T-Rex’s Valentine Number Activity

T-Rex’s Valentine Numbers is an engaging way to have your kindergarten, first, and second-grade students practice determining the number right before or right after a given number.

This is a partner or small group activity. Get ready to try it with your instructional groups or as an independent math center!

Choices to Make

Start by making the following choices.

• the appropriate number range for your students, 0 to 20 or 21 to 120
• number right after or number right before
• color or black/ white
• reusable or consumable mats

Get It Prepared

Gather or prepare these materials.

• one mat for each participating student
• one set of number cards for each pair of students
• 10 counters (about 1 inch or smaller) or crayons for each participating student
• optional number line or one hundred twenty charts for instructional support
• an optional sheet of paper or dry erase board for each student

Prepare your mats. Print the color or black/ white mats on cardstock and laminate for durability and reuse.

You can also print the black/ white mat on paper. Use crayons to color and consume. If you prefer, use them with dry-erase pockets and dry erase crayons or markers.

There are two different mats for each number range. Partners should have different mats. In a small group, some students will have mats that are the same.

Print your sets of number cards. Each set is on a single page. Use cardstock and laminate for durability. Cut out the cards.

Each set has 15 number cards. Each mat has 10 hearts with numbers. Partners will have some numbers that overlap and some that are different.

Get ‘Em Engaged With T-Rex’s Valentine Number Activity

To get started, place the number cards face down in a stack or a messy pile. Take turns picking a card.

Say the number on your card. Next, follow the directions to say either the number right after or right before the number on your card.

Find that number on your mat. Then, cover or color the number.

If the number is not on your mat or has already been covered, you lose your turn.

Create a discard pile. Shuffle and reuse the cards as needed.

Who can be the first to mark all the numbers on their mat?

Ways to Enhance Instruction

Be sure to have your students say their number pairs (given number and number right after or before). You might also want them to record the number pairs on a sheet of paper or on a dry erase board. Saying and/or writing the number pairs will help them remember the connection.

Some students will benefit from having an easily accessible horizontal or vertical number line or number chart. They can locate the given number and then see the number that comes right before or after it.

Provide further activities that reinforce sequencing numbers that cross a decade. For example, 29 counting forwards to 30 or 50 counting backward to 49. Share your favorite ideas and activities that are helpful for teaching this difficult concept in the comments below!

Ways to Enhance Engagement With T-Rex’s Valentine Number Activity

It’s easy to engage young students with seasonal resources! See if you can find Valentine’s Day themed erasers or buttons to use as counters. You could even use candy conversation hearts.

Place the number cards in a seasonal container. Or try putting them in a valentine themed sensory bin.

Get your learners engaged by clicking the highlighted words and downloading your free copy of T-Rex’s Valentine Number Activity.

Looking For More Resources?

Check out my newly revised open-ended flexible Valentine’s Day themed resource, Tugging on My Heartstrings, for sequencing numbers 0-120 in a variety of ways. Use it to provide individualized practice for your kindergarten, first, and second-grade math students.

It can be used for ordering sets of 5 or more consecutive or non-consecutive numbers and for counting by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s, or any multiple.

I added a second set of ready to use, easy prep black/ white hearts with a variety of sequences, mixed-up within each set of five numbers (consecutive numbers 0-10, 0-20, within a decade 21-120, across a decade 21-120; and non-consecutive numbers 0-10, 11-20, 0-20, within a decade 21-120, and 11-120). This set is perfect for a color, cut, and glue activity.

Take a look at this partner activity, Valentines in My Mailbox, for first and second-grade math. It reinforces understanding of base ten, trading ten ones for one ten, and comparing two-digit numbers.

In addition, this resource includes recording sheets with expanded form, rounding to the nearest ten, and counting by tens off a decade number.

Click on the links below to find additional resources for Valentine’s Day, numbers, number sense, and place value.

• A Sweet Sorting Activity You Will Love (PreK-K)
• One Lovely Way to Teach Place Value for Understanding (Grades 1-2)
• Valentine’s Day Themed Resources in My TpT Store
• Number & Number Sense Resources in My TpT Store
• Number & Place Value Resources in My TpT Store

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