Building a Number Line With Tape

Masking tape or painter's tape

Paper squares for numbers

A marker

Floor space (about 10 feet of clear length)

Tape a long straight line on the floor with cross marks at even intervals. Write 0-10 on paper squares.

Stand at zero: "This is zero. We start here!"

Walk forward to 1: "One! We moved forward one number."

Walk and count to 10. Then count backward to 0.

Play "jump to": "Can you jump to 5?" Your child hops along the line.

Try adding: "Start at 3. Jump forward 2. Where did you land?" (5!)

Try subtracting: "Start at 7. Jump back 3. Where are you?" (4!)

Use painter's tape — it peels off cleanly without damaging floors.

Start with just 0-5 for younger children. Extend to 10 or even 20 as they're ready.

Leave the number line down for several days so your child can return to it.

Roll a die and jump that many spaces. Add a game element to the practice.

For older kids (5-6), extend to 0-20 and introduce skip counting: jump by 2s, then by 5s.