The Ultimate Hands On Partitioning Kit | Fine Motor Embedded

I spent far too long looking for the perfect partitioning resource that actually met the needs of my students in the changing curriculum and aligned to the newest research and evidence. Spoiler: I didn't find it.

That's why I created this resource: The ULTIMATE partitioning kit for Foundation level teachers.

If there’s one thing that makes the biggest difference to how students understand addition and subtraction later on, it’s how partitioning is taught from the very beginning.

Research consistently shows that children develop stronger number sense when they understand part–whole relationships and can physically manipulate numbers before working abstractly. Partitioning supports this by helping students see that numbers can be broken apart and recombined in multiple ways—an essential foundation for later arithmetic, problem-solving, and mental computation.

With this resource, you’ll have ready-to-go learning provocations that intentionally combine hands-on materials and fine motor development, allowing students to build, break, and rebuild numbers through meaningful, play-based experiences. You can expect hands-on partitioning resource to give students the concrete, meaningful experiences they need to truly understand how numbers work before moving on to formal addition and subtraction.

So, what's in the kit:

• 100+ pages of highly engaging, hands-on partitioning activities that are aligned to V9 of the Australian Curriculum
• Activities that intentionally embed fine motor skills, supporting hand strength and control alongside mathematical thinking in a fun and engaging way
• A wide range of quick set-up, common classroom material suggestions to use alongside this kit (including play dough, counters, pom poms and more) to support concrete learning
• A clickable navigation page so you can quickly find the activity you need
• Ideas for setting up each activity as a learning provocation or maths rotation
• A brief, teacher-friendly overview explaining why partitioning must come before addition and subtraction
• Activities designed to build conceptual understanding, not rote procedures, with varying supports to ensure you can differentiate and guide students as needed
• Perfect for Foundation, Early Years, and intervention in Year 1–2

Why Teachers Love This Resource

Partitioning is often rushed or skipped entirely. This resource slows things down intentionally, giving students time to experience numbers, not just calculate them. By embedding fine motor skills and play-based materials, students remain engaged while building the deep understanding required for future success in mathematics.

Are you a teacher who is...

• Tired of students jumping straight to counting strategies without understanding how numbers are made?
• Looking for alternatives to worksheets that still target explicit mathematical outcomes?
• Wanting activities that support neurodiverse learners through visuals, movement, and hands-on engagement?
• Trying to balance curriculum expectations with developmentally appropriate practice?
• Searching for low-prep activities that work independently in small groups or rotations?
• Looking for activities that intentionally embed fine motor activities into your curriculum?

If you nodded along to any of these, this resource was made for you.

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