Composition of Numbers to 10 – Teddy Bear’s Picnic

Description

Help children develop their understanding of the composition of numbers 5 to 10 with this engaging and practical picnic-themed maths activity. Children use food items to explore how a whole number can be split into two different parts, developing their understanding of number bonds and part-part-whole relationships.

To use the resource, laminate the picnic mats and select the number or numbers you are focusing on. Food images are included on the final page, which can also be laminated and cut out. Alternatively, children can use toy food or other practical objects to complete the activity.

Provide children with the number of food items shown on the picnic mat and ask them to share the items between the two bears. Encourage children to explain how they have shared the food using mathematical language. For example, they might say, “This bear has 4, this bear has 2. Altogether there are 6. 4 and 2 make 6.”

Once children have found one combination, encourage them to explore all the different ways they can split the number between the two bears. This helps children recognise that a whole number can be made from different combinations of parts.

Children can practise:

Exploring the composition of numbers 5–10
Developing an understanding of number bonds
Exploring part-part-whole relationships
Splitting a whole number into two parts
Finding different ways to make a number
Counting objects accurately
Developing early addition skills
Using mathematical language to explain their thinking
Recognising that different combinations can make the same total
Developing early number sense and mathematical reasoning

The practical nature of this activity makes it ideal for Early Years and KS1 maths. It can be used as a focused small-group activity, during adult-led maths sessions or as part of continuous provision.

The picnic theme provides a meaningful context for exploring number composition, while the use of real or toy food gives children the opportunity to physically manipulate quantities and see how numbers can be split and recombined.

Encourage children to find different combinations systematically and talk about what they notice. For example, they may discover that changing the number of items given to one bear changes the number given to the other, while the total number of food items remains the same.

This flexible number composition 5–10 resource is a practical way to develop children’s understanding of number bonds, addition and parts and wholes, while also encouraging them to communicate their mathematical thinking.