These free printable worksheets give preschool and kindergarten children practice putting numbers in order. The numbers are printed around the edge of a circle in a jumbled order, and the child draws a line from 1 to 2, from 2 to 3, and on around the ring until the last number is reached. There are 22 pages with two circles on each – 44 puzzles in all.
The circle is the whole idea. In an ordinary counting exercise the numbers sit in a line, so a child can move along without really reading them. Scattered around a ring there is no next-door number to fall back on: to find the 5, the child has to know what 5 looks like and search for it. That one change turns reciting the number words into recognising the written numerals, which is a different and harder skill.
- What Is in This Free Number Order Worksheet Pack
- How These Differ From Ordinary Dot-to-Dot Worksheets
- Numbers 1 to 8 – 10 Worksheets
- Numbers 1 to 10 – 10 Worksheets
- Numbers 1 to 12 – 2 Worksheets
- When Children Are Ready for These Worksheets
- How to Use These Worksheets
- Three Things to Watch For
- Printing Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Free Number Worksheets
What Is in This Free Number Order Worksheet Pack
- Numbers 1 to 8 – 10 worksheets, 20 circles.
- Numbers 1 to 10 – 10 worksheets, 20 circles.
- Numbers 1 to 12 – 2 worksheets, 4 circles.
- Two circles on every page, so one sheet is a complete short session.
- A red dotted example on the first page of each set showing the first two lines.
- Name and date line at the top, ready for classroom use.
- Every page is its own PDF – no sign-up, no email address, no cost.
How These Differ From Ordinary Dot-to-Dot Worksheets
A normal dot-to-dot hides a picture: join the dots in order and a star or a fish appears. The picture is the reward, and it also gives the game away – a child who half knows the order can often see where the line is supposed to go next.
These pages have no picture. Nothing appears at the end except a ring of straight lines, so there is no way to guess and nothing to fall back on but the numerals themselves. That makes them a much better check of whether a child really knows the order, and a much worse choice for a child who is not ready yet. If your child is still learning what the numbers look like, start with the picture version linked at the bottom of this page and come back to these.
Numbers 1 to 8 – 10 Worksheets
Start here. Eight numbers is few enough that a child can see the whole ring at once, and the first page carries a red dotted example showing the first two lines so you do not have to explain the task from scratch.
Numbers 1 to 8 – Worksheet 1
Numbers 1 to 8 – Worksheet 2
Numbers 1 to 8 – Worksheet 3
Numbers 1 to 8 – Worksheet 4
Numbers 1 to 8 – Worksheet 5
Numbers 1 to 8 – Worksheet 6
Numbers 1 to 8 – Worksheet 7
Numbers 1 to 8 – Worksheet 8
Numbers 1 to 8 – Worksheet 9
Numbers 1 to 8 – Worksheet 10
Numbers 1 to 10 – 10 Worksheets
The same puzzle with ten numbers. Ten is the point at which most children stop being able to take in the whole ring at a glance and have to search deliberately for each number – which is exactly the skill worth practising.
Numbers 1 to 10 – Worksheet 1
Numbers 1 to 10 – Worksheet 2
Numbers 1 to 10 – Worksheet 3
Numbers 1 to 10 – Worksheet 4
Numbers 1 to 10 – Worksheet 5
Numbers 1 to 10 – Worksheet 6
Numbers 1 to 10 – Worksheet 7
Numbers 1 to 10 – Worksheet 8
Numbers 1 to 10 – Worksheet 9
Numbers 1 to 10 – Worksheet 10
Numbers 1 to 12 – 2 Worksheets
The hardest set. With twelve numbers the ring is crowded and the numerals are smaller, so these two pages suit a child who has already finished the sets above. They are also useful preparation for reading a clock face.
Numbers 1 to 12 – Worksheet 1
Numbers 1 to 12 – Worksheet 2
When Children Are Ready for These Worksheets
These pages suit children from about four to six years old. The one thing a child needs first is to recognise the written numerals on sight. Being able to count aloud to ten is not enough on its own – plenty of children can recite the words but still cannot pick the 7 out of a ring of numbers, and this pack will only frustrate them.
In American classrooms this is kindergarten counting work: counting forward from a given number instead of always starting at one, and connecting the written numeral to its place in the sequence (Common Core K.CC.A.2 and K.CC.A.3).
How to Use These Worksheets
- Print one page. Two circles is a complete session for most four year olds.
- Before drawing, ask your child to point to the 1. Finding the start is half the task.
- Have them say each number out loud as they draw the line to it.
- Let the lines be wobbly. This is a counting exercise, not a handwriting one.
- When the ring is closed, ask them to count around it once more to check.
Three Things to Watch For
Drawing to the nearest number instead of the next one
The commonest mistake by far. A child who is going by what is close rather than what comes next will produce a neat ring that is in the wrong order. If you see this, cover the circle with your hand and ask what comes after 4 before letting them draw.
Getting stuck at the number they cannot recognise
Most children have one or two numerals they are unsure of – often 6 and 9, sometimes 7. If your child stalls at the same number on every page, that is useful information, and worth practising on its own rather than pushing through more circles.
Turning the page around
Rotating the paper to reach a number is not cheating. It is a sensible strategy, and children who do it usually finish faster and with fewer mistakes.
Printing Tips
- Choose Actual size or Fit to page so the circles stay large enough to draw inside.
- Each page fills one sheet and works on both US Letter and A4 paper.
- These pages are almost entirely black and white, so they cost very little to print.
- Slip a page into a plastic wallet and use a dry-wipe pen to reuse it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age are these number order worksheets for?
About four to six years old. Children need to recognise the written numerals first, not just be able to count out loud.
Is a picture revealed at the end?
No. These pages are deliberately picture-free so that a child cannot guess the order from the shape. For the picture version, see the dot-to-dot worksheets linked below.
How many puzzles are there in total?
Forty-four – two on each of the 22 pages.
Do I need to sign up to download them?
No. Every PDF downloads immediately, with no account and no cost.
Can I use these in my classroom?
Yes, they are free to print for home and classroom use. Please do not sell them or re-host the files elsewhere.
More Free Number Worksheets
- Free Connect the Dots Worksheets for Kids – Numbers 1 to 20 (with pictures)
- Free Number Order Worksheets for Kindergarten – Ordering Numbers 1 to 20
- Free Counting 1 to 10 Worksheets – Count and Write
- Free Missing Numbers Worksheets 1-20 for Kindergarten
- Free Number Tracing Worksheets 1-10 for Kindergarten
- Free Before and After Number Worksheets for Kindergarten