Maths Made Easy
Counting 1 to 20 for Kids: Numbers, Number Names & Before–After (Free Worksheet)
2026-11-10 · 3 min read
Counting 1 to 20 for Kids: Numbers, Number Names & Before–After (Free Worksheet)
How many fingers do you have on both hands? In this lesson, children count from 1 to 20 with pictures, learn that 11 to 19 are "ten and some more", read the number names eleven to twenty, and practise what comes before, after and between. They spot counting mistakes, try a Bean Counting activity at home, and finish with a 5-question quiz.
1. How Do We Count?
- Counting tells us how many things there are.
- Say the numbers in order: 1, 2, 3, 4…
- Touch each thing only once.
- The last number you say tells how many.
2. Count 1 to 5
- 1 – one
- 2 – two
- 3 – three
- 4 – four
- 5 – five
3. Count 6 to 10
- 6 – six
- 7 – seven
- 8 – eight
- 9 – nine
- 10 – ten
4. After 10: Ten and More
- After 10 comes 11.
- 11 means 10 and 1 more.
- Numbers 11 to 19 are all 10 and some more.
5. Count 11 to 15
- 11 – eleven
- 12 – twelve
- 13 – thirteen
- 14 – fourteen
- 15 – fifteen
6. Count 16 to 20
- 16 – sixteen
- 17 – seventeen
- 18 – eighteen
- 19 – nineteen
- 20 – twenty
7. Number Names 11 to 20
11 (eleven), 12 (twelve), 13 (thirteen), 14 (fourteen), 15 (fifteen), 16 (sixteen), 17 (seventeen), 18 (eighteen), 19 (nineteen), 20 (twenty)
8. Spot the Mistake
- ❌ Twelve is written 21. → ✅ Twelve is written 12.
- ❌ 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 → ✅ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
9. Your Turn
Ask your child these questions. Answers are in brackets.
- What comes after 9? (10)
- What comes before 15? (14)
- What is between 17 and 19? (18)
- What comes after 19? (20)
10. Activity: Bean Counting
You need: 20 beans or rajma, a bowl, a notebook.
- Write a number from 1 to 20 in your notebook.
- Count that many beans into the bowl.
- Touch each bean once as you count.
- Check: does the last number match?
- Try 5 different numbers!
11. Quick Recap
- Counting tells us how many.
- Say numbers in order and touch each thing once.
- The last number tells how many.
- 11 to 19 are 10 and some more.
- Twenty is written 20: two tens.
Free Worksheet
Download and print the worksheet (answer key included):
Counting 1 to 20 worksheet (PDF) →
Take the Online Test
22 questions with instant answers and explanations:
Start the Counting 1 to 20 online test →
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Counting 1 to 20 for Kids: Numbers, Number Names & Before–After (Free Worksheet) — FAQs
How do I teach my child to count correctly?
Ask your child to say the numbers in order and touch each object only once. The last number they say tells how many objects there are. Counting real things like beans, buttons or rotis works best.
Why are 11 to 19 called "ten and some more"?
Each number from 11 to 19 is made of one ten and some ones. For example, 14 is ten and four more, and 17 is ten and seven more. This idea prepares children for place value.
Why does my child write 12 as 21?
Young children often write teen numbers backwards because we say the ones part first in words like "fourteen". Remind them that the 1 for ten always comes first: twelve is 1 then 2.
What should my child learn after counting to 20?
Next, children learn numbers 21 to 100, counting in tens, and comparing numbers using bigger and smaller.