TapLearn
Numbers to 20: Count, Read and Compare with Dotty

Numbers to 20: Count, Read and Compare with Dotty

Learn to read, write and compare numbers to 20 by counting apples, filling ten frames, hopping a frog along a number line and popping balloons.

  • Ages 5–6
  • About 50 min
  • Easy start
  • Numbers
Play now

What you'll learn

  • Read and write numerals from 1 to 20
  • Read and spell number words, including eleven, twelve and fifteen
  • Why we write the 1 first in teen numbers
  • Show numbers with objects, ten frames and a number line
  • Compare numbers using equal to, more than, less than and fewer
  • Find the most and the least in three or more groups

Chapter by chapter

  1. Numbers 1 to 10: reading and writing numerals and words Free to try

    Year 1 maths · 1

  2. Teen numbers 11 to 20: reading and writing numerals and words

    Year 1 maths · 1 Year 1 maths · 2

  3. Showing numbers to 20 with objects, pictures and a number line

    Year 1 maths · 2

  4. Comparing numbers: equal to, more than and less than (fewer)

    Year 1 maths · 2

  5. Most and least: comparing three or more groups

    Year 1 maths · 2

  6. Numbers to 20 Challenge (10 questions)

What the chapters cover in the national curriculum in England:

  1. Year 1 maths: Read and write numbers from 1 to 20 in numerals and words
  2. Year 1 maths: Identify and represent numbers using objects and pictorial representations including the number line, and use the language of: equal to, more than, less than (fewer), most, least

About this adventure

Numbers to 20 is an interactive maths game that teaches children aged 5 to 6 to read, write, show and compare numbers from 1 to 20, following the Year 1 national curriculum in England.

Guided by Dotty the ladybird, children tap, trace and build their way through five short chapters. They write numerals with a finger and on a keypad, spell number words from letter tiles, and see that a teen number is ten and some more, using two ten frames. They count objects one at a time, show numbers with counters and find them on a number line.

Later, children compare groups using the words equal to, more than, less than and fewer, and find the most and the least. Gentle hints target common mix-ups, such as writing 31 for thirteen or thinking bigger things mean more. A 10-question challenge checks everything at the end.

Questions and answers

Why do children write 31 instead of 13?

Children often write 31 for thirteen because they hear the 3 first when the word is spoken. Thinking of thirteen as ten and three, and writing the 1 for the ten first, helps them get the order right.

What is a ten frame and how does it help with numbers to 20?

A ten frame is a grid of ten boxes in two rows of five, filled with counters to show a number. Two ten frames show teen numbers clearly: one full frame is ten, and the extra counters show how many more.

What is the difference between fewer and less than in maths?

Fewer and less than both mean a smaller amount. In Year 1, fewer is used when comparing things you can count, such as fewer apples, while less is often used for amounts you cannot count, such as less water.

What age is the Numbers to 20 game for?

The game is for children aged 5 to 6, matching Year 1 maths in England. Younger children who can already count to 10 can enjoy the first chapters, and older children can use it as a quick refresher.

What does the Numbers to 20 game include and how long does it take?

The game has five chapters and a 10-question challenge, taking about 50 minutes in total. Each chapter takes around 8 to 10 minutes, so children can play one at a time and carry on later.

More to explore

See all