Number of the Day Activities to Boost Math Success

Tips for implementing number of the day activities in a primary classroom. Includes free printable for students to fill in with number representations and a number poster.

Many teachers love to implement a daily routine to help kids learn about numbers and number sense. Today we’ll look at how to run a number of the day activities in your primary classroom. Follow these routines, ideas, and tips for easy daily practice with numbers that kids will love!

Creating a Number of the Day Chart

The easiest way to use a number of the day routine in your classroom is to create a visual for the kids to reference. As they familiarize themselves with the visual, kids gain confidence and skill. The best way to do this is by creating a colorful chart with all the information the kids will need during the daily activity. It can be as simple as a posterboard!

Any bright colors and font cut-outs will do! A large title, followed by examples for ways to write and represent the number, along with a number line is all you need! Use the free download at the bottom of this post (or download it from here) to create yours like this image:

Using Number of the Day in the Classroom

Number of the day works really well for numbers 1-20. If you teach primary grades, it’s an ideal activity. Every week, study one number, or you could even do more than one number each week. Have each student grab a small whiteboard, dry erase marker, and find a spot at the carpet where they can see the “Number of the Day” anchor chart. Create a number of the day anchor chart that you can reuse each time by laminating it.

Children start by drawing two lines to create a cross on their whiteboards. Go through the different number concepts (below) together step by step. Give them a chance to try on their own. Then, ask for responses and write them down on the class chart. Kids can come up and record what they wrote if desired.

Number of the Day Concepts

Concepts to Cover

1. Write the Number Word – Have posters with the numbers words on a higher wall if they need to look.

2. Draw the Number using Dice – Remind the class that dice only go up to 6 each.

3. Tally Marks – I use the short poem “1, 2, 3, 4, number 5 shuts the door, 6, 7, 8, 9, number 10 draws the line, to help kids learn and remember.

4. Even or Odd – Have them draw pairs of dots as they count to see if the number has a partner. If it does, then it’s even, and if not, then it’s odd. Tell them that you only need to look at the last digit in a double-digit number.

5. Draw a Picture – Let them draw a picture to show their number.

6. Ten Frames – Teach them how to quickly draw a ten frame and then they draw dots on the frames to show the number.

7. More and Less – Show what is 2 and 1 less and more than the number.

8. Addition Sentences – Encourage kids to come up with at least one addition sentence that equals the number of the day. This is a great time to review addition concepts like using own fingers, drawing a picture, knowing rules like +0 or +1, flip flop strategy, counting on, etc. Then share as a group and have them read and write the sentences we come up with.

9. Subtraction Sentences – Same with addition except using the number of the day to start with, example 14-?=?

Watch kids and what they record. You can easily see how they are doing with number concepts, and it is a quick check-in assessment.

Number of the Day Builds Confidence with Repetition

This math talk routine will help them gain confidence by sharing their work and new skills. It helps that it is repetitive, and everyone does it together. Children love using whiteboards and find this routine enjoyable.

Number of the Day Materials

For the “Number of the Day” poster anchor chart, take a large black poster board and cut out different pieces of yellow paper. Glue the yellow pieces on the poster board and add bulletin board letters to make a title. Laminate it so that it can be easily cleaned and reused every week. Find free materials to create your poster below!

Some days, have students complete the number of the day activities on their own at their desks. Give them one of the sheets provided in the “Number of the Day” template pack (link to the product below). Use the sheets for assessment to see how much they can show about a given number independently.

FREE Number of the Day Poster

Want to create an effective number sense routine that leads to fluency with numbers to 20? Start today with the FREE Number of the Day poster kit.

Click the image below to download your poster kit!

Try the Mindful Math Comprehensive Program

Read about the Mindful Math program and how it can change your Math block in positive ways! This comprehensive Math curriculum is available for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.

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