Ten Frame Safari Activity
Math Lab • Numbers 1 to 10 Touch & Count
Ten-Frame Safari Mat
Explorer:
Date:
Safari Number Trail • Touch Each Number in Order 1 → 10
1
2
3
4
5
6 5 + 1
7 5 + 2
8 5 + 3
9 5 + 4
10 FULL!
Step 1: Pick a Card
Place Safari Card Here
Draw 1 card from Page 2 and set it down flat.
Step 2: Finger Check
Show the number on your fingers first.
Left Hand (1-5) Right Hand (6-10)
Step 3: Giant Ten-Frame
Put 1 counter in each box. Fill the top row first →
1 Object = 1 Box
1
2
3
4
5 (Full Row!)
6
7
8
9
10
Cardinality Rule: The last number you say tells how many counters you have in all!
Bonus Challenge: Snap-Cube Tower Track
Snap cubes together and line up to match the height!
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Safari Guide Prompts (Say Out Loud):
1. “Touch each one and count.” • 2. “How many are there in all?” • 3. “What happens if we add one more?”
1-to-1 Match
Cardinality
Safari Challenge Cards (1 to 10)
Cut along the dotted lines. Draw one card at a time and place it on your Safari Mat!
10 Action Cards
1 one
Lion Roar!
Place 1 counter on the mat.
2 two
Elephant Steps
Place 2 counters: 1, 2!
3 three
Jumping Frogs
Count 3 cubes in a row.
4 four
Cheetah Paws
Touch each: 1, 2, 3, 4!
5 five
High Five!
Fill the entire top row!
ROW FULL
6 six
Monkey Bananas
Fill 5 on top + 1 on bottom!
5 and 1 more
5 + 1
7 seven
Waterhole Splash
Build a tower of 7 cubes.
5 and 2 more
5 + 2
8 eight
Giraffe Spots
Fill 8 boxes. How many empty?
2 empty spaces!
5 + 3
9 nine
Safari Trees
Almost full! Only 1 box left!
1 away from 10!
5 + 4
10 ten
Grand Finale!
Every single box is full!
TEN IN ALL!
ALL 10!
Educator Mini-Guide: 3 Stages of Counting to 10 Pre-K / Kindergarten Scaffold
1. One-to-One Match
Ensure the child touches exactly one counter for each number word spoken. Do not let their finger move faster than their voice.
2. Cardinality Principle
After counting “1, 2, 3, 4”, ask: “So how many are there?” If they recount, prompt: “The last number tells us how many!”
3. 5-and-Some Structure
Help the child notice that 7 is just “a full row of 5 plus 2 more on the bottom.” This builds early mental math fluency.