Students will enjoy helping adorable pups find their matching bones in the Dog & Bone: Recognise & Count to 1–10 Activity – a fun and flexible early years resource designed to build confidence in recognising, counting, and representing numbers from 0 to 10.

With vibrant visuals and a playful theme, students are invited to match each dog card (numbered 0–10) with a variety of bone cards that represent the same number in different ways – using fingers, words, and collections of items. This hands-on task is ideal for reinforcing one-to-one correspondence, quantity comparisons, and numeral recognition.

The interactive nature of the Dog & Bone: Recognise & Count to 1–10 Activity makes it a perfect addition to small group work, independent maths stations, or differentiated numeracy rotations. Whether used as a matching game, a sorting task, or a race-to-match challenge, this versatile resource supports foundational number learning in an engaging and age-appropriate way.

Key Learning Outcomes

• ✅ Recognise and name numbers from 0 to 10
• ✅ Count collections of objects using one-to-one correspondence
• ✅ Compare and order numbers to 10
• ✅ Match numerals with quantities and visual representations
• ✅ Identify more, fewer, and equal amounts
• ✅ Explore early addition using objects and pictorial support

What’s Included

10 dog cards, each displaying a numeral from 0 to 10

3 sets of bone cards featuring fingers, number words, and item groups (0–10)

Task suggestions and game ideas for varied use

Teacher notes with setup and differentiation tips

Materials Needed

Printed and laminated dog and bone cards

Scissors for cutting cards

Storage tubs or ziplock bags to keep card sets organised

Optional: Timer or spinner for game-based variations

How to Use

1. Print and laminate all dog and bone cards for long-term use.
2. Lay the dog cards face up in a row or around the workspace.
3. Shuffle one set of bone cards (e.g. fingers, words, or items) and place in a stack or scattered pile.
4. Students draw one bone card at a time and identify the number it represents.
5. They then match the bone card to the correct dog card showing the same number.
6. Continue until all bone cards are matched. Swap in another set for extended practice.
7. Use task suggestions to try different versions – such as sorting by representation type, using all three sets at once, or timing how fast matches can be made.

Ideas for Classroom Use

• 💡 Add to a maths rotation station for independent or partner practice
• 💡 Use in small group instruction to support number recognition and matching
• 💡 Play as a team race where each student is responsible for a different bone type
• 💡 Introduce as a whole-class game where students come up to swat the matching dog

Top Teacher Tips

• 💛 Store each bone card set separately for easy organisation and differentiation
• 💛 Introduce one representation at a time before mixing sets for greater challenge
• 💛 Reinforce vocabulary by asking students to name and describe the number shown on each bone
• 💛 Extend learning by having students create their own dog and bone number cards

With its bright visuals, multiple number representations, and interactive format, the Dog & Bone: Recognise & Count to 1–10 Activity supports early numeracy development in a fun and flexible way – perfect for confident learners and those still building number foundations!