This is the third in our sequence of maths worksheets which look at the vocabulary used when asking questions. This week we are looking at addition. The four worksheets cover the following ways of asking addition questions:

9 add 3

add 3 to 9

9 plus 3

what is the sum of 9 and 3 ?

what is the total of 9 and 3 ?

how many are 9 and 3 altogether?

what two numbers could have a total of 12?

what must I add to 9 to make 12 ?

Wow! I never knew addition was so complicated, even for young children!

These pages can be found in our Superbrains section, under Addition

Go to our Addition questions

Maths is all about patterns and sequences and this is very apparent when playing maths games. A good example of this is a simplified version of the ancient game of Nim. It is straightforward to play but needs a definite strategy to ensure that you win! Can you work out the strategy?

This is just one of a growing number of printable games to be found in our Further Resources section, which is well worth a visit.

Game of Nim

Here are four great maths worksheets for those children who are confident with counting in ones and are ready to move on to counting up in tens from a teen number and then any 2-digit number.
Whilst the four pages concentrate on the same skill, they are all very different.
Don’t be surprised if your child uses fingers to help them with this. For example, counting on 3 tens from 21, many children will start at 21, hold one finger up for 31, 2 for 41 etc.

Go to our Worksheets on Counting On in Tens

Here we have a set of four maths worksheets suitable for Year 2. A series of number grids on addition test knowledge of the following skills:

adding whole tens

adding 9

adding 11

adding 2 2-digit numbers with no ‘carrying’

adding a single digit to a 2-digit number

It is well worth watching your child complete these as it will show which type of question they are confident with and which type they might need more practice with.

Year 2 addition number grids

Learning the correct terms to compare things is vital in the Early Years and one of the most important aspects of measurement. Here we have four more great maths worksheets on maths vocabulary for young children, looking at bigger and biggest. You can find these in our Shapes and Measures section. Pick out the biggest frog and find the bigger boot! Talk about the pictures and use the terms as often as possible around the home.
Of course bigger is a comparative word and is used when comparing just two objects, whilst biggest is used when there are more than two (superlative).

Go to our resources on Bigger and Biggest

This week we have a set of four addition worksheets with a difference. These are rather like wordsearches, but harder! Rather than letters of the alphabet there is a grid with 25 sums in it.

The task is to find a set of four sums in a row which all have the same answer. The row of 4 could be across, down or diagonally.

To make it even more challenging there are actually two rows of 4 to find. The two rows each rhave a different answer.

Addition: 4 in a row number search

It is important that children recognise that subtraction questions can be phrased in several different ways. These four worksheets use the following:

9 take away 4

take 4 from 9

9 subtract 4

subtract 4 from 9

what is 4 less than 9 ?

how many less is 4 than 9 ?

With these questions children sometimes become confused as to which number they are subtracting from and this can lead to problems later with written methods, so it is worthwhile spending time on these terms.

These worksheets can be found in the Superbrains section, under Subtraction.

Go to our Subtraction questions.

We all know adults who write numbers in weird and wonderful ways, which often makes the numbers difficult to read. It’s vital that your child learns the correct way to form his or her numbers, where to start, and in which direction to move the pencil.

There are only ten digits to learn to be able to write any whole number, so by the time they are up to 5 they are half way there. The number 5 starts at the top, moving from right to left before moving down and finally in a neat curve. Start by tracing over the grey number 5 with a finger, then use a thick crayon to draw over the number. Practise again and again using our other pages on writing the number 5.

There are also full sets of worksheets on each of the other numbers up to 9.

This is just one of a fantastic range of fun  maths activities which will quickly help your child become confident with number and enjoy their maths.

Go to our Resources on Writing Numbers as Digits

Circles, triangles, rectangles and hexagons can be bought in the shape shop. They are priced according to the number of sides. Circles cost 1p hexagons 6p etc.

What shapes can be bought for 20p?

A good challenge which uses knowledge of shape, counting money and logical thinking. There are a large number of possibilities with this and it is unlikely that all combinations that add up to 20p will be found. Nevertheless it is important to try and work in a logical way.

Shape and money challenge (2)

Plenty of pracice here on adding two 1-digit numbers. The grids are similar to times tables grids but adding the numbers rather than multiplying.

The numbers across the top are added to the numbers going down on the left hand side.

Could be used as a timed challenge, seeing how quickly a page can be correctly completed.

Year 1 Addition Number Grids