Odd and even numbers for kids in Sengkang can begin with a page of drawn bookmarks. Put the drawings into pairs: does every bookmark have a partner, or is one left over?
This guide connects pairing with whole-number division by two and the familiar final-digit pattern. Children can test small collections before explaining larger numbers.
Keep the activity playful and manageable. Drawings avoid the need for small loose counters, and a fictional family reading task gives the numbers a clear purpose without inventing a library programme.
EDUKATE SENGKANG · FAMILY LEARNING
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Read the full guide below, or return to the Sengkang neighbourhood guide.
Contents
Open the six-part guide
Draw eight bookmark symbols and circle them in pairs. There are four complete pairs and nothing left. Eight is even. Now draw nine: four complete pairs leave one unpaired, so nine is odd.
For this beginner activity, work with non-negative whole numbers. Ask the child to show the pairing rather than decide from whether the arrangement looks neat or the number sounds familiar.
Eight divided by two is four with no remainder. Nine divided by two gives four remainder one when forming whole pairs. The remainder distinguishes these two cases.
The same numbers can also be shared between two groups. Each group receives four from eight; nine leaves one after equal whole-item sharing. Explain which meaning of division the drawing uses.
Start with an even collection of eight. Add one drawing and it becomes odd. Add another and the two formerly unpaired drawings can form a new pair: ten is even.
Continue for several small numbers. The pattern alternates because each new single item either creates an unpaired item or completes a pair. Invite the child to explain that change in their own words.
In base-ten whole-number notation, numbers ending in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 are even. Those ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 are odd. For example, 24 is even and 27 is odd.
The tens can be paired completely, so the ones decide whether one remains. This explains why the last digit works, instead of presenting the digit list as an unrelated rule.
Zero is even: it leaves no unpaired item and equals 2 × 0. For a further example, combine five drawings and three drawings. Their two unpaired items form a pair, giving an even total of eight.
Ask whether two odd collections always combine to an even total. With non-negative whole numbers, each contributes one unpaired item, which together make a pair. Use the drawings to justify the claim.
Imagine thirteen title cards for a Sengkang family reading activity. Pairing produces six pairs and one spare. Fourteen cards would produce seven pairs. These are fictional counts, not library records.
North Vista Primary School emphasises mathematical reasoning. These independent family suggestions share that broad emphasis. Our Sengkang division-with-remainders guide offers a next step for explaining what leftovers mean in different questions.
Sources and further reading
North Vista Primary School: Mathematics
Reviewed 16 October 2026. This is an independent eduKateSengkang family-learning guide. The activities are editorial suggestions, rather than official school or agency programmes. Check linked sources for current information.
