Numicon
Activity Ideas
Please try to use some of these
activities with your children at home.
Also, ask them to show you
what they do with the numicon
at school.
• Make a pattern e.g. 4, 1 ,4, 1, 4, 1 draw the numicon shapes
• Make a picture: house, train, face etc.
• Find a piece that is one more/ one less than a given number
• Choose 2 numicon pieces from a bag. Which is more/less? What’s the difference?
Place them on top to show subtraction.
-
=
• Can you order the shapes from smallest to biggest?
• Give me the number 4 in numicon pieces. Is there another way you could give me 4?
Repeat for other numbers.
• Number bonds to 10. e.g.
• Inverse: 4 + 5 = 9 therefore 9 – 5 = 4
+
=
-
=
• Commutative: does not matter which way round you add 12 + 6
as 6 +12
is the same
*Does not work for subtraction*
• Multiplication 3 x 5
3 lots of 5 numicon pieces
+
+
= 15
• Place value -tens and unit frame to show 2 digit numbers
Tens
Units
1
3
• Sort numicon pieces into odd and even numbers. Investigate numbers that when
added together they always make an even number. E.g. 2 + 2 = 4
• Throw a dice and take the numicon piece to match the number rolled. When the
amount exceeds 10 match amount with a 10 numicon piece and other required
amount. E.g. 5 + 3 + 8 = one 10 numicon piece and one 6 numicon piece
Can be made with:
• Count up in 2’s, 5’s and 10s drawing the numicon pieces
• How many different rectangles can you make using the numicon pieces. Record
number sentence to describe e.g. 4 + 2 = 6
• I have one yellow plate. Which plates can I change them for?
is the same as
and
• I have one red plate. Give me the double. Repeat for other numbers
Double 5 is 10
•
•
•
•
•
Which shapes will make squares?
I’m thinking of a number with one green and yellow numicon piece. What is it?
Add three numbers in any order. Use 3 numicon pieces to illustrate.
How many 5 piece numicon pieces would you need to make 45?
Give child 2 piles of numicon pieces. Find out which pile is more or less.
Pile 1
Pile 2
• Give child 3 piles of numicon pieces. Find out how many and order piles.
Be creative, have fun and experiment with the numicon pieces.
Enjoy!