Number Day (NSPCC) | EYFS & KS1 Activity Ideas

**Note: This page is for educational inspiration and is not officially affiliated with Number Day (NSPCC). For official information, dates, and to register your school, please visit the NSPCC website: HERE.

Understanding Number Day (NSPCC) in EYFS & KS1

Let's count our way to helping children! ➕➖ Number Day is an exciting annual fundraising event for schools across the UK, organised by the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children). It typically takes place in early February. The core purpose of Number Day is twofold: to make maths enjoyable and engaging for children of all ages and abilities, and simultaneously to raise vital funds to help the NSPCC protect children from abuse and neglect. Schools often celebrate by encouraging children and staff to dress up in numbers-themed outfits, engage in various maths challenges, and participate in fun, number-related games throughout the day.

For early years settings, nurseries, preschools, childminders, and Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms, this day provides a fantastic and practical theme for exploring mathematical concepts, numeracy skills, problem-solving, counting, and understanding patterns. Crucially, it also offers an opportunity to subtly introduce the concept of charity and helping others in an age-appropriate way. This day offers wonderful planning ideas and inspiration for engaging activities that truly resonate with young minds, making learning about mathematics both exciting and purposeful.

Why Is Celebrating Number Day Important for Young Children?

Number Day helps in fostering a positive attitude towards mathematics, developing foundational numeracy skills, and understanding the concept of making a difference.

• Making Maths Fun: Transforms maths from a potentially intimidating subject into an exciting and enjoyable experience, building a positive relationship with numbers.

• Developing Numeracy Skills: Provides a dedicated day to reinforce counting, number recognition, simple addition/subtraction, patterning, and problem-solving in engaging ways.

• Real-World Application: Shows children how numbers are all around us and how they are used in everyday life.

• Charity Awareness: Introduces the concept of helping others and raising money for a good cause (the NSPCC), fostering empathy and social responsibility.

• Engagement & Participation: Encourages active participation through themed dress-up and playful challenges, boosting confidence.

• Cross-Curricular Learning: Links maths to creative play, physical activity, and various themed contexts (e.g., animals, seasons).

Engaging Number Day Activities for EYFS & KS1 (0-7 Year Olds)

Make Number Day a truly exciting and mathematical adventure with these planning ideas and activities perfect for EYFS and KS1 children. The focus is on making numbers fun, active, and meaningful! Many of these early years and year 1 activities can be supported by our extensive 'Mathematics' and 'Counting' resources, as well as various themed number resources.

Here's some inspiration for counting, challenging, and celebrating on Number Day: (Please use your own discretion and knowledge of your children to ensure appropriateness of each activity and safety concerning any materials given and activity undertaken.)

• Number-Themed Dress-Up & Show and Tell: Encourage children to come dressed as a number, an item that incorporates number (e.g., a dice, a clock), or with numbers on their clothes. Have a "number show and tell" where they explain their outfit.

• Number Hunt: Hide numbers around the classroom or outdoor area for children to find and match.

• Counting Challenges:

  • Themed Counting: Integrate numbers into fun themes. For example, use 'UK Birds Number Slice Puzzles (1-5 & 1-10)', 'Pancake Number Recognition & Counting Multimats', 'Dinosaur Counting Puzzles 1-10', 'and 'Feed The Rabbit Playdough Counting Mats'.

  • Loose Parts/Playdough Counting: Use 'Teddy Bears' Picnic Playdough Mats - Number Challenge', 'Dinosaur Nest Playdough Counting/Number Mats', 'Animal Number Multimats - Playdough, Whiteboard & Pen Or Loose Parts' and 'Butterfly Multimat'.

• Number Games & Puzzles:

  • Play games that involve number recognition or simple operations. For example, use 'Feed The Dinosaurs Dice Game - Odd/Even & Carnivore/Herbivore'.

  • Work on puzzles like 'UK Birds Number Slice Puzzles (1-5 & 1-10) ' or 'Colour, Cut & Stick Dinosaur Number Slice Puzzles',

• Number Formation & Writing:

  • Practice writing numbers in various ways. Use 'Sand Play - Number Writing Cards', 'Number Formation With Pictures', 'Number Formation With Stars', 'Dinosaur Footprint Number Formation Mat', 'Spring Number Formation Mat'.

  • Use themed number lines such as 'Individual Number Lines (0-10 & 0-20) - Themes' or 'Individual Number Lines (0-10 & 0-20) - Colours'.

• Mathematical Challenges:

  • Set fun 'Maths Challenges' related to dinosaurs with 'Dinosaur Maths Challenge Cards - Cartoon'.

  • Explore shapes with 'Outdoor Maths - Shape Challenge Cards'.

  • Work on 'Missing Numbers - To And Across 100', '1 More 1 Less - To And Across 100', 'Missing Numbers - 10s (Forwards And Backwards)', 'Count In Tens - Practical Activity', and 'Count In Tens - Worksheets'.

• Subitising & Number Sense: Develop quick recognition of quantities with our themed Subitising resources.

• Data Handling: Introduce simple tallying and pictograms with 'Dinosaur Tally Chart/Check List' and 'Dinosaur Pictogram Chart', or 'Our Favourite Animals' Pictogram'.

• Role Play with Numbers: Incorporate numbers into role-play scenarios. 'Construction - Traffic Cone 0-20 Display Cards (A4)', 'Dinosaur Museum Dramatic Role Play Pack', 'Dinosaur Museum Trip Pack', 'Classroom Role-Play Pack', 'Santa's Workshop Dramatic Role Play Pack'.

• Everyday Maths: Look for numbers in daily routines. Use calendar templates or weather calendars like 'A4 'Today' Weather Calendar - Goldilocks Theme' and 'A4 'Today' Weather Calendar - Dinosaurs Theme'.

• Explore More: For an extensive collection of our number resources please visit our ‘Counting’ page or additional ‘Mathematics’ pages linked below!

These activities offer great inspiration for making Number Day (NSPCC) a memorable and impactful experience in your early years and Key Stage One setting, fostering a love for mathematics, strong numeracy skills, and an understanding of charity and helping others.

To explore ideas surrounding additional early years events, please visit our 'Special Dates Calendar' page.

Free Printable resources to support teaching & learning surrounding: ‘Number Day (NSPCC)’

A selection of our EYFS & KS1 ‘Mathematics’ resources

For an extensive collection of our number resources please visit our ‘Counting’ page or additional ‘Mathematics’ pages linked below.

Additional Pages you may like to explore which cover relevant &/or Connected themes

More Early Years Event Pages for February

Explore special dates (including awareness dates, festivals, celebrations & events) relevant to your EYFS & KS1 children

Browse our ‘Special Dates Calendar’ page using the link below. You’ll find calendars for every month of the year to aid your planning!

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Disclaimer:
This page is for educational purposes only and is intended to support early years and primary practitioners with ideas and resources related to 'Number Day (NSPCC)'. We are not officially affiliated with or endorsed by the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), which organises this event, other than providing their official website as a source of information about the initiative. We do not claim any rights to specific trademarks or official materials associated with this event. For official information, dates, and to register your school, please visit their website at www.nspcc.org.uk/what-we-do/events/number-day.