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You are here: Home / Concepts / Math / DIY Number Line

DIY Number Line

By Shaunna Evans 20 Comments · This content may contain affiliate links.

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Lovey and Big Buddy are both working on recognizing teen numbers. To help them I made a simple DIY number line that has turned out to be  a great tool.

DIY Clothespin Number Line...hands-on way to practice number recognition and number sense concepts with kids

Materials

The materials listed are for making one number line. But if you work with small groups of kids or in a classroom setting it may be handy to have multiple number lines to give each child an opportunity to work independently. Amazon links included for reference.

  • Paint Stick-like these but also available (and likely free) at your local hardware store.
  • Clothepins-we used eleven.
  • Permanent marker (one or two colors)
  • Ruler

Materials for number line

Directions

Use the ruler to draw a straight line down the center of the paint stirrer. I did my best to evenly space the dots along the line. I chose to label the dots and numbers for the landmark numbers in a different color to give the kids a bit of help in ordering the numbers. You may want to list them all in one color depending on the child using the number line.

You might also use the numbers 0 to 10 if you are working on different skills.

Number Order Activity

Right now the kids are working together to identify and order the numbers along the number line.

As they place the clothespins on the number line they are also working those fine motor muscles.

Learning Teen Numbers

We also play simple number games once they are done placing the numbers in order. For example, they might find the number that is 2 more than 11 or 1 less then 15. The video below shows some of the number sense activities that work well.

In the classroom I would have loved to have  a set of these for kids to use in small group or even whole group math activities. Kids could identify their answers on the number line so that I could check to see that everyone is engaged and monitor how everyone is doing. 

DIY Number Line

Continue working on number sense skills with our free printable domino math activity.

 

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Filed Under: Fine Motor, Kindergarten, Math Tagged With: numbers, teen numbers

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Comments

  1. Kim

    March 22, 2022 at 5:08 pm

    I like that it can be used for a right handed or left handed kiddo! No numbers, just dots. Easily adaptable for either hand!

    Reply
  2. Lisa Barshak

    November 5, 2016 at 11:25 am

    Love this idea!
    Question: How do you keep the marker from bleeding on the clothespins?

    Reply
    • Shaunna Evans

      November 30, 2016 at 5:07 pm

      Honestly…that’s a struggle! I do find that some clothespins seem to bleed less than others. I also find that the Sharpie Ultra Fine Point markers work very well for writing on clothespins. Here’s an affiliate link if you’re not familiar: http://amzn.to/2fMLuaF

      Reply
  3. Pam

    October 11, 2014 at 2:05 pm

    I am going to take your idea one step farther, I have a child in Special Ed that is now working on decimals and they are really confusing her. I am going to place a decimal on one of the pins and she will love working on this. Bonus, she is also in OT, so she will be working on two things at once. Thanks for the great idea!!

    Reply
    • Shaunna Evans

      October 26, 2014 at 7:08 am

      Excellent modification! I love it, Pam! I’ll have to remember it for when we get to decimals.

      Reply
  4. Emily

    July 27, 2014 at 12:32 am

    Great idea! I’m going to do this but from 0-10. I think on one side of the paint stick I will do it like you did. But on the other I’m going to write the numbers so she can just match them; then she can work her way up to doing it without the numbers on the paint stick.

    Reply
    • Shaunna Evans

      July 28, 2014 at 7:13 am

      Those are terrific adaptations for younger kids. Great idea!

      Reply
  5. Lisa

    March 31, 2014 at 9:49 pm

    This is a great idea and I am working on it at this moment. I have had great luck getting free paint sticks at WalMart for anyone who needs to know where to go!

    Reply
    • Shaunna Evans

      April 10, 2014 at 9:36 pm

      Great, thanks for the tip, Lisa!

      Reply
  6. Jennifer @ Generation ikid

    February 27, 2014 at 10:20 am

    Thanks for linking up with the Kids Co-Op party last week. I host it on Generation iKid as well as highlighted your post this week 🙂

    Jennifer @ Generation iKid

    Reply
  7. Jolanthe

    February 26, 2014 at 9:29 pm

    Great idea! It’s both fun and practical. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  8. Nicole

    February 26, 2014 at 7:35 pm

    This idea is adorable! I’m wishing for a kiddo that didn’t know all of his numbers yet! I think I just might have to adapt it for something…

    Reply
  9. Theres Just One Mommy

    February 26, 2014 at 10:06 am

    I love how simple this is and yet how professional looking! Bonus that they get to work on fine motor skills along with counting! Pinned!

    Reply
  10. Crystal @ Crystal's Tiny Treasures

    February 25, 2014 at 5:25 pm

    Neat idea! It’s times like this I miss the hardware shop ‘freebies’ of North America! I’ll be featuring you this week on Mom’s Library at Crystal’s Tiny Treasures.

    Reply
  11. Deceptively Educational

    February 23, 2014 at 9:45 pm

    This is SUCH a great idea and so easy to pull together! Thanks for sharing at the After School Linky Party!

    Reply
  12. Angela Meyer

    February 18, 2014 at 8:21 pm

    I love this idea and will definitely be trying it with my kiddos still struggling with the tricky teens.

    Reply
  13. Mary Catherine

    February 17, 2014 at 8:01 pm

    LOVE! What a wonderful way to reinforce those tricky teen numbers. 🙂 I’m going to be trying this out in the classroom soon! 🙂

    Reply
  14. Vanessa @Pre-K Pages

    February 17, 2014 at 7:59 pm

    Love this idea! Pinning and scheduled a post on my FB page too 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  15. Justyna

    February 17, 2014 at 5:48 pm

    That’s an amazing idea!!!! Thanks a lot for sharing!!!!!! Just love it!!!!!!

    Reply
  16. Eli@coachdaddy

    February 17, 2014 at 3:09 pm

    What an awesome idea. My youngest is 9, but all three of my girls would have loved working with something like this.

    Reply

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