Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Numbers to 100 - Key Stage 1
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Numbers to 100 is a free printable maths worksheet for Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2, ages 5 to 7). Children fill in the missing numbers on a 100 square. Then they colour the even numbers blue and the odd numbers pink. All they need is a pencil, a blue colouring pencil and a pink one.
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 and give page 1 to your child. Page 2 is for the grown up. It has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
What is on the sheet
Children work with a 100 square, a grid of numbers in order. Some numbers are missing, so they fill them in by using the patterns around them. Then they colour. Even numbers are coloured blue and odd numbers are coloured pink. The colouring turns the grid into a picture of a pattern. It helps children see how odd and even numbers sit across the rows and down the columns.
Why use a 100 square?
A 100 square is a grid that shows the numbers from 1 to 100 in order. Because the numbers are laid out in a pattern, children can see how the counting system works. Numbers in the same column share the same last digit. Moving down a row changes the tens digit. Spotting these links helps children read, write and order two digit numbers with confidence.
Colouring odd and even numbers adds a second pattern on top of the first. Even numbers are those that can be shared into two equal groups with nothing left over. Odd numbers always have one left over. When children colour the grid, the pattern appears for them to see. That makes the idea easier to remember than a rule told by an adult.
Skills and curriculum link
- Reading numbers to 100
- Counting forwards
- Place value
- Spotting patterns
- Odd and even numbers
- Following instructions
Ideas that help with a 100 square
- Look around the gapCheck the numbers next to the empty box, above it and below it. Neighbours give strong clues about what is missing.
- Say the count aloudCounting in order from a number you know can help a child find the one that fits the gap. Saying it aloud keeps the order steady.
- Look at the last digitNumbers in the same column end in the same digit. Notice which digit the empty box should end in. Then think about the tens.
- Colour as you goCheck each number as you colour it. Ask whether it can be shared into two equal groups. Look for a pattern in the colours.
Key words
- DigitOne of the symbols used to write numbers. The number 47 has two digits, 4 and 7.
- Tens and onesThe two parts of a two digit number. The number 36 is 3 tens and 6 ones.
- EvenA number that can be shared into two equal groups with none left over.
- OddA number that cannot be shared into two equal groups. There is always one left over.
- RowA line of numbers going across the grid from side to side.
- ColumnA line of numbers going down the grid from top to bottom.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for notes, help and the stretch idea.
- Look at the 100 square together. Ask your child what they notice about how the numbers are arranged.
- Let your child fill in the missing numbers. Encourage them to look at the numbers beside, above and below each gap.
- Check the numbers, then colour. Use blue for even numbers and pink for odd numbers. Ask how they decide which colour to use.
- Look at the finished grid and talk about the colours. Ask what pattern they can see and why they think it happens.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start with a gap that has a number right beside it. Count on or back from that number. Say each number aloud and point as you go. For colouring, check the last digit of each number. Do one row at a time.
To stretch confident children
Cover three numbers on a finished 100 square with sticky notes. Ask a friend to work out what is hidden. Or ask whether the number 100 will be blue or pink, and explain your thinking using what you know about the pattern.
Make it a game
Play guess my number. One player picks a number on the 100 square and gives clues, such as even or odd, or its tens digit. The other player guesses. Swap roles. Try to find the number in as few clues as you can.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child puts numbers in the wrong order, such as swapping digits in a two digit number.
Try thisSay the number aloud and point to the tens digit first. Count along the row to check it fits between its neighbours.
Watch forA child colours a number by looking at the first digit rather than the last.
Try thisAsk them to share that many objects into two groups. Then show that the last digit tells you whether one is left over.
Watch forA child colours some numbers twice or misses some.
Try thisColour one row at a time and run a finger along the row afterwards to check that every box has a colour.
Talk about it
- What patterns can you see in the numbers on the 100 square?
- How did you work out which number was missing?
- What do you notice about the numbers in the same column?
- Why do you think the colours make stripes or a pattern?
- Is the number 50 odd or even? How do you know?
- What would happen if the grid carried on past 100?
Take it off the page
Number hunt
Write the numbers 1 to 20 on pieces of paper and hide them round a room. Find them, put them in order and say which are odd and which are even.
Pairs of socks
Take a pile of socks or small objects. Pair them up. If every one has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
Chalk 100 square
Draw a grid outdoors and write numbers in it with chalk. Jump to each number as a grown up calls it out. Try hopping on only the even numbers.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first few gaps, then let them lead. Ask how they know each number fits. Praise careful looking and clear explaining as much as correct answers.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary or a quiet independent task alongside work on counting and place value. Colouring gives a quick way to see who recognises odd and even numbers. It also works well for early finishers or cover.
Home educators
Use it as a gentle number activity within a home learning week. Pair it with real life counting, such as pairing socks or counting steps. Keep the pencils nearby so the colouring feels like a reward for the careful number work.
Where this fits in maths
Before this sheet, children learn to count objects, say numbers in order and read numbers to 20. They begin to notice that numbers follow a pattern, and that two digit numbers are made of tens and ones. Counting forwards and backwards from different starting numbers is a very useful warm up.
After this sheet, children can count in steps of 2, 5 and 10, compare and order numbers, and add and subtract using the 100 square. The idea of odd and even numbers leads on to sharing, doubling and halving, and later to times tables.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Numbers to 100 for?
It is made for Key Stage 1, which covers Years 1 and 2, ages 5 to 7. Younger children may need a grown up to help with the gaps. Older children can fill in the numbers on their own and explain the colour pattern.
- What do children need to do the sheet?
They need a pencil, a blue colouring pencil or crayon and a pink one. A rubber is useful for corrections. Print on plain white paper in black and white. The colouring is done by the child.
- Which parts of the National Curriculum for England does this link to?
It links to the number and place value strand, which covers counting, reading and ordering numbers to 100. Recognising odd and even numbers sits in the Year 2 multiplication and division strand, so the colouring links there too.
- How can I help if my child gets stuck on a missing number?
Point to the numbers beside, above or below the gap. Ask your child to count on or back from one they know. Say the numbers aloud together. Try the easier gaps first and come back to the harder ones.
- How do children know if a number is odd or even?
An even number can be shared into two equal groups with none left over. An odd number always has one left over. Children can also look at the last digit, which tells them which group a number belongs to.
- Can I use this sheet more than once?
Yes. Print a fresh copy and ask your child to try again another day. They can colour the grid in different colours, or use the blank copy for a game. Repeating a familiar task builds confidence and speed.
- Why colour odd and even numbers on a 100 square?
Colouring makes the pattern visible. Children see that colours repeat in a steady way across the grid. That helps them remember what odd and even mean and prepares them for counting in twos and for later work on multiples.
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.