Count to 20: Ladybird Spots - Free KS1 Counting Worksheet

What this worksheet teaches

The core skill is one-to-one correspondence: touching or pointing to each spot exactly once while saying the number names in order. Children count each wing (3 and 3) and then the whole ladybird (6), which quietly shows that two parts make a whole. The second task asks them to count on: starting at 6 rather than 1, they say the next number each time they draw a spot until they reach 20, then work out that they drew 14. Counting on from a number other than 1 is a key Year 1 step, and drawing the spots gives a physical record they can re-count to check.

How to use it at home or in class

Encourage your child to touch each spot as they say its number, rather than counting by eye, which often leads to skipping or double-counting. For the count-on task, it helps to say the numbers aloud as each spot is drawn (‘seven, eight, nine…’) and to keep the new spots small so they fit. When they reach 20, ask them to count every spot from 1 to check the total, then count only the new spots to find 14. For an extra challenge, ask what one more or one fewer spot would give, which introduces counting forwards and backwards from any number.

Common counting errors to watch for

At this stage children commonly miscount in predictable ways: starting the count from 'two' instead of 'one', counting an object twice, or losing track in a crowded picture. They may also reverse digits when writing teen numbers — writing 'twelve' as 21, for example. None of these signal a problem; they are normal steps in learning. Modelling careful pointing, encouraging re-counting, and praising the process of checking rather than only the right answer all help these errors fade with practice.

Linking to the wider curriculum

Counting a set of objects accurately underpins almost all early number work, from place value to early addition and subtraction. Once children can reliably count to 20 and write the numerals, they are ready to compare quantities (‘which has more?’), order numbers, and begin counting in twos, fives and tens. Everyday counting helps too — steps on the stairs, peas on a plate, or spots on a real ladybird in the garden (UK ladybirds have anything from 2 to over 20 spots, depending on the species).

Frequently asked questions