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Math tip sheet

Addition strategies for kids

Six ways to add without counting every dot: count on, make a ten, doubles, turn around, split tens and ones, and columns.

Free, no sign-upPrints on one pageAges 5 to 8

Addition strategies

Ages 5 to 8

  1. 1Count on

    Start at the bigger number and count on. Don’t count the first number again.

    8 + 3: 9, 10, 11

  2. 2Make a ten

    Fill up to 10 first, then add what is left. Your bonds to 10 do the work.

    8 + 5 = 10 + 3 = 13

  3. 3Doubles and near doubles

    Learn the doubles. A near double is a double plus one.

    6 + 7 = 6 + 6 + 1 = 13

  4. 4Turn it around

    You can add in any order, so start with the bigger number.

    2 + 9 = 9 + 2 = 11

  5. 5Split tens and ones

    Add the tens, then the ones, then put them together.

    34 + 25 = 50 + 9 = 59

  6. 6Column addition

    Add the ones first. If they make 10 or more, carry the ten to the tens column.

    47 + 38 = 85

💡 Memory tip: Adding 9? Add 10 and take 1 away: 26 + 9 = 36 − 1 = 35.

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Practise it

Addition worksheetsAddition and subtraction worksheets1st grade math worksheets

Print the sheet for the fridge or the homework folder, and look at one idea a day. Kids learn a strategy best when they say it out loud while they use it: "8 and 2 make 10, and 3 more is 13."

More tip sheets

Number bonds to 10The pairs that make 10, shown with a rainbow, a ten-frame, fingers and part-whole circles.Subtraction strategiesSix ways to take away.How multiplication worksWhat times means, shown with equal groups, arrays, skip counting, turn-arounds, doubling and breaking a fact apart.Times table tricksA trick for every times table from 0 to 12, including the 9s on your fingers.How division worksSharing, grouping, thinking in times tables, jumping back, remainders and the four steps of long division.Printable multiplication chartA colorful times table chart from 1 to 10 (1 to 100), 1 to 12 or 1 to 20.

Questions parents and teachers ask

Which addition strategies do kids learn first?

Counting on from the bigger number comes first, around age 5 or 6. Then doubles, bonds to 10 and making a ten in 1st grade, splitting tens and ones in 2nd grade, and column addition with carrying in 2nd and 3rd grade.

Should my child still count on fingers?

Fingers are fine while a child learns. Strategies like make a ten and near doubles help them move to quicker mental math, so fingers become a backup instead of the only way.

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