When I started teaching it was the first time I had heard of the term “number bond”. I was filled with fear at the prospect of teaching five year olds something that sounded complex. I needn’t have worried though as number bonds just involves straight forward addition or subtraction. A number bond is simply a pair of numbers that add up to another number. The number bonds to ten are 0+10, 1+9, 2+8, 3+7, 4+6 and 5+5.
Number bonds provide a mental picture of the relationship between two numbers which enables a child to do mental arithmetic. Children begin to see the patterns in numbers and learn mathematical principles rather than memorising each individual sum. For example 8 + 2 = 10 – a child who “knows” this number bond should be able to immediately fill in any one of these three numbers if it were missing without having to “work it out”.
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My favourite way to teaching number bonds to ten involves hearts – broken hearts to be precise. Our Love Heart Number Bonds to 10 are simple to make and can be used time and time again. The idea behind the activity is that the two numbers are in love. When they are by themselves they are broken and unhappy. When they find their number bond the hearts are happy and fit together. For example number 2 loves number 8 because together they make 10. You would be surprised how quickly the children picked this up as they found it funny. Number 5 spends his time in front of the mirror because he loves himself whereas number 10 doesn’t love anybody – zero.
To create our Love Heart Number Bonds to 10 I created ten heart shapes on red card by drawing around a heart shaped storage box lid
I also wanted to create a bead string so that Adam could have a visual of seeing the number bond. I made this by using a red pipe cleaner and threading on 10 red lacing beads
To play the game I placed the left hand side hearts on a heart shaped plate and the right hand side hearts onto the table. Adam picked up a heart from the plate and located that number of beads on the bead string. He counted the remaining beads and located that numbered heart from the table.
Finally he joined the two hearts to check that the two numbers were indeed a number bond to ten.
Adam is very confident with numbers and it didn’t take him long to notice a pattern.
Once all the love hearts were complete we discussed which patterns he could see and we played a quick fire game – “Who does number 4 love? 6”, “Who does number 3 love? 7” “Who does number 5 love? Himself”.
Our Love Heart Number Bonds to 10 activity fits nicely into our heart shaped tin purchased from Tiger Stores UK. Our Valentine Busy Bag will help reinforce Adam’s knowledge of number bonds to ten over time.
Visit these blogs to see more For the Love of Learning activities:
Matching Stickers Lacing Cards by Teach me Mommy
Valentine’s Day Cupcake Graphing by Life over C’s
Heart Number Bonds by Adventures of Adam
Melting Heart Experiment by Crafty kids at Home
Fine Motor Heart Garland by Powerful Mothering
Sticker Words by Rebecca Reid Homeschool
Melting Love Hearts by The Gingerbread House
Valentine Alphabet Match by The Kindergarten Connection
Valentine Playdough Mats by Kidz Activities
Lines of Symmetry Loving Hearts by Peakle Pie
Click on the links below for more Friendship and Valentine inspired Kindergarten fun!
Scratch Art cards by Castle View Academy
Q-tip hearts from Our Whimsical Days
Cardboard Hearts Hand Eye Coordination from Sugar Aunts
Kindergarten Valentine’s Day Activities from Something 2 Offer
Valentine’s Day Initial Sound Matching Activity by Play & Learn Everyday
Kindergarten Valentine’s Day Reading List and Story Extension by Crafty Mama in ME
Lovely Kindergarten Valentines Experiment by Thriving STEM
Heart Shaped Fairy Bread by Kidz Activities
Printable Valentine Coloring Book Pictures from Sight and Sound Reading
Couscous Hearts by Squiggles and Bubbles
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You’re right, number bonds sounds difficult, but is not. Especially when explained with this great idea of yours! Thanks!
Isn’t it funny how we can immediately be put off an idea simply by its name. Number bonds do sound so tricky.
Simple and effective plus it looks great fun too!. I think I will try this with Peakles at the weekend.
Hope they enjoyed it 🙂
Hope they enjoyed it 🙂
I love the string of beads that you included! Hands-on learning materials make things so much easier to understand!
The string of beads literally took seconds to make and can be used time and time again.
Well that is two new things I have learnt today. The term number bonds and that you are a teacher. A great hands on learning activity.
You can take the teacher out of the classroom but not the classroom out of the teacher 🙂
This looks perfect for my kindergartener. What a great way to build number sense.
Thank you. It is wonderful when they spot the pattern.
This is such a clever idea! In my kids’ school, they say “complements of 10″… I seem to like the term “number bonds” better 🙂 Having the counting beads as a guide is definitely a great idea.
Complements of ten is much nicer term! Shall use that from now on 🙂