Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Doubling to 40 Worksheet for Year 1 (Free Printable)
- ForYear 1 (Free Printable)
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Doubling to 40 is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6). It has 18 questions in three steps, then a challenge question at the end. Children practise doubling with short, focused questions, and page 2 gives the grown up the answers, help ideas and a stretch task.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages on A4, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children work through 18 numbered questions in three steps, then finish with a challenge question. There is space beside each question to write an answer. The sheet is about doubling: finding the number you get when you put two equal groups together. Children can picture the groups, use counters or work it out in their head. The steps build up gradually, so children can find their feet before the challenge.
Build the idea with real objects
Two equal groups
Put counters, buttons or pasta shapes into two matching groups. Count one group, then count them all together. Children see that doubling means the same amount twice.
Ladybird spots
Draw a ladybird with the same number of spots on each wing. Count the spots on one wing, then on both. Swap papers and let a friend check.
Mirror pictures
Fold a sheet of paper and draw dots on one side only. Press the sheet flat, or copy the dots onto the other side, so both sides match. Count one side, then the whole picture.
Pairs of things
Gather pairs of socks, gloves or shoes. Count how many in one set, then count all of them together. Talk about why each pair is two of the same thing.
What does doubling mean?
To double a number is to make it twice as big. You can think of it as adding the number to itself, or as putting two equal groups together. Both ideas give the same result. In Year 1, children meet doubling through objects and pictures first, such as two matching groups of counters, before they are expected to remember doubles without help.
Doubling is one of the first steps towards multiplication. In Year 1, the National Curriculum asks children to solve one step problems involving multiplication and division, using concrete objects, pictorial representations and arrays. Knowing doubles also makes adding quicker, because many sums can be worked out from a double that a child already knows.
Skills and curriculum link
- Doubling
- Number facts
- Mental maths
- Equal groups
- Checking answers
Ideas that help with doubling
- Two equal groupsDoubling means two groups of the same size. If the groups are not equal, it is not a double.
- Adding to itselfA double is a number added to itself. Saying the sum out loud, such as a number plus the same number, helps children see what is happening.
- Even numbersEvery double is an even number. This is a handy way to check whether an answer is sensible.
- Counting in twosCounting in twos and doubling are close cousins. Both link to the idea of pairs, so practising one helps the other.
Key words
- DoubleTo make a number twice as big. You add the number to itself.
- Equal groupsGroups that all have the same number of things in them.
- TotalHow many there are altogether.
- Twice as manyTwo times the amount. Doubling gives you twice as many.
- Number factA fact about numbers that you learn so well you just know it.
- HalfOne of two equal parts. Halving is the opposite of doubling.
How to use it
- Print both pages on A4. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has every answer, for yourself.
- Work through the first questions together. Read each one aloud and talk about what doubling means.
- Let your child choose how to work: counters, fingers, a quick drawing or a number they just know.
- Check against the answers on page 2. Ask, "How did you work that out?" The thinking matters as much as the answer.
- Come back to it another day and try the challenge question. Repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Use two equal groups of counters. Make one group, then make a matching group beside it. Count them all to find the double. Say the numbers out loud as you touch each counter. Start with the first few questions and return to the rest later.
To stretch confident children
Try the challenge question at the end. Then write three similar questions of your own for a friend to answer. Swap papers, solve each other's questions and check the answers together. Explain how you worked out each one.
Make it a game
Race the clock. Set a timer for a time you choose and see how many questions you can get right. Check the answers on page 2. Next time, try to beat your own score. Praise improvement, not only speed.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child counts only one group and writes that as the answer.
Try thisMake two groups with counters. Count the first group, then keep counting through the second group to the end.
Watch forA child adds one more instead of doubling.
Try thisAsk, "Is that two equal groups?" Build the groups with counters so the child can see that the second group must match the first.
Watch forA child loses count when there are many counters.
Try thisMove each counter across as it is counted, or line them up in rows of ten. Counting in a tidy line makes mistakes easier to spot.
Talk about it
- What does double mean? Can you show me with counters?
- Where do you see doubles in the world, such as pairs of shoes or wheels on a bike?
- How did you work that one out? Did you count, draw or just know it?
- How could you check your answer a different way?
- What do you notice about your answers? Are they all even?
- Which question was trickiest, and what helped?
Take it off the page
Sock pairs
Sort clean socks into pairs. Count the pairs, then count all the socks. Talk about how the two numbers are linked.
Double dot dominoes
Draw dominoes with the same number of dots on each side. Count one side, then the whole domino. Make a set to use in a game.
Doubles hunt
Look around the house or garden for things that come in twos, such as eyes, hands and bike wheels. Count how many in one set and then in two sets.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first few questions, then let them lead. Keep sessions short and relaxed. If they get stuck, bring out counters or toys and make two equal groups together.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support, stretch and answers, so it suits mixed ability groups and supply cover.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider maths plan alongside practical counting and everyday talk. It can be printed again for brothers and sisters, or used for revision a few weeks later to see what has stuck.
Where doubling fits
Before doubling, children count objects, count in twos and tens, and add small numbers. They also learn that numbers are made of parts. Making two equal groups with objects is a good bridge into this work.
After doubling, children move on to halving, which is the opposite. They then meet multiplication more formally, and in Year 2 they work on the 2, 5 and 10 times tables. Secure doubles give those tables a strong start.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Doubling to 40 for?
It is written for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6), in Key Stage 1. Confident children in Reception may enjoy trying it with help, and Year 2 children can use it as quick revision.
- What will children practise?
Children practise doubling with short, focused questions. The sheet has 18 questions in three steps and a challenge question. It builds number facts and mental maths, and it links to equal groups.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages on A4. Give page 1 to your child and keep page 2, which has every answer, for yourself. Work through it together the first time. Use counters if your child needs them.
- What if it feels too hard?
Try two equal groups of counters. Make one group, make a matching group, then count them all. Start with just a few questions and come back to the rest on another day.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or for revision later in the year.
- Is Doubling to 40 suitable for teachers to use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support, stretch and answers.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Colour is not needed, so it is cheap to print for a whole class or for several children at home.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.