All Activities
Maths

Before and After Numbers

Overview

Children explore number order by finding neighbours.

Learning Objective
Children identify numbers before and after a given number.

Resources needed

  • Number cards (optional)

Lesson stages

0 / 7 done
  1. 1 Say a number (e.g. 5).
  2. 2 Ask: 'What comes before? What comes after?'
  3. 3 Use fingers or objects to support.
  4. 4 Repeat with different numbers.
  5. 5 Ask children to explain their answers.
  6. 6 Use a number line if available.
  7. 7 Practise as a group.

Tap a step to mark it as done.

Variations

  • Use larger numbers
  • Jump forward or backward by 2
  • Use real-life examples (age, number of children)
More information

Use positional language alongside number language: 'comes before' = 'is one less than'.

Create a physical number line children can walk along to find before and after.

Can children answer without counting from 1? Do they respond quickly to numbers in the middle of a range?

A number line scratched into soil or made from stones is the only resource needed. Fingers also work for small numbers.

Children commonly know 'one after' more readily than 'one before', as forward counting is practised more often than backward. Give extra attention to the 'before' direction.

Activity details
Early Years Easy 10–15 minutes No prep Small Group, Whole Class Indoor & Outdoor
Topics
Number Sequence