In this post, I’m going to show you how to teach children how to spell number words one to ten. My boys learned how to read number words by writing them first. 

*This post contains affiliate links.  For more information, see my disclosures here.*

Below, you will find the following:

• First, the strategic order of number words and tips for teaching each number word
• Second, 6 easy steps for learning how to write each number word
• Third, a really fun game to practice writing and spelling number words

A Strategic Order

First, I don’t teach children how to write the number words in order from one to ten. Alternatively, I teach the number words in this order and spend a week on each group (or more if necessary).

1. 3 letter words: ONE, TWO, SIX and TEN
2. 4 letter words: FOUR, FIVE, NINE
3. 5 letter words: THREE, SEVEN, EIGHT

CVC-Consonant-Vowel-Consonant

Typically, children learn to read English words using the CVC (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant) spelling patterns as in C-A-T (where the vowel is a short vowel sound). 

CVC-Silent E

Next, children learn CVC-Silent E. Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-Silent E where the vowel has a long sound as in the words CANE and CONE.

I teach the phrase, “Cover the E, say A, C-A-N, CANE!” “Cover the E, say O, C-O-N, CONE!

Knowing these spelling patterns can help the children learn how to spell the numbers words one to ten really quickly!

Now Tips to Teach Children How to Spell Number Words!

Now, let’s look at tips to teaching children how to spell these number words.

NUMBERS:  ONE, TWO, SIX and TEN

First, I teach SIX and TEN first because they are spelled the way that they sound: “T-E-N and S-I-X.” (CVC as mentioned above)

Next, I teach ONE.  I tell the students that ONE looks like it should read. “O-N-E” like in CONE, but in fact it reads like “WUN”.  We talk about how number ONE is silly because it’s spelled O-N-E like (long o) ONE. Kids usually get a kick out of how silly ONE is spelled and learn it by this joke.

Lastly, I teach TWO.  I tell the students that TWO has 3 letters-T-W-O.  We talk about how it’s not spelled the way it sounds and that it’s another silly English word.

Have your child or students complete these 6 easy steps for each number to learn how to spell it well!

Once a child has learned how to spell the 3-letter number words, ONE, TWO, SIX and TEN, I teach the number words that have 4 letters: FOUR, FIVE, NINE

NUMBERS: FOUR, FIVE, NINE

First, I teach the students that the number word FOUR has 4 letters-F-O-U-R.  F-O-R are the sounds that they hear.  They have to remember that there is a U.  Knowing that the number 4 has 4 letters helps them remember F-O-U-R.

Second, FIVE follows the silent e/long vowel rule: “Cover the E, say I, F-I-V, FIVE!”

Third, NINE follows the silent e/long vowel rule: “Cover the E, say I, N-I-N, NINE!

Have your child or students complete these 6 easy steps for each number to learn how to spell it well!

NUMBERS: THREE, SEVEN, EIGHT

I absolutely use the BINGO song for these numbers words!  First, I explain to the child that the number words for 3, 7 and 8 all have 5 letters.

After hearing the letters to each number word we sing the song like this:

There was a dog who had a number

His number was THREE

T-H-R-E-E, T-H-R-E-E, T-H-R-E-E

and THREE was his number.

I teach the students that THREE is basically spelled the way that it sounds:  TH-R-EE. 

Then, we sing the song!

Next, I teach them that SEVEN just has one vowel-E, S-E-V-E-N.  They usually want to write SEVIN with an I.  Knowing there are two vowels and they are both E helps.  Then, we sing the song!

Then, I teach them that EIGHT is just plain crazy!  And the kids laugh.  (Feel free to play crazy eights after learning how to spell 8!) I tell the students that there are 2 VOWELS, 2 silent CONSONANTS and the letter T that we actually hear!

EI—GH—T

E-I-G-H-T.  Then, we sing the song!

Print the Tips to Teach Children How to Spell Number Words

6 Easy Steps

Next, let’s get your kids writing number words 1-10 using these 6 easy steps! Children can use these 6 easy steps to learn how to spell any number word. For the sake of this post, I’ve focused on the numbers one to ten.

Here are the Steps to Writing Number Words!

Letter Tiles

1. First, write a number word on a piece of paper. Have the child spell the number word with letter tiles.

Writing

2. Second, have the child write the word on a piece of paper or a white board.

Unscramble and Spell-Letter Tiles

3. Third, scramble the word with letter tiles. Have the child arrange the letters to form the word. (This time they don’t have the written word to refer to like in the step 1.)

Unscramble and Write

4. Fourth, scramble the word on a whiteboard. Have the child write the word correctly.

Stickers

5. Fifth, have the child place the number of stickers, then write the number word.

Sight Word Sentences

6. Sixth, practice spelling these words by completing the sight word sentence:

I see one ______.

Each time the child writes the sentence, change the number one to two, six and ten. The last sentence would be, I see ten ____.

Then, for numbers FOUR, FIVE and NINE, use the sight word sentence:

I have four ____.

Students change the number four to five and nine each time they write the sentence. They can write whatever plural noun they want in the blank.

Last, for the numbers THREE, SEVEN and EIGHT, use the sight word sentence:

It has three ____.

Again, change the number three to seven and eight. Fill the blank in with any plural noun.

Describe a Monster

Finally, take it a step further and have the students create or draw a monster. Then, they write all the things that it has by repeating the sentence, “It has ____.”

My 6 1/2 year old drew the monster for this post. His 5 1/2 year old brother wrote the sentences.

Print the Steps!

Here are the 6 steps for you to print and use.Download

Practice Spelling Number Words Through Play!

Now, let’s play! Once students have learned how to spell all 10 words, they can play this number words game to practice them!

Spelling number words gets easier after playing this game. This game gives students an opportunity to practice writing number words one to ten.

Setting up the game:

First, write each word (one to ten) on the side of a whiteboard.

Second, draw a circle in the center of the whiteboard and divide it into 3 sections. Write the numbers 3, 4 and 5.

The Winner Spinner!

Third, hang the winner spinner*!

(If you haven’t read my full post on the winner spinner you won’t want to miss it!  It gives you a long list of game ideas that are so easy to run and super fun for the kids.  Check out the full post here.)

Now to play!

A child spins.  The child has to write all of the number words that have that many letters.

For example:

If the child spins the number 3, he/she writes: one, two, six and ten.

For the number 4, he/she writes: four, five and nine.

Lastly, if the child spins the number 5, he/she writes: three, seven and eight.

• The 1^st time the child spins the # 3, he/she writes the list of 3 letter words, then ERASES them!
• The 2^nd time the child spins the #3, he/she has to write the list of 3 letter words without looking.
• The 3^rd time the child spins the # 3, he/she has to verbally spell the 3 letter words without looking.
• Continue play until the child has spun each number 3 times OR the allotted time runs out!

Print the Instructions

Here are the instructions for you to print and use.

Short Video

Take this lesson a step further and play this short 3 minute video to teach children how to spell number words.