Next Whole Number to 20 Worksheet

Six-year-olds often know the counting song, but the written number sequence can still feel slippery. This worksheet asks them to look at a given number and choose the next whole number, with answers no higher than 20. It keeps the job simple, so the focus stays on counting order instead of long directions.

This is a good fit when a child can count forward through at least part of the teen numbers and is beginning to connect spoken numbers with written numerals. If numeral reading is still uneven, you can set this beside the Number Words to Numerals Worksheet on another day, since that practice helps children connect number names to the symbols they see.

The practice works by making your child start from one number, count forward one step, and choose the number that comes next. That small move matters. It supports accurate counting within 20, helps with before-and-after number language, and gives useful practice for later addition work, where counting on is a common strategy.

Sit nearby for the first few problems and ask, “What number comes after this one?” If they rush, have them touch the given number, say it out loud, then say the next number before choosing. When this feels easy, a helpful next step is the Tens and Ones Build Worksheet, which moves from counting order into seeing teen numbers as tens and ones.