What is a Ten Frame?
- Math Happiness Project
- Sep 22, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 13
If you’ve never seen a ten frame before, take a moment to look at the one below. What do you notice?
A ten frame is a simple, yet powerful tool used in early math education to help children develop their number sense. At first glance, you might notice that it’s a rectangle divided into ten individual boxes. You might also see that these boxes are arranged in two rows of five, which is key to how the ten frame helps visualize numbers.
Now, let’s take it a step further and add some counters to the ten frame. What do you notice now?
If there are 7 counters on the ten frame, how did you figure out there are 7? Maybe you counted them individually, or perhaps you noticed that the top row of 5 is full, and there are 2 more counters in the bottom row. Or, you might have quickly recognized that 3 boxes are empty, which means 7 must be filled to get to 10.
This is the power of the ten frame—helping us visualize numbers and relate them back to familiar benchmarks of 5 and 10. By consistently seeing numbers on a ten frame, children begin to develop a deeper understanding of how numbers work together. They can quickly recognize amounts, and this ability to subitize (instantly recognize a number without counting) is crucial for developing skills in addition and subtraction.
They also become familiar with composing and decomposing numbers, which is an important number sense skill. For example, understanding that 7 is 5 plus 2, or that 7 is 3 away from 10 helps kids connect numbers and build fluency in basic math operations. These early number sense skills lay the foundation for working with larger numbers as they grow.
How to Use a Ten Frame with Your Child
If you’re just getting started with a ten frame, try following a simple process like the one we used here. Start by showing your child a blank ten frame and ask them what they notice. After discussing the layout, introduce counters and encourage them to think about how the counters relate to 5 and 10.
You can practice with different numbers of counters, asking questions like, “How many are there?” or “How many more do we need to make 10?” This encourages your child to think flexibly about numbers.
Want a Printable Ten Frame?
If you're ready to start using ten frames with your child, we have a ten frame you can download and included some helpful tips for getting the most out of this tool.
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Check Out Our Ten Frame Video!
Learn about the Ten Frame, how to use it, and why it's a powerful tool for supporting kids' developing number sense and their eventual work adding and subtracting.
Play Ten Frame Flash!
Play Ten Frame Flash, a simple and engaging game that helps children master their basic math facts! Discover how ten frames can build number sense, support addition strategies, and make math fun.
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