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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Decimal Number Patterns – Differentiated Worksheets
Practise determining a pattern and next value in a numerical sequence of decimals to the hundredths place.
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The Case of the Missing Trophy Mystery (Odd and Even Properties)
Explore odd and even properties in multiplication sums with this fun and engaging mystery project.
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Odd and Even Numbers Under 20 Task Cards
Practise determining if groups of objects or sums are odd or even using this set of task cards.
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Odd or Even Under 20 Cut and Paste Worksheets
Review odd and even numbers with this set of two cut and paste worksheets.
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Roll and Colour Worksheet for Ten More, Ten Less
Use this interactive worksheet to help students practise finding the number that is 10 more and 10 less than a given number.
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Algebraic Expressions – Interactive Activity
Practise writing, reading and solving algebraic expressions with this set of interactive activities.
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Prime Factorisation Match-Up
Practise how to find the prime factorisation of a number with this match-up activity.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 1 - Elephant
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 5 - Dinosaur
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Finding Unknown Values Interactive Task Cards
Strengthen student understanding of finding unknown values with this interactive task card resource.
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Pattern Practice Interactive Activity
Support maths instruction with pattern practice interactive slides designed to help primary students recognise, copy and continue repeating patterns through engaging, low‑prep digital activities.
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Divisible by 2 Maze Worksheets
Help students practise determining if a number is divisible by 2 with this fun set of maze worksheets.
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Odd and Even Patterns in Multiplication Task Cards
Help your students discover patterns in odd and even numbers in multiplication sums with this set of task cards.
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Finding Patterns in Addition Charts (Odd and Even Numbers) Worksheet
Explore odd and even number patterns using an addition chart with your students.
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Even or Odd Kaboom Game
Practise odd and even identification with an exciting game of Kaboom!
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Odd or Even Tic-Tac-Toe Game
Practise identifying odd and even in simple numbers and sums with this fun Tic-Tac-Toe game
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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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Roll and Multiply Interactive Activity
Teach your students the multiplication strategy of repeated addition using this colourful interactive dice game!
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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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Decimal Patterns Maths Mazes
Find your way through this set of maths mazes by determining the addition or subtraction pattern in a sequence of decimal numbers.
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Missing Numbers in a Sequence – Task Cards
A set of 12 task cards to consolidate students' understanding of counting forwards and backwards by 1s.
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Guided Maths Groups – National Numeracy Learning Progression – Student Tracker
An individual student tracker for sub-elements of the National Numeracy Learning Progression.
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Guided Maths Groups – National Numeracy Learning Progression – Task Cards
A set of 32 task cards with activities for tracking student progress along the numeracy learning progression.
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Python Patterns – Match-Up Activity
An activity for students to consolidate copying and creating patterns.
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Number Pattern Worksheets - 1 to 20
An professor themed place value worksheet to use in the classroom when completing number patterns.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 2 - Frog
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Hundreds Board – Blank
A blank black and white hundreds chart that can be used for a variety of activities.
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Basic Algebra Symbols Poster
A poster with eight basic mathematics algebra symbols to display in your classroom.
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Skip Counting by 2s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 2s from 0 to 100.
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Counting to 30 Activity
Use this number activity to consolidate your students' knowledge of numbers 1-30.
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Counting to 20 Activity
Use this number activity to consolidate your students’ knowledge of numbers 1-20.
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Classroom Number Line to 100 - Including Factors
Help your students as they learn about number sense and factors with this Classroom Number Line to 100.
- Number Patterns Worksheets
- Number Patterns Games
- Number Patterns Posters
- Number Patterns Templates
- Number Patterns Teaching Presentations
- 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