, start at a new number, like 8.

For parents and teachers

After this lesson, your child should be able to:

count to 20, starting at 0 or at 1
count back from 20 to 0
count on and count back from a given number

The teen numbers and the step from 19 to 20 are often the tricky parts. Practise little and often, on the stairs, in the car or while waiting in line.

Previous: Sort, Match and Compare
Next: How Many? Counting to 10

Updates

2026/10/30
– First version of this lesson (draft).

Attributions to media used in this post:

Hopscotch with rock.jpg – Bethany Nowviskie – CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Sort, Match and Compare – Infants 1 Maths

October 30, 2026October 30, 2026 Aven Brisail1 Comment

Today we will sort, match and compare. Let us play!

Sorting into groups

To sort means to put things that are alike in the same group. We can sort by colour, size or kind.

Red: 🍎🍓🍅
Yellow: 🍌🍋🌽

Say why: “These are all red.”

Matching one to one

To match, put one thing from each group side by side. Give each mango an orange partner.

🥭🥭🥭🥭🥭
🍊🍊🍊

Two mangoes have no partner. There are more mangoes. 5 is more than 3. 3 is less than 5.

As many as, most and least

If everything has a partner, the groups have as many as each other.

The group with the most has the biggest number. The group with the least has the smallest number.

🐟🐟
🐟🐟🐟🐟
🐟🐟🐟

Try it

TRY ITSort it, then match and compare

Pick a game. Then tap your answer.

Let’s practise

Try each one. Then tap Show answer to check.

1. Sort these into two groups: 🍎 🍌 🍓 🍋. How did you sort them?

Show answer

Red: 🍎 🍓. Yellow: 🍌 🍋. That is sorting by colour.

2. Match them up. Which row has more?
🚗🚗🚗🚗
🚌🚌

Show answer

The cars. 4 is more than 2.

3. Tia has 3 sweets. Ravi has 3 sweets. Which is true?
(a) Tia has more.
(b) Ravi has more.
(c) They have as many as each other.

Show answer

4. Which group has the least?
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Show answer

The middle group, with 2 stars.

Quick check

Can you answer these by yourself?

1. What does sort mean?

Show answer

To put things that are alike in the same group.

2. Which is more, 6 or 4?

Show answer

6 is more than 4.

3. Each child has one hat, with none left over. Are there more hats, or as many as?

Show answer

As many as.

Maths words

Say these words with an adult. Can you use each one in a sentence?

sort · group · match · more than · less than · as many as · most · least

Try it at home

Sort the clean washing: socks in one group, shirts in another.
Set one plate for each person. Are there as many plates as people?
Sort your toys by colour or size. Tell an adult why.

For parents and teachers

After this lesson, your child should be able to:

sort objects into groups and explain the rule
match two groups one to one to find which has more, less or as many as
use the words more than, less than, as many as, most and least

Let your child choose the sorting rule and explain it. Use real objects first, then pictures.

Previous: Infants 1 course (coming soon)
Next: Counting to 20, Forwards and Backwards

Updates

2026/10/30
– First version of this lesson (draft).

Attributions to media used in this post:

FOOD Chaguanas Fruit Stall 1.jpg – Grueslayer – CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)