Dot Hunter Game

Dot Hunter (1 to 20) Game The game introduces a double ten-frame system, allowing for numbers up to 20. This is an important stage for learners as it introduces the concept of “Teen Numbers” as “one full ten and some more.” Scroll down the page for a more detailed explanation.
 
Check out these other counting games:
Number Hunter (Listen & Recognize Numbers)
Dot Hunter (Count the dots)
Dot Hunter (Ten Frame)
Dot Hunter (Up to 20)
 

 

How to Play the Dot Hunter Game
The game will show a set of objects. Your task is to count them.
Here’s how to play:

1. When ready to play, click on “Start Hunting”.
   
2. Use the two Ten-Frames to help you count the dots on the card, then pick the right number.
   
3. If you choose the correct number, it will become green. If you choose the wrong number, it will become red and the correct card will become green.
   Your score is tracked at the top, showing how many you’ve gotten right out of the total you’ve tried.
   
4. Click “Exit to Menu” to restart the game.
    
   

Why Two Ten-Frames Help?
Using two ten-frames is a major shift in a learner’s mathematical thinking. It moves them from simply counting objects to understanding Place Value—the idea that the position of a digit represents its value.

Here is a detailed breakdown of how two ten-frames facilitate this transition:

1. Conceptualizing “Ten” as a Single Unit
   When a child uses a single ten-frame, they see ten individual dots. When they use two, and the first one is completely full, they begin to perceive that full frame as “one group of ten."
   The Milestone: This is called unitizing. Instead of seeing 10 ones, the brain starts to see 1 ten.
   Visual Reinforcement: The separate boxes make it clear that the first 10 is “closed” or “full,” and any new dots must start in a new container.
   
   
2. Decomposing the “Teens”
   Teen numbers (11–19) can be difficult because their names in English (like “eleven” or “thirteen”) don’t clearly describe their value. Two ten-frames provide a “map” for these numbers.
   The Structure: A learner sees that 14 is not just a random quantity; it is 10 + 4.
   The Numeral Connection: It explains why 14 is written with a “1” in the front. The “1” represents the one full frame, and the “4” represents the four extra dots.
   
   
3. “Counting On” vs. “Counting All”
   Without ten-frames, if you add 3 dots to a pile of 10, a beginner often starts back at 1 to find the total. Two ten-frames encourage Counting On.
   The Mental Shortcut: Because the first frame is structured and familiar, the child knows instantly it is 10. They don’t need to count it.
   Fluency: They can point to the first frame and say “10,” then just count the remaining: “…11, 12, 13.“4.
   
   
4. Anchoring to the Next Benchmark (20)
   Just as one ten-frame anchors a child to the number 10, two frames anchor them to 20.
   Spatial Reasoning: A learner can see 18 and realize it is “2 away from 20."
   Subtraction Prep: It makes the jump to 20 feel reachable because it’s just “two fives and two fives."
   
   Summary of Cognitive Benefits
   Full 1st Frame: Place Value (The “Tens” place)
   Partially Full 2nd Frame: Place Value (The “Ones” place)
   Empty Slots in 2nd Frame: Complements of 20 (e.g., 18 + 2 = 20)
   Two Full Frames: Skip-counting by 10s (10, 20)
   
   This video gives a clear, step-by-step approach to learn how to make teen numbers with ten frames.
   
   • Show Video
   
    
   

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