Find and Color Ordinal Numbers Worksheet
Finding and coloring items based on their ordinal position, like the third balloon or the first star, teaches children ages 4-6 a different kind of counting than they may be used to. Ordinal numbers describe position in a sequence, first, second, third, rather than quantity, and this distinction is a genuinely tricky concept that takes deliberate practice to master, forming an important foundation for later math concepts like sequencing steps.
Part of the pack
Month 1: Learning & Development | Ages 4-5Curriculum
How to use this worksheet
Read the instruction aloud for each item, like 'color the second balloon,' and have your child count along the row to find the correct one before coloring. Encourage them to point to each item and count out loud, first, second, third, rather than guessing based on the item's appearance. Check their answer together before moving to the next instruction on the page. Work through each ordinal number instruction one at a time so the concept doesn't get muddled between rows.
Materials needed
- Pencil
- Crayons
Extension activities
- •Have a family race, like running or a board game, and talk about who finished first, second, and third.
- •Line up stuffed animals or toys in a row and ask your child to identify which one is third, fifth, and so on.
- •Read a book with a clear sequence of events and use ordinal words to describe what happened first, next, and last.
- •Play a simple board game and take turns, naming whose turn is first, second, and third.
- •Set up a small stair-step activity, like climbing steps, and count them as first step, second step, third step.
Tips for parents and teachers
Ordinal numbers genuinely confuse many children at this age because they sound similar to cardinal numbers but mean something different, position rather than quantity, so expect some mix-ups between 'the third one' and 'three of them.' If your child struggles, slow down and have them touch and count each item individually before identifying the ordinal position. Everyday moments like race finishes or turn-taking in games are some of the best natural practice for this concept.
Written by
Hemsweta Jain · Teacher Cheena
MBA and Early Childhood Educator, teaching since 2014 · Founder of RaisoActive, Mumbai
Every RaisoActive worksheet is designed and checked by the founder before publishing.
Published · Last reviewed
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