Fill the Frame

Focus: Counting, number recognition, and number bonds

This activity uses the ten frame to help children understand what numbers look like and how they fit together to make 10. It’s a simple, hands-on way to build number confidence using visual patterns.

Equipment you’ll need:

• Ten frame (from your Starter Pack)

• Counters (or cubes in two colours)

• Optional: Whiteboard and pen for recording

How to play:

1. Ask your child to place counters on the ten frame to show a number. For example:

   • “Can you show me 7?”

2. Count the filled spaces together.

3. Ask questions like:

   • “How many spaces are empty?”

   • “How many more to make 10?”

4. Try different numbers and colours to show combinations.

Extension idea:

Record the number sentences together on the whiteboard. For example: “7 and 3 make 10.”

Why it matters:

The ten frame helps children see numbers as structured patterns rather than just counts. This builds strong foundations for addition, subtraction, and understanding place value later on. Children begin to recognise how numbers relate to 10, a key step in early maths fluency.