I’ve been working on a little math choke point: introducing the teen numbers to young children.
It can be such a hard step for those little tykes. A 1–20 number puzzle helps some, but learning the names and connecting them with the right number of objects can still throw the littles for a loop.
Some teen numbers give us a helpful clue: four-teen, six-teen, seven-teen, eight-teen, nine-teen. They can still be tricky, but their names make the familiar counting word easier to hear. Eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fifteen don’t make that connection quite so obvious.
So I came up with an idea that tucks three little helps into one activity:
- A silly sound clue tucked into a phrase, to help the child remember the number’s name.
- A picture showing two groups: ten objects in the first group, followed by the extras in a second group.
- A simple number equation written below the picture.
In each picture, I would arrange the first ten objects in two neat rows of five, with a clear gap before the extras. Keeping that arrangement the same gives the child a familiar starting point.
These are playful reminders, not exact matches for the number names. “Kevins” echoes “eleven” loosely, and “elves” hints at “twelve.” “Dirty teens” and “nifty teens” offer their own silly sound clues. Always finish by saying the actual number name clearly.
For the number 11
Teach the child to say: “The number of Kevins is eleven.”
The picture: eleven happy faces of Kevins, all alike and wearing baseball caps. Put ten in two rows of five, then one extra Kevin in a separate group.
Count the picture together, then say: “Ten and one more make eleven.”
Write the equation below the picture: 10 + 1 = 11.
For the number 12
“There are shelves of elves numbering twelve.”
The picture: twelve elves sitting neatly on shelves. Arrange ten in two rows of five, with two extra elves clearly separated from the first group.
Count together, then say: “Ten and two more make twelve.”
Write the equation below the picture: 10 + 2 = 12.
For the number 13
“The dirty teens number thirteen.”
The picture: thirteen teens covered in mud. Put ten in two rows of five, with three in a separate group.
Count together, then say: “Ten and three more make thirteen.”
Write the equation below the picture: 10 + 3 = 13.
For the number 15
“The nifty teens number fifteen.”
The picture: fifteen teens with cool hats and banjos. Put ten in two rows of five, with five in a separate group.
Count together, then say: “Ten and five more make fifteen.”
Write the equation below the picture: 10 + 5 = 15.
A little playful practice
Start with counting the pictures and saying the number names together. The written equation can reinforce the idea without becoming the child’s first hurdle.
Maybe this will help? Try these silly sound clues alongside counting the pictures together. Ten in the first group, then the extras. No rush. Just a little playful practice, and another way into those puzzling teen numbers.
