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.
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.
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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
(c) More than 5.
4. Which is more, 7 or 4?
Show answer
7 is more than 4.
Quick check
Try these three on your own first. An adult may read the words.
1. Seven is how many more than five?
- One more
- Two more
- Three more
Show answer
Two more. Five, six, seven. That is two more.
2. Order from biggest to smallest: 1, 10, 5
- 10, 5, 1
- 1, 5, 10
- 5, 1, 10
Show answer
10, 5, 1. Ten is biggest, then five, then one.
3. What does estimate mean?
- Count very fast
- Make a good guess, then count to check
- Write the number
Show answer
Make a good guess, then count to check. An estimate is a good guess. Then count to check.
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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
Back to Infants 1 Maths
Updates
2026/11/11
– Quick check answers can now be checked on screen, with friendly feedback and retries.
– Added a completion badge that is saved in this browser on this device (no login).
– Added a link to Lesson 6 and a link back to the Infants 1 Maths page.
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)
© 2026 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.
