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Missing Number Sentences: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 1
- ForYear 1
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Missing Number Sentences is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6). Children look at short addition and subtraction sentences and work out which number is hiding in the box. It takes about 10 minutes, needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
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, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children meet short number sentences where one number is missing and the box comes first. Some sentences add and one takes away. Each has a space to write the answer. Children read the sentence, think about what is already there and what is needed, then write the missing number. They can then put it back into the sentence to check it.
- __ + 2 = 5
- __ + 4 = 9
- __ + 1 = 6
- __ + 5 = 10
- __ + 3 = 7
- __ + 6 = 10
- __ - 2 = 3
- __ + 7 = 9
A worked example
__ + 12 = 20
This question is not on the sheet. It uses different numbers, and it shows two ways children can find a missing number.
Method 1: count on- Put 12 counters in a row, or say 12 and hold up a fist.
- Count on towards 20, one finger for each number: 13, 14, 15 and so on, until you say 20.
- Count the fingers you used. That is the missing number.
- Start with the total, 20, and take away the number you can see, 12.
- Count back or use counters to find what is left.
- Put your answer in the box and read the whole sentence aloud to check it makes 20.
Ways to build confidence
Use real objects
Hide some counters, buttons or blocks under a cup. Say how many there were to start and how many you can see. Children work out how many are hidden, then lift the cup to check.
Say the sentence as a story
Read the box as a number that is hiding. Say, "Some and 2 more makes 5." Turning symbols into words helps children see what is being asked.
Swap the sentence round
Show that the box can sit at the start or the end. Children see that addition works in both directions, which makes counting on easier to trust.
Always check
Teach one habit: put your answer in the box and read it again. If the sentence is true, the answer is right. If not, try again.
Why missing numbers matter
A missing number sentence is a normal number sentence with one number left out. The box stands for a number we do not know yet. The equals sign tells us that both sides must be the same amount. When children see this, they stop thinking of the sign as meaning "the answer comes next".
Finding a missing number is early algebraic thinking in a friendly form. It links addition and subtraction, because each can be used to check the other. It also builds number bonds, the pairs of numbers that make a total, which children use again and again as their maths grows.
Skills and curriculum link
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Number bonds
- Counting on
- Checking answers
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | Maths | Addition and subtraction | Year 1 |
What children will be able to do
- I can find the missing number in an addition sentence.
- I can find the missing number in a subtraction sentence.
- I can check my answer by putting it back in the sentence.
Ideas to help your child
- Equals means the sameBoth sides of an equals sign have the same value. Show this by balancing counters on two sides of a drawn line.
- Addition and subtraction are linkedIf you know one fact, you can often use it to find another. Adding can be undone by taking away.
- Counting on is a strong strategyStart at the number you can see. Count up to the total. The count is the missing number.
- Checking makes thinking visiblePutting the answer back in the sentence shows whether it works. Children learn to trust their own reasoning.
Key words
- Missing numberThe number we cannot see yet. The box stands for it.
- Number sentenceA sum written with numbers and signs, such as an addition with an equals sign.
- EqualsMeans the same amount as.
- Count onStart at one number and say the next numbers in order, to add.
- Take awayRemove an amount from a group to see what is left.
- Number bondTwo numbers that add together to make a total.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the first sentence aloud together. Say "box" for the missing number.
- Let your child choose how to work: fingers, counters, a drawing or counting on. Talk about each choice.
- Ask your child to put the answer back in the sentence and read it aloud. Then check against page 2.
- Come back to the sheet another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Use counters or fingers to count on to the total. Cover the box, say the number you can see, then count on until you reach the total. Count how many you added. Do the first few sentences together before trying alone.
To stretch confident children
Make up three missing number sentences for a partner. Include one that takes away. Write each with a box, then work out the answers yourself on a spare piece of paper so you can check your partner's work.
Make it a game
Write a number sentence on scrap paper. Cover one number with your thumb. Your partner guesses the hidden number, then you lift your thumb to check. Swap roles and take turns. Use a different sentence each time.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child adds the two numbers they can see and writes that in the box.
Try thisRead the sentence as a story. Ask, "What is the total? What do we already have? How many more do we need?"
Watch forWith a take away sentence, a child adds because the sign is hard to read.
Try thisPoint to the sign and say its name aloud. Use counters to take some away and see what is left.
Watch forA child guesses a number and moves on without checking.
Try thisTeach the habit of putting the answer into the box and reading the full sentence. If it is not true, try a new number.
Talk about it
- How did you work out the missing number?
- How could you check that your answer is right?
- Can you make up a missing number sentence for me?
- Which sentence felt easiest, and why?
- What did you do when you got stuck?
- Can you show me how you could do it with counters?
Take it off the page
Cup and counters
Put some counters under a cup and leave some outside. Say the total, and your child works out how many are hidden. Lift the cup to check.
Chalk number line
Draw a number line outside with chalk. Your child stands on a number and hops to a target. The number of hops is the missing number.
Toy tidy
Count a small group of toys. Hide some in a box. Say how many there were and ask how many are in the box.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first sentence, then let them lead. About 10 minutes is plenty. If they get stuck, offer counters or fingers. Praise the thinking, not only the answer.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups, and the checking habit is easy to model on the board.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider maths plan and pair it with counters, everyday objects and talk. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or return to it a few weeks later for revision.
Where this fits
Before this, children count forwards and backwards, learn number bonds and read simple addition and subtraction sentences. Missing number sentences bring these together by asking children to work out a part when the total is known.
After this, children meet missing numbers in other places in a sentence and with larger numbers. This prepares them for the Year 2 addition and subtraction strand, where they use number facts to work with bigger numbers.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- How did you work out the missing number?
- How could you check that your answer is right?
- Can you make up a missing number sentence for me?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Missing Number Sentences for?
It is written for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6), in Key Stage 1. Confident children in Reception may enjoy it with help, and Year 2 children can use it as a quick recap.
- What will children practise?
Children practise finding the missing number in simple addition and subtraction sentences. They use number bonds, counting on and checking by putting their answer back in the sentence.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 10 minutes. Work through the first sentences together, then let your child try on their own. You can stop and return to the sheet another day.
- What if it feels too hard?
Give them counters or let them use fingers to count on to the total. Cover the box, say the number you can see, and count up. Page 2 has more support ideas for the grown up.
- 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 a few weeks later.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time after school, rainy days and school holidays. Black and white printing is fine.
- Can teachers and home educators use it?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. Home educators and tutors can use it on its own or as part of a wider maths plan.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.