Numicon activities for the classroom

Numicon offer a variety of maths equipment that’s versatile and easy to use for multiple activities. There is a range of activities you can do with your pupils using Numicon. Numicon maths activities can be tailored to suit any age and adapt to all abilities depending on individual and your class’ needs. To help you with lesson planning, we have created some Numicon activities for the classroom that you can try out and adapt for different ages.

Numicon hopscotch

Make maths fun with a creative twist on hopscotch using Numicon. Head outdoors and draw a hopscotch grid using chalk, get pupils to help you if you would like. Label each square with a Numicon shape so that children can recognise numbers visually. Place another set of Numicon shapes into a bag and mix it up. Let pupils dig for a shape at random as their number to land on.

Once everyone has a shape to aim for begin hopping through the squares in the order of the numbers on each Numicon. Children must recognise their shape on the hopscotch and stop on it if they don’t, they are sent back to the beginning to wait for another turn. Pupils who stop and on the shape wins. To make this harder, roll a die and hop as many times as the die says and see if pupils stop on their shape.

Tell the time with Numicon

For early years children, create a visual representation to help tell the time using Numicon. Place the correlating Numicon shapes around the clock for each number so that children can clearly see it. They can use that visual representation to create a link to numbers on the clock and will find it easier to read the clock.

You can also make smaller examples by getting children to draw a clock and place Numicon shapes around them. Ask them where a certain time is for example, quarter past eleven. Children will then mark the correct time on their drawings.

Work out percentages using Numicon

Allow Numicon to help work out difficult mathematic questions that include percentages. Give children a visual representation of adding or subtracting percentages to numbers. Use various Numicon shapes to show this and place them on a clear background so children can see them better. You can use something as simple as using the Numicon baseboard.

Choose a number to work on and place that Numicon shape onto the plain background. Ask your class to work out a percentage such as if you chose the number 10, work out what 30% will be. Pupils can then use their Numicons to make count with and show a divide of their answer that they think is correct. Show your class the correct answer by creating the number with the correct Numicon shapes. For this example, you would use a 7 and 3 Numicon to show that 3 is 30% of 10.

Play a matching game

Numicon is perfect for playing matching games for all pupils, at any skill level. For younger children, give them a number that they need to match the correct Numicon shape with. A great way to do this is to print various numbers out onto a sheet of paper and they can match the shapes easier.

For older pupils, challenge them to match Numicon shapes to sums when they’ve worked it out. This aids them with sums and more challenging maths as they can put a visual representation to them in the future.

Make a Numicon collage

Creating Numicon collages allows children to be creative whilst getting familiar with the shapes. Hand them plenty of supplies such as Numicon class apparatus pack, card, glue, scissors, felt tips etc. Let pupils create whatever collage they want whilst incorporating the Numicon shapes. They can focus it on numbers writing each corresponding number to the shape down or sums. Or it could be an art piece that helps children recognise shapes and numbers without directly focusing on maths.

Learn number bonds

Delve into number bonds by using Numicon. Children can learn how numbers split and join to create other numbers. Give children a scale, this could be to 10, and get them to find each Numicon shape for the numbers. Once this is done, ask them to figure out the number bonds. To help them, draw out a rainbow where each colour connects the numbers. For example, 0 connects to 10, 1 connect to 9 etc.

Firstly, ask them to work out adding the original scale, for example 1+9, they should always answer with 10 as you move towards the end. Then ask them what 1+19 is, making the 9 turn into 19 and carry on for the rest, this should always be 20. You can challenge them to harder questions going up to 100 such as multiplying numbers.

Memory catch

A fun and exciting way for children to learn and memorise number is to play memory catch. All you need is some Numicon shapes placed in the middle of your class. Get children to form a circle and then shout or show sums that they need to work out. Once someone thinks they have worked it out they run to get the correct Numicon shape. They will then throw this from the centre to another pupil who will shout out the number. Keep tabs on how many the class got right from each question.

To make this game more competitive, split the class into two groups where they can go head-to-head to collect the right Numicon shape. The team who gets the most right wins.

Numicon treasure hunt

Treasure hunts are always very exciting for children as they love to find hidden items and reap the rewards. So why not create a treasure hunt with a twist using Numicon? Hide Numicon shapes around the classroom and even in the playground and give the class clues to find the next piece. Split pupils into small teams that they can work together with and compete against each other.

Clues should be something like ‘I’m flat, long and have four sides and like to be in the dark’. This would lead children to a rectangle shape that they will have to find. They will also have to work out the clue to where it is hiding as well. The team that finds the most shapes wins the treasure hunt!

Try these fun and engaging Numicon activities for the classroom and allow children to explore maths in a different way. Numicon is perfect to use flexibly to see your pupils through from EYFS to bridging the gap at KS3. Make the most out of manipulatives through exciting activities that Numicon is amazing for.

Want to find out more about Numicon and how they work for all key stages? Check out our ‘extensive guide to Numicon’ blog and learn all about using them in your lessons