Tens and Ones: How to Teach Place Value in First Grade

Quick answer

To teach tens and ones, give your child a pile of objects (like beans or blocks) and have them group them into tens. Once they see the groups, help them name the number (“2 tens and 5 ones is 25”) and write it in a place-value chart. Use the same routine every time: group, name, write. Most first graders need a few weeks of daily practice before the idea clicks.

Tens and ones is the very first step into place value, the system that makes our whole number system work. It’s the idea that a two-digit number like 34 isn’t just “thirty-four things” but rather 3 groups of ten and 4 leftover ones. Below is how to teach it in a way that sticks, along with the mistakes to watch for and hands-on activities you can do at home.

What are tens and ones?

Tens and ones is a way of breaking a number into groups. Any two-digit number has a tens place (how many groups of 10) and a ones place (how many are left over). For example:

23 = 2 tens and 3 ones
47 = 4 tens and 7 ones
60 = 6 tens and 0 ones

This maps directly to Common Core standard 1.NBT.B.2, which asks first graders to understand that the two digits of a two-digit number represent amounts of tens and ones.

How to teach tens and ones step by step

The key is to make tens and ones something your child can see and touch, not just a rule they memorize. Here’s the routine:

Step 1: Count out a number of objects

Start with a number between 10 and 30. Give your child that many beans, blocks, pennies, or craft sticks. Say “Count out 17.”

Step 2: Group them into tens

Once they’ve counted, say “Now make groups of 10.” Have them physically move 10 objects into a pile (or bundle 10 sticks with a rubber band). When they’re done, ask: “How many groups of 10 do you have? How many are left over?”

For 17, they’ll make 1 group of 10 and have 7 left over.

Step 3: Name the number using tens and ones

Say it together: “1 ten and 7 ones is 17.” Repeat this sentence every time. The rhythm of “X tens and Y ones is Z” is what makes the pattern stick.

Step 4: Write it in a place-value chart

Draw a simple two-column chart on paper, one column labeled “tens” and one labeled “ones.” Have your child write how many tens in the tens column (1) and how many ones in the ones column (7). That gives them the number 17.

Do this routine with 5 or 6 different numbers and your child will start to see the pattern.

The 3 mistakes kids make most (and how to fix them)

Fun ways to practice tens and ones at home

Practice works best when it’s quick, hands-on, and feels like a game. A few ideas:

Snack math: Count out goldfish crackers or cereal pieces, group them into tens, and eat the ones.
Penny jars: Keep a jar of pennies. Each day, count out a number, group them into tens, and trade 10 pennies for a dime.
Base-ten blocks or bundled sticks: If you have these, use them every day for a week. The child builds the number, then names it.
Number of the day: Pick a two-digit number each morning, have your child draw it with tens and ones, and say it out loud.
Place-value dice: Roll two dice. The first die is the tens, the second is the ones. Build that number with blocks.

Keep sessions to 5 or 10 minutes. Repetition is what builds fluency, not long lessons.

How to know your child has mastered tens and ones

Your child understands tens and ones when they can:

Look at a pile of objects, group them into tens, and name the number (“3 tens and 4 ones is 34”).
Write a two-digit number in a place-value chart without mixing up the columns.
Explain that 10 ones equal 1 ten.
Read a number like 56 and say “5 tens and 6 ones” without counting objects.

Once those feel solid, the natural next step is comparing two-digit numbers (which is bigger, 34 or 43?) and adding and subtracting within 100 using place value.

Free Place Value Practice Worksheet

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The easiest way to give your child practice

For most parents, the challenge isn’t teaching the idea. It’s finding enough of the right problems and keeping your child willing to practice. That’s where Octolearn helps: describe the skill (“tens and ones place value”), and it builds a grade-matched practice set with read-aloud support, countable emoji for early math, and a hint and a second try on every question. Kids earn stars and unlock animal buddies, so practice feels like play.

Frequently asked questions

What does tens and ones mean in first grade math?

Tens and ones is the idea that any two-digit number is made of groups of ten and leftover ones. For example, 23 means 2 tens (which is 20) and 3 ones. This is the foundation of place value, the system that lets us write and understand numbers bigger than 9. First graders learn this in Common Core standard 1.NBT.B.2.

How do I explain place value to a 6 year old?

Use real objects they can count and group. Give your child 23 beans or blocks and have them make piles of 10. Once they see 2 piles of 10 and 3 left over, say 'That's 2 tens and 3 ones, which makes 23.' The physical grouping is what makes the idea stick, because they can see that a ten is just 10 ones bundled together.

What is the easiest way to teach tens and ones at home?

Start with objects you already have: pennies, beans, craft sticks, or blocks. Have your child count out a number like 17, then group them into tens. Use a place-value chart (two columns labeled 'tens' and 'ones') so they see where each group belongs. Practice naming the number out loud: '1 ten and 7 ones is 17.' Do this with a few numbers each day and it will click fast.

Why do kids struggle with tens and ones?

The hardest part is that a digit's value changes depending on where it sits. In 34, the 3 means 30, but in 43 it means 3. Kids who haven't grouped objects into tens yet often think the 3 just means 'three things.' That's why hands-on practice with bundles or base-ten blocks matters so much in the beginning.

How long does it take a first grader to learn place value?

Most first graders need several weeks of regular practice to really own tens and ones. Expect the idea to feel shaky at first, then click suddenly once they've grouped enough objects. Keep sessions short (5 to 10 minutes), use the same language every time ('How many tens? How many ones?'), and let them touch and move the objects. Repetition is what builds fluency.