Number Patterns Teaching Resources
Explore number patterns in your maths classes this school year with fun worksheets, games and more teacher resources created to help your students understand how numbers in a sequence relate to one another.
Aligned with the Australian Version 9.0 maths standards, the printable and digital activities in this collection were created by the maths teachers on the Teach Starter team to help you save time on your lesson plans.
Whether this is your first year teaching about number patterns or you're just looking for a little extra help, we've got you covered. Read on for a primer from our teacher team! We explain what number patterns are so you can share with your class, plus we explore three common patterns.
What Are Number Patterns? A Kid-Friendly Definition
A number pattern is a series of numbers that each follow the same rule. These patterns or sequences can help us find missing numbers or identify what number will come next in a series.
For example, let's say you are given the following list of numbers:
- 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24
This is an example of a number pattern in which the next number in the series is 4 more than the previous number. Once you can identify the pattern in a series of numbers like this one, you can then use that pattern to determine what number comes next or even what numbers could have come before the list began.
This is one of the many reasons number patterns are an important part of building our students' algebraic reasoning skills. They help kids understand how numbers can be related to one another and apply what they know about those relationships to solve problems.
3 Common Types of Number Patterns
We can't talk about number patterns without breaking down the different types your students are going to encounter in their maths journey!
Linear Patterns
Linear patterns are number patterns in which the numbers increase or decrease by the same amount each time.
The example used above — in which each number in the series increased by a quantity of 4 — is a simple example of a linear pattern.
Geometric Number Patterns
Another type of pattern students may have to contend with is the geometric number pattern. This type involves numbers that are multiplied or divided by a constant factor.
The multiplication table is an example of a geometric number pattern.
Recursive Patterns
Students will have to make full use of their understanding of the four whole number operations to work with recursive patterns. That's because this pattern involves finding each successive number in the sequence by performing a specific operation on the previous number(s).
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Maths Mazes (Number Sequencing)
Skip count your way through these mazes that focus on number sequencing.
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Fives (Turtle) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by fives.
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Threes (Castle) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by threes.
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Pattern Activity Cards - Fruit
Pattern activities using fruit.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 2 - Alien
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Patterns and Algebra Worksheets - Year 3
2 patterns and algebra worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Odd and Even Word Problems
Extend students with these odd and even number word problems and worksheets.
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Fishing Odd or Even Numbers Worksheets
Go fishing for odd and even numbers with your students using this set of three worksheets.
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Odd and Even Properties Poster Set
Teach students about the different properties of odd and even numbers when adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.
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Odd and Even Maze Worksheets
Explore odd and even numbers with your students with these fun maze activities.
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Odd and Even Numbers Poster Set
Help students memorise the rules for identifying odd and even numbers.
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Skip Counting by 10s I Have, Who Has Game
Use this fast-paced whole class game to help your students practise skip counting by tens.
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10 More, 10 Less Differentiated Mazes
Delight your students with this maze challenge, to practise calculating 10 more or 10 less than a value within 120.
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Sevens (Wolf) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by sevens.
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Python Patterns – Match-Up Activity
An activity for students to consolidate copying and creating patterns.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 2 - Dinosaur
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Skip Counting by 10s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 10s.
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Number Sequencing to 100 - Worksheet
A raindrop themed place value worksheet to use when sequencing numbers to 100.
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Snail Trail Odd and Even Properties Worksheet
Help students identify the properties of odd and even numbers and using the ‘rules’ when calculating with this maze-style worksheet.
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Skip Counting by 1, 2, 5 and 10 Sorting Activity
Set up this sorting activity as a small group or rotation task for your students to practise thier skip counting skills.
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Skip Counting Exit Tickets
Assess student understanding of skip counting within 1000 by 5s 10s and 100s.
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I Have Who Has: Skip Counting by 2,3,4,5,10
Teaching skip counting? Introduce your students to our I Have Who Has - style whole class games with this fun and interactive card activity!
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Number Patterns – More and Less Worksheets
Use place value skills to mentally add and subtract 10 or 100 to a given number with this set of worksheets.
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Skip Counting to 100 - Card Game
Practise skip counting by 2, 5 and 10 with this card game for small groups.
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Find the Pattern Worksheet
A worksheet to assist early learners in recognising patterns.
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Identifying Even Numbers Worksheet
A fun activity to help your students to identify even numbers.
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Patterns and Algebra Worksheets - Year 2
4 patterns and algebra worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Patterns and Algebra Worksheets - Foundation
4 patterns and algebra worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Odd and Even Colour-by-Number Worksheets
Practise identifying if the sum of two numbers is odd or even with this fun set of colour-by-number worksheets.
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Odd and Even Task Cards
Help your students consolidate their knowledge of odd and even numbers with this set of task cards.
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10 More, 10 Less Colouring Worksheets (Differentiated)
Use this ten more, ten less worksheet set to engage your students while they practise computing 10 more or 10 less than a number within 120.
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Secret Number Patterns – Card Game
Keep your secret number pattern hidden as you race to be the first to create number patterns based on given rules.
- Number Patterns Worksheets
- Number Patterns Games
- Number Patterns Posters
- Number Patterns for Preschool/Kindergarten
- Number Patterns for Foundation Year
- Number Patterns for Year 1
- Number Patterns for Year 2
- Number Patterns for Year 3
- Number Patterns for Year 4
- Number Patterns for Year 5
- Number Patterns for Year 6
- Number Patterns for Year 7