Counting Beyond 20 – Animal Tens Frames

Description

Support children to develop their ability to verbally count beyond 20 with this practical animals and tens frames maths activity. The resource is designed to support children working towards the Early Learning Goal (ELG) of recognising and using the pattern of the counting system.

The animals are presented in tens frames, giving children a clear visual representation of numbers and helping them recognise the repeating structure of the counting sequence. Children can practise counting the animals aloud while using the frames to support their understanding of larger quantities.

The resource can be laminated and cut into sections to create a reusable set of counting cards. These can be used as a simple assessment activity, with an adult asking children to verbally count the animals and observing their confidence and accuracy when counting beyond 20.

The cards can also be added to continuous provision, giving children regular opportunities to practise counting objects beyond 20. Encourage children to count carefully and notice how the quantities increase as they move through the cards.

Children can also be asked to order the cards, supporting them to recognise the pattern of the counting system and understand how numbers are organised. Discussing the tens frames can help children notice groups of ten and how the numbers change as they continue counting.

Children can practise:
Verbally counting beyond 20
Recognising the pattern of the counting system
Counting objects accurately
Recognising groups of ten
Developing number sense beyond 20
Ordering numbers
Using tens frames to visualise quantities
Building confidence with larger numbers

The final page includes a blank set of tens frames, allowing children to begin building their own numbers using counters. This provides a valuable hands-on opportunity for children to represent numbers and explore how quantities are structured.

Use the blank frames to challenge children to make a given number, continue a counting sequence or create their own numbers beyond 20. Ask questions such as, “How many animals are there?”, “What number comes next?” and “How many more do we need to make the next ten?”

This versatile Early Years maths resource can be used for assessment, small-group teaching or continuous provision. The combination of practical counting, visual tens frames and number ordering helps children develop secure foundations for counting beyond 20 and recognise the patterns within our number system.