Ten in the Bed

Overview

This 30-minute interactive session uses the nursery rhyme “10 in the Bed and the Little One Said Roll Over” to teach Reception children basic counting, number recognition, and simple subtraction. Activities are designed to engage 25 young learners, incorporating singing, visual aids, movement, and hands-on counting to develop mathematical understanding according to the National Curriculum for Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

---

National Curriculum Links

Mathematics: Early Learning Goals (ELG) - Number
By the end of Reception, children should:

• Have a deep understanding of number to 10 including the composition of each number.
• Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5.
• Verbally count beyond 20.
• Compare quantities up to 10 in different contexts.
• Understand that numbers can be composed and decomposed.
• Use the rhyme to explore simple counting back (subtraction).

Educational focus:

• Number sense and counting: Reciting numbers sequentially up to 10.
• Number recognition: Identifying numerals 1-10 using visual aids.
• Simple subtraction understanding: Taking one away from a group.

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session pupils will be able to:

• Count aloud from 10 down to 1 using the nursery rhyme as support.
• Recognise numerals 1–10 confidently through games and visual resources.
• Demonstrate simple subtraction by physically 'rolling over' one character at a time and recognising “one less.”
• Participate actively using speech, movement, and hands-on play.

---

Resources Needed

• Nursery rhyme audio or teacher to sing “10 in the Bed” aloud.
• 10 soft toys / teddy bears or laminated character cards representing the “little ones.”
• Large number cards from 1 to 10 (big, colourful, and bold).
• A soft play mat or carpeted space arranged like a bed.
• Visual number line (1 to 10) displayed on the wall or board.
• Finger/spot counters or coloured pebbles for individual counting practice.

---

Lesson Structure

1. Welcome and Introduction (5 mins)

• Gather children in a circle on the carpet in front of the “bed” mat with 10 soft toys lined up.
• Introduction: Explain we’re going to learn about counting and numbers with a fun rhyme about 10 friends in a bed.
• Show the number line and briefly point to numbers 1 to 10; ask if anyone can say some numbers aloud to warm up.

2. Sing and Visualise the Rhyme (7 mins)

• Teacher sings or plays the rhyme “10 in the Bed.”
• As each verse reduces the number by one, physically remove one toy from the “bed” and encourage children to count how many are left.
• Hold up corresponding number cards and ask children to shout out the number.
• Emphasise key phrases like “the little one said, roll over,” linking to the action.
• Encourage children to join in singing and count loudly.

3. Hands-On Subtraction Game (10 mins)

• Invite children one by one to come to the bed to “roll over” a teddy bear – this means taking one bear out and counting how many remain.
• Each child says the number remaining aloud, with teacher support as needed.
• Use number cards to visually match how many bears are left.
• Reinforce the subtraction idea: “We had 10, now 1 rolled over — how many are still in the bed?”
• In pairs or small groups, children use finger/spot counters to physically take away one each time while counting down from 10.

4. Movement and Number Recognition Activity (5 mins)

• Play “Number Roll-over”: place number cards on the floor spread out.
• Call out a number (e.g., 7), and children jump to that number.
• Then, ask a volunteer to jump back one number (6) to demonstrate subtracting one.
• Repeat with different numbers, linking movement to counting backward.

5. Plenary and Assessment (3 mins)

• Recap counting down from 10 by singing the rhyme as a class one final time.
• Ask quick fire questions: “How many are left?” “What happens when one more rolls over?”
• Observe children’s confidence in counting backwards and recognising numbers.
• Praise participation and encourage children to share what they learned about numbers and rolling over.

---

Differentiation

• Support: Use visual aids and count together slowly for children who struggle with numbers. Allow them to manipulate physical toys for better engagement.
• Challenge: Encourage confident children to count backwards without aids or try simple addition by asking, “If 2 roll back in, how many in bed now?”

---

Assessment Opportunities

• Observation of children’s ability to count down from 10 and recognise corresponding numerals.
• Informal questioning to assess understanding of subtraction as “taking one away.”
• Monitor participation during movement activities to gauge number recognition and verbal counting.

---

Extension Ideas (if time allows or for home learning)

• Create personalised number beds: children draw and add stickers to represent numbers up to 10.
• Use other number rhymes like “Five Little Ducks” to reinforce subtraction through familiar stories.
• Incorporate simple number sentence cards (e.g., 10 - 1 = 9) with pictorial support for early numeracy writing.

---

Teacher’s Notes

• Keep energy high and maintain pace to match young children’s attention spans.
• Use praise and positive reinforcement to build confidence in mathematical language.
• Allow children frequent chances to actively join in to embed learning through play, music, and movement.
• Link back to EYFS goals, preparing children with foundational number sense for Year 1 curriculum requirements.

---

This engaging, multi-sensory lesson makes foundational maths tangible and fun — helping young learners build strong early number skills through the magic of rhyme and play!