Learn to Write Numbers and a Free Printable

This activity is part of my Learn to Write Numbers printable packs. Be sure to click over to get all the fun printables and ideas.

I’ve got two early learners here. One is great, albeit somewhat shaky-handed, with writing numbers — just seemed to learn to write them naturally.

The other has struggled with them for a while. Even after a couple of years of math, there are still reversals in many of the numbers.

Since this learner is pretty auditory, I went looking for a way to help with the problem.

Enter my friend Donna, who always has a few tricks up her sleeve. She loaned me some number tracers with poems she used in her classroom years ago — back before she left teaching other kids to teach her own.

I loved the little poems and the green and red dots to help a student know where to begin and end the stroke of the number.

Learn to write numbers printables

I made two sizes of the printables — one a full page size and then a second set small enough for little hands.

I printed the second set, cut them apart, and laminated them. Then I put them on a binder ring, and we use a marker to practice the tracing. You could also slip the full-sized numbers into page protectors and keep them in a binder.

Preschool numbers picture books

To accompany these we have a few favorite counting books that we love that we find perfect for the preschool years.

[link url=”https://pambarnhill.com/kids-books-31-days/“]Read: 31 Days of Picture Books for Everyone[/link]

A Frog in the Bog– This one is my favorite hands down and the kids like it pretty well too. It counts to five and then back again in Karma Wilson’s rollicking rhyme. Lots of opportunities for reader exaggeration and FUN.

Every Buddy Counts: Counting– My kids love the MathStart books and this one is no exception. A sweet book about counting friends important to little kids.

The Water Hole– This book is a beauty with stunning artwork showcasing animals from around the world as well as a bit of humor. I find this one tucked away in Olivia’s room often.

Click, Clack, Splish, Splash– The cows from Click, Clack, Moo are back along with an entire farmyard of mischievous animals on a mission of mercy. Good fun.

 

Supplies for writing numbers

In the photo above, John is working with a dry erase marker. We quickly determined that it smeared too easily on the lamination — especially for a lefty. Wet-erase markers to the rescue!

Pin

Also check out our preschool lesson plans here.

You can use the ones for overhead projectors (brings back memories of high school math) or you can choose something chunkier for little hands like these Wet-Erase Fluorescent Markers. Crayola also makes a larger size dry erase crayon.

 A Frog in the BogPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPin Every Buddy Counts (MathStart 1)PinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPin The Water HolePinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPin Click, Clack, Splish, Splash (A Click, Clack Book)PinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPin EXPO Vis-A-Vis Wet-Erase Overhead Transparency Markers, Fine Point, Assorted Colors, 8-CountPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPin Sanford Wet Bright Sticks Wet-Erase Fluorescent Markers, Assorted Fluorescent Colors, 5-Pack (14075)PinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPin Crayola; Dry-Erase Crayons; Art Tools; 8 Count; Washable; Perfect for Classroom Art Activities; Includes Sharpener and Erase ClothPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPin BAZIC Metal Book Rings, 1 Inch, Silver, 12 Per PackPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPin Scotch 2 Roller System, Fast Warm-up, Quick Laminating Thermal Laminator (TL901C-T )PinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPin Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches, 8.9 x 11.4-Inches, 3 mil thick, 100-Pack (TP3854-100)PinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPinPin

I hope you enjoy!

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  • Jenny says:

    These are great. My 8 year old daughter still has trouble making the 3 face the right way. Thanks!

  • Sarah says:

    These are fabulous! Pinned ’em.

    And have I mentioned how much I really really love your new blog look? I think I need to add color pop to my sides, like you have. What did you use? Scrapbook paper?

  • Elizabeth says:

    These are great! Thanks for sharing! I have a four year old who basically refuses to learn her letters or numbers. I finally found a great set of the wooden pieces from handwriting without tears at a used sale and she seems to love the tactile nature of those. I think she would LOVE these!! And really, just for fun. I’m not too concerned. She is only four, after all:)

  • katieh says:

    Thank you for these! I’m slowly but surely starting to pull things together ready for my eldest finishing preschool next year and starting – well whatever we start doing at home. I can see these being really useful.

    thank you!

  • Elisa says:

    I love anything with a poem, so these are perfect for my preschooler. Thanks for sharing them.

  • Thank you so much! These are great!

  • Thank you so much! These are great!

  • Meagan Adams says:

    Love love love these!!! I am going to print and laminate and use in my classroom. I also have a educational kindergarten blog. I will be sure to link up to you when I blog about how these go over in my class! 🙂
    Meagan at Play to Learn in Kindergarten

    http://www.playissmart.blogspot.com

  • kort says:

    these have been a tremendous help to our girl! thank you so much for such a useful resource.

    last night she was drawing a hopscotch game, and i heard her saying to herself, “Down and over and down once more, that’s the way you make a 4!”

    A++

  • Deidre says:

    I would love to use these in my classroom. When I tried to download them it said you are out of bandwidth.. Would you consider emailing me the file? [email protected]

  • Deidre says:

    I would love to use these in my classroom. When I tried to download them it said you are out of bandwidth.. Would you consider emailing me the file? [email protected]

  • Anonymous says:

    I would LOVE to have a link to the number cards! For some reason, I can’t open it! THANKS SO MUCH!
    [email protected]

  • Anonymous says:

    I got the same message about being out of bandwidth. I did a right-click and got a pop-up. I chose “print document” and it worked. It printed all 3 pages just fine.

    • Pam says:

      Thanks for the tip to everyone on that!

    • Mandy says:

      What did you right click on? I have tried right clicking on several things and I don’t get the option to print. Would you consider emailing them? [email protected]

  • Tiffany Le says:

    The link says that it’s out of bandwidth. If possible, could you please email it to me [email protected]
    Thank you!

  • I am so excited I found these. THank you so much for posting! LOVE IT!

  • I would also love to be able to use the number tracing…my email address is [email protected] Thank you in advance!

  • May I have them emailed to me also?
    [email protected]
    Thanks in advance!

  • I just came across your site from Pinterest and I love the printables that you made. Thanks so much! I am an education student (preK-6) and the mother of a 1st grader who is struggling with handwriting. The rhymes will definitely help. Do you or your friend know any rhymes for the letters of the alphabet? My son still seems to make his letters in all sorts of ways.

  • Pam says:

    I haven’t heard of any for letters. It would be nice, though.

  • Kaylee says:

    Just printed them. Thank you!

    • melissa aronson says:

      I can’t find number 6 and 7?? LOve them though!!

  • LCompton says:

    Hi, I am unable to open the links. Could you please mail them to me?
    [email protected]

  • Ashley says:

    I am unable to open them as well – can you e-mail them? Thanks! [email protected]

  • Mackenzie says:

    Pam,
    I shared these awesome printable last Fall, and see a constant steady flow coming to your site each day! Hope you are getting lots of new fans and clicks; so glad I was able to find these as they have really helped our oldest learn his numbers!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Mackenzie 🙂
    cheeriosandlattes.com

    • Pam Barnhill says:

      Mackenzie,
      Somehow I missed this comment!!! Yes! Thank you so much for sharing these. I get folks over from your site all the time. It is so funny, now my littlest guy is learning to make his numbers and we are pulling these out again. So much fun. Thanks again! Pam

    • Jeannette says:

      Hi there
      I would really like these printable with the numbers and rhymes to remember but I can’t print them. Could it be possible for you to send it to me.

      Much appreciated

  • Thank you for sharing these! They are great and my children are able to write their numbers a whole lot better now.

  • I am having problems printing these pages. Will you please email me them? [email protected]. thank you. Great idea to help prekers.

  • can I get a set emailed to me [email protected] thank you in advance!

  • Love these! Thank you! Will you make a letter one?!?!?! =D

  • Pam Barnhill says:

    Amanda, I have no plans to make a letter one. These poems were given to me. I can’t imagine coming up with poems for the letters too. Someone has, though. Check out this post here http://dbsenk.wordpress.com/2010/11/14/letter-formation/

    HTH!!

  • Julie says:

    This. Is. AWESOME. Thank you so much for sharing! I’m excited to explore your site!

  • A says:

    This is exactly what I need for my special ed class- thank you so much for your generous sharing!

  • Dominga Valenzuela says:

    Thank you so much. The letter poems are awesome and fun to recite with the children. I heard these number poems in a song about three years ago and since then i have been looking for them. I finally found them. Thank you again.

  • pam says:

    Crayola’s new super washable markers work amazingly well for these! 🙂 thanks

  • Megan Hall says:

    Hi…I love your learn numbers charts. I can’t seem to print the large- full sheet pages. It will print the number but it won’t print the words. Has anybody else experienced this issue with them? Thanks

    • jody says:

      I can’t either. 7-9 print ok but not others.

  • marian says:

    I am also having trouble printing the full page numbers. Please email them to me if possible.

    Thanks so much, Marian

    • Pam Barnhill says:

      If the downloads do not work for you, then you need to update your Acrobat Reader program. That will fix the problem.

  • Jeannette says:

    Hi there. I can’t seem to print the numbers and their rhymes could you please send it to me. Much appreciated.

    • Pam Barnhill says:

      I can’t. They are stored on an external hard drive that isn’t working at the moment. Besides it would be the exact same file as above, so I am not sure how it would solve the problem. You might want to be sure you have the most recent version of Adobe Acrobat.

  • Ashley says:

    I am doing Pre-K at home with my 4yr old and he absolutely hates to write. These rhymes made it great fun and got him VERY enthusiastic about doing his numbers! It was so amazing to see the difference and desire to write his numbers. I cant thank you enough!

  • Kathy says:

    Thanks for posting and sharing! I didn’t find a zero. Do you have one? I used to teach it with “around and around and around we go, that’s the way to make a zero!”

  • Christi says:

    Hi, I stumbled across this looking for ideas to teach my little one to write numbers but I can’t seem to locate the link to download the printable…am I missing something?

  • Pepper says:

    I cant get them to print. Can you email them to me?
    [email protected]

    • Dawn Garrett says:

      Hi Pepper, You’ll have to download them to your local machine and make sure your Adobe Reader is up to date. Anything I sent you would be the download this way – I don’t have anything different. Dawn

  • Jenee Bare says:

    Thank you for this! My children still struggle with writing their numbers backwards at age 5 and 7. I hope this will be a fun way to practice.

  • Kristi says:

    Hi Pam, I just wanted to thank you for these. We “officially” started pre-K and Kinder homeschool today, and these were part of our math time! I had my kindergartner read the little poems first for each for extra reading practice. I printed the four-to-a-page version and inserted them in plastic sleeves, and we used dry erase markers. Worked great! 🙂

  • Cheyenne says:

    I love this! It has made learning to write numbers SO much fun!!! I was wondering, is there anything like this for letters? The little rhyme with each number makes it so memorable and I would love to have the same help with letters!

  • Megan says:

    Hi!
    I tried several times to sign up for the free number poems (entering my name and email but never got them!) can you help me with this? Thanks so much!
    Megan

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