Number sense is the foundation of all math learning. It’s what helps kids understand how numbers work, relate to each other, and can be flexibly used. But many elementary students struggle with it, which can make even simple math tasks feel overwhelming.
With the right mix of hands-on activities, real-life connections, and daily number play, kids can become fluent, confident problem-solvers. Here are 10 simple, effective tips to help your child strengthen their number sense.
Use manipulatives daily
Tools like counters, cubes, base-ten blocks, or even cereal help kids see and feel numbers in action.
Example: Show 22 as 2 tens + 2 ones using blocks.
Play “which is greater?” games
Use the alligator analogy (it eats the bigger number!) to compare numbers regularly.
Game idea: Flip two number cards and decide which is bigger and why.
Practice number bonds
Number bonds help students break numbers apart and put them back together.
Example: 8 can be made from 5 + 3, 6 + 2, 7 + 1, etc.
Try flashcards or rainbow diagrams.
Explore “friendly” numbers
Teach kids to look for numbers that are easy to work with, like 10, 20, 50, or 100.
Example: 39 + 7 → think 39 + 1 = 40, then 40 + 6 = 46.
Daily number talks
Ask open-ended questions like:
"How many ways can you make 12?"
"What’s one more/less than 57?"
"What’s 10 more than 34?"
This builds mental math and flexible thinking.
Estimate often
Estimating builds intuitive sense.
“About how many jellybeans are in this jar?”
“Do you think the answer will be more or less than 100?”
Use a 100s chart & number line
Let kids explore patterns, skip counting, and distances between numbers.
Games like “Find the hidden number” or “Race to 100” work well here.
Connect math to real life
Talk about math in everyday situations:
“You have 2 quarters — how much money is that?”
“We need 12 plates. We already have 5. How many more?”
Encourage flexible thinking
Show multiple ways to solve the same problem and let kids explain their reasoning.
Example: 25 + 36
“What’s your way?”
“How else could we do it?”
Celebrate mistakes as learning
Praise effort and reasoning, not just the right answer. Mistakes help kids see how numbers behave and feel less afraid to experiment.
