Missing Numbers Worksheet: Before, After, and Between!
This worksheet strengthens number sequencing by asking children to figure out which number comes before, after, or between two given numbers, rather than simply counting from one in order. For four- to six-year-olds, working with numbers 'out of context' like this builds a flexible mental number line, an essential foundation for later addition, subtraction, and skip counting.
Part of the pack
Month 3: Learning & Development | Ages 5-6
This is page 16 of the pack. Ages 5-6 · KindergartenAges 5-6 · Year 1Ages 5-6 · UKGAges 5-6
Made for your child
Counting to 10, made for your child
A maths pack with your child's name in it: pictures that explain, practice at three levels, puzzles and story sums about them. Print a new set whenever they finish.
Make a maths packFree preview · free for members
Curriculum
- Number Sense > Number Sequencing
How to use this worksheet
Look at the first set of numbers with your child and read them aloud, noticing the blank box. Ask whether the missing number needs to come 'before,' 'after,' or 'between' the numbers shown. Have your child count on their fingers or use a number line if needed to figure out the missing value, then write it into the box. Repeat for each row, checking together that the completed sequence counts correctly from start to finish.
Materials needed
- Pencil
- Eraser
Extension activities
- 1Have your child create their own 'missing number' puzzles for you to solve.
- 2Use blocks or counters to build physical number sequences with gaps for your child to fill in.
- 3Practice counting forward and backward starting from different numbers, not just from one.
- 4Make a number line on the floor with sticky notes and have your child hop to the missing number.
- 5Play a quick oral game: say two numbers and ask what number comes between them.
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
More from Month 3: Learning & Development | Ages 5-6
Parent's Guide: Fun Activities for Reading, Forces, and Movement!
Ages 3-5 · Preschool–Pre-KAges 3-5 · Nursery–ReceptionAges 3-5 · Nursery–LKGAges 3-5
This multi-part guide walks parents and children ages 3-5 through several linked activities in one sitting — practicing 3-letter words, arranging simple sentences, discussing cleanliness habits, and exploring forces and movement with magnets — giving a broad snapshot of early literacy and science skills in a single session. Covering reading and science side by side in one guide shows how everyday routines can double as learning moments.
Seasons and Weather Worksheet: Fill in the Blanks!
Ages 3-5 · Preschool–Pre-KAges 3-5 · Nursery–ReceptionAges 3-5 · Nursery–LKGAges 3-5
This worksheet builds early science vocabulary by asking children to fill in blanks connecting each of the four seasons to its typical weather, such as snow in winter or sunshine in summer. For three- to five-year-olds, tying weather words to the season they experience it in helps organize their everyday observations of the world into a simple, memorable framework.
Sight Word 'Get' Worksheet: Trace, Color, and Practice!
Ages 3-5 · Preschool–Pre-KAges 3-5 · Nursery–ReceptionAges 3-5 · Nursery–LKGAges 3-5
This multi-step worksheet builds deep familiarity with the sight word 'get' for children ages 3-5 through six different formats — tracing, coloring, sentence completion, circling, writing, and cut-and-paste spelling — giving far more repetition than a single tracing task would. High-frequency sight words like 'get' don't sound out easily, so this kind of repeated exposure across formats is exactly how early readers learn to recognize them instantly.
Number Name Word Search Worksheet for Kids
Ages 4-6 · Pre-K–KindergartenAges 4-6 · Reception–Year 1Ages 4-6 · LKG–UKGAges 4-6
This word search worksheet asks children ages 4-6 to visually scan a letter grid to find hidden number names, then match each found word to its numeral — combining spelling recognition, visual scanning, and number sense in one activity. Searching for whole words rather than single letters is a step up in difficulty that pushes early readers to recognize letter patterns quickly.
3-Letter Word Fun: Identify and Write! (Ages 3-5)
Ages 3-5 · Preschool–Pre-KAges 3-5 · Nursery–ReceptionAges 3-5 · Nursery–LKGAges 3-5
This worksheet asks children ages 3-5 to identify the beginning sound of a picture and use it to write a complete 3-letter word, moving them from single-letter sounds toward blending sounds into whole words — a key early step in phonics. The final task of writing five known 3-letter words independently also checks how much of this blending skill has transferred beyond the guided examples.
Golden Words Worksheet: Practice Using 'Excuse Me', 'Please', 'Thank You', and 'Sorry'
Ages 3-5 · Preschool–Pre-KAges 3-5 · Nursery–ReceptionAges 3-5 · Nursery–LKGAges 3-5
This worksheet teaches children ages 3-5 when and how to use four essential polite phrases — 'Excuse Me,' 'Please,' 'Thank You,' and 'Sorry' — by choosing the correct one to complete everyday social scenarios. Learning to match the right polite phrase to the right situation, rather than just memorizing the words, builds real social communication skills that children use constantly in daily interactions.
Number Names Matching Worksheet for Kids
Ages 4-6 · Pre-K–KindergartenAges 4-6 · Reception–Year 1Ages 4-6 · LKG–UKGAges 4-6
This worksheet helps children ages 4-6 connect written number words, like 'five' or 'nine,' to their numeral form by reading each word and circling the matching digit. Recognizing number names in text is a skill separate from counting objects, and it becomes important as soon as children start encountering numbers written out in books, signs, or math word problems.
Missing Numbers Worksheet: Before, Between, and After
Ages 4-6 · Pre-K–KindergartenAges 4-6 · Reception–Year 1Ages 4-6 · LKG–UKGAges 4-6
This worksheet asks children ages 4-6 to fill in missing numbers that come before, between, or after given numbers in a sequence, building a deeper understanding of number order than simple counting alone. Recognizing what number is missing from a sequence requires children to mentally hold the number line and reason about relative position, a skill that supports later addition and subtraction.
Related worksheets
Descending Order Snail Puzzle Worksheet for Preschoolers
Ages 3-5 · Preschool–Pre-KAges 3-5 · Nursery–ReceptionAges 3-5 · Nursery–LKGAges 3-5
Arranging cut-out puzzle pieces from the highest number down to the lowest asks children ages 3-5 to apply number order in the reverse direction from typical ascending counting, a genuinely different and more challenging skill than counting up. This descending-order practice deepens overall number sense, since children must compare values rather than just recite a memorized forward sequence. The reveal of a hidden picture once the pieces are correctly ordered adds a rewarding, motivating payoff to an otherwise abstract number task.
Sequencing Worksheet: Count, Write, and Paste Numbers!
Ages 4-6 · Pre-K–KindergartenAges 4-6 · Reception–Year 1Ages 4-6 · LKG–UKGAges 4-6
This worksheet combines three numeracy skills in one activity: counting a group of objects, writing the matching numeral, and then physically arranging number sets in the correct sequence. For four- to six-year-olds, connecting a quantity to its written symbol and then to its place in order builds the number sense that underlies later addition and subtraction work.
Before and After: Counting and Sequencing Worksheet
Ages 4-6 · Pre-K–KindergartenAges 4-6 · Reception–Year 1Ages 4-6 · LKG–UKGAges 4-6
Spinning a wheel to find the number that follows a given number, then writing it in the 'after' column, builds number sequencing skills for children ages 4-6 while the matching step connects the abstract number to a picture representation.
Missing Number Road Trip Worksheet for Kids
Ages 4-6 · Pre-K–KindergartenAges 4-6 · Reception–Year 1Ages 4-6 · LKG–UKGAges 4-6
Children ages 4-6 practice number sequencing by identifying which numbers are missing from a road of tomatoes, a skill that requires understanding what comes before and after a given number in counting order. This strengthens number recognition and prepares children to count confidently without needing to start from one every time.
Missing Numbers: Ice Cream Fun Worksheet for Kids
Ages 3-5 · Preschool–Pre-KAges 3-5 · Nursery–ReceptionAges 3-5 · Nursery–LKGAges 3-5
This worksheet helps children ages 3-5 practice number sequencing by identifying and writing in the missing numerals within a series of ice cream cones and cars, numbers 1 through 10. Filling in a gap within an otherwise familiar sequence requires children to hold the whole counting order in mind and recognize what number logically belongs in the empty spot, which is more demanding than counting forward from the start each time. The playful ice cream and car theme keeps the repeated number practice visually engaging.
Ascending Order Cut and Paste Worksheet for Preschoolers
Ages 4-6 · Pre-K–KindergartenAges 4-6 · Reception–Year 1Ages 4-6 · LKG–UKGAges 4-6
This worksheet teaches children ages 4-6 to arrange numbered animal pictures from smallest to largest, reinforcing the concept of ascending order as a foundational number-sequencing skill. Physically cutting and repositioning each numbered piece, rather than simply writing numbers in order, makes the abstract idea of 'smallest to largest' into something children can manipulate and see. This hands-on approach also builds patience and careful visual comparison.
Hopscotch Numbers 1-50 Worksheet: Fill in the Missing Numbers!
Ages 4-6 · Pre-K–KindergartenAges 4-6 · Reception–Year 1Ages 4-6 · LKG–UKGAges 4-6
This hopscotch-themed worksheet gives children ages 4-6 practice filling in missing numbers within the 1-50 range, extending their number sequencing beyond the more commonly rehearsed 1-20 range and building familiarity with two-digit number patterns like the '20s' or '30s.' Framing the numbers as a hopscotch grid connects the paper activity to a familiar physical game, helping children mentally picture themselves counting forward as they move up the grid. This kind of extended-range practice is an important bridge toward comfortable counting to 100.
Cupcake Number Sequencing Worksheet 1-30
Ages 4-6 · Pre-K–KindergartenAges 4-6 · Reception–Year 1Ages 4-6 · LKG–UKGAges 4-6
Children ages 4-6 practice number sequencing from 1 to 30 by cutting out numeral pieces and pasting them onto cupcakes in ascending order, reinforcing both number recognition and the logic of 'what comes next' in the counting sequence. This bridges the gap between counting by rote and truly understanding number order, an essential step before children can skip-count or do simple addition.
Guides for this topic
Number Formation Rhymes 0–9 and How to Fix Reversals
Original number formation rhymes for 0–9, the correct stroke order for each digit, why 3, 5 and 7 get reversed most often, and multisensory fixes that work.
Christmas and Winter Activities That Combine Fun and Learning: Creating Magical Educational Experiences
Discover Christmas and winter activities that combine festive fun with real learning. Crafts, counting, literacy, and printable worksheets for ages 2 to 8 — perfect for home and school.
Age-Appropriate Halloween Learning Activities: Balancing Spooks and Skills for Young Learners
Discover fun, age-appropriate Halloween learning activities for young children. Spooky crafts, counting games, literacy ideas, and printable worksheets for ages 2 to 8.
Reviews
Every worksheet for ages 4–6, no watermark
Members download the full library of 1,000+ worksheets and every activity pack without watermarks or daily limits. One year costs ₹999 in India or $20 elsewhere.
See membership plansOr download any worksheet free with a watermark (5 a day).