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Missing Numbers on a 100 Square: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Missing Numbers on a 100 Square is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7). Children fill in the gaps in pieces of a 100 square. They use patterns of ones and tens to work out which number belongs. It takes about 15 minutes, needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help, a stretch idea 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 look at short strips of numbers cut from a 100 square and find the one that is missing. They also answer position questions, such as what sits just to the right, left, above or below a given number. There is space to write each answer. A real 100 square can sit beside them as a helper. The aim is to spot the pattern, not to count from 1 every time.
- 23, 24, __, 26
- 41, __, 43, 44
- 57, 58, 59, __
- What is just right of 35?
- What is just below 42?
- What is just above 68?
- What is just left of 80?
- What is just below 79?
A worked example
What is just below 17?
This question uses numbers that are different from the ones on the sheet. It shows two ways to think about a position question.
Method 1: use the grid- Find 17 on a 100 square and put a finger on it.
- Move your finger down one row, straight down, without going left or right.
- Read the number your finger is on.
- Split 17 into 1 ten and 7 ones.
- Moving down one row means one more ten. The ones stay the same.
- 2 tens and 7 ones makes 27.
Ways to get ready
Look at a real 100 square
Spend a minute with a filled 100 square before starting. Ask your child to say what they notice about the numbers in one row, then in one column.
Count in tens together
Start at any single digit number and count on in tens, pointing to each square as you go. Ask which digit changes and which stays the same.
Cover a number
Put a small piece of paper over one square on a filled grid. Ask your child to say what is hidden and how they know.
Say the position words
Practise left, right, above and below with a finger on the grid. Take turns to give each other a number and a direction.
Why use a 100 square?
A 100 square is a grid of the numbers 1 to 100, set out in rows of ten. Seeing the numbers laid out like this helps children notice that numbers follow patterns. Moving along a row changes the number by one. Moving down a column changes it by ten. Children can use these patterns to work out numbers without counting from the start.
Missing number tasks ask children to reason, not just recite. To fill a gap, a child has to notice what comes before and after, or which row and column they are in. This links straight to place value, because the tens digit and the ones digit change in predictable ways. Saying the pattern aloud makes the idea stick.
Skills and curriculum link
- Number patterns
- Place value
- Counting on
- Reading a 100 square
- Position words
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 | Number and place value | Year 2 |
What children will be able to do
- I can use patterns of ones and tens on a 100 square.
- I can find the missing number.
- I can say how I know the number is right.
Ideas that help with a 100 square
- Along a rowNumbers in a row go up in ones as you read from left to right. Going back the other way, they go down in ones.
- Down a columnNumbers in a column change by the same amount each time you move one row. Look at the ones digit and see what stays the same.
- Tens and onesEvery two digit number has a tens digit and a ones digit. Looking at each digit separately can make a gap easier to fill.
- Position wordsLeft and right describe moving along a row. Above and below describe moving along a column. Point as you say each word.
Key words
- 100 squareA grid of the numbers 1 to 100, in rows of ten.
- RowA line of squares going across, from left to right.
- ColumnA line of squares going down.
- DigitOne of the symbols 0 to 9. The number 46 has two digits.
- Tens and onesThe two parts of a two digit number. 46 is 4 tens and 6 ones.
- Above and belowAbove means higher up the grid. Below means lower down the grid.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Look at a filled 100 square together first, or keep one nearby. Ask your child what patterns they can see.
- Read the first question aloud. Let your child say what they notice before they write anything.
- Check together using page 2. Ask, "How did you know?" The reasoning matters as much as the answer.
- Come back another day and try the questions that felt tricky again. Repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Give your child a filled 100 square and let them point to each answer. Ask them to put a finger on the number next to the gap, then move one square in the right direction. Say each number aloud as you move.
To stretch confident children
Make your own jigsaw piece for a friend. Choose a small block of squares from a 100 square, copy it out and leave some gaps. Then swap pieces and solve each other's. Try making one with more gaps than the sheet has.
Make it a game
Take a filled 100 square and cut it into pieces. Mix them up, then rebuild the grid together. Use the numbers and the patterns of ones and tens to decide where each piece goes. See how quickly you can finish.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child moves the wrong way and gives the number on the other side of the one they were asked about.
Try thisPractise left and right on the grid first. Write L and R lightly on the child's hands if it helps, and point before answering.
Watch forA child thinks moving down one row changes the number by only one.
Try thisCount down a column together, saying each number aloud. Ask which digit changes and by how much.
Watch forA child writes the digits the wrong way round, for example 13 instead of 31.
Try thisSay the number as tens and ones first. Ask, "How many tens?" and write that digit first.
Talk about it
- What patterns can you see in a row of the 100 square?
- What patterns can you see in a column?
- How do you know which number comes just before this one?
- What stays the same when you move straight down?
- Can you explain how you found the missing number without counting from 1?
- If you had to make a gap that is harder to fill, where would you put it?
Take it off the page
Chalk 100 square
Draw a big grid outside with chalk. Write some numbers in and leave gaps. Take turns to stand on a square and say the number next to it.
Number cards
Write numbers on small pieces of paper and lay them in a short row with one missing. Your child adds the missing card and explains why it fits.
Hundred hunt
Ask your child to find numbers on door numbers, buses, receipts or books. Together, say what comes just before and just after each one.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. About 15 minutes is plenty. If they get stuck, bring out a filled 100 square and ask them to point to the number next to the gap.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or homework after work on number patterns and place value. A filled 100 square on each table gives support, and the stretch idea on page 2 suits confident pupils.
Home educators
Pair the sheet with a counting game or a walk where you spot numbers. Print it again for brothers and sisters, or return to it a few weeks later to see how confident your child has become.
Where this fits
Before this, children count forwards and backwards in ones and tens, and begin to read and write numbers to 100. Using a 100 square is a natural next step because it shows those counting patterns in one picture.
After this, children can use the same ideas to compare and order two digit numbers, place them on number lines and add or subtract tens. Seeing how the digits change on the grid helps make those later skills feel familiar.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What happens to the number when you move down one row?
- How did you work out the missing number?
- What patterns can you spot in the columns?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Missing Numbers on a 100 Square for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Children who are still building confidence with numbers to 100 may also enjoy it with some help from a grown up.
- What will children practise?
Children use patterns of ones and tens to find missing numbers on a 100 square. They practise number patterns, place value and counting on, and they use position words such as left, right, above and below.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 15 minutes for one child. A real 100 square can sit beside them as a helper. Short sessions work well, and you can come back to it another day.
- What if it feels too hard?
Give your child a filled 100 square and let them point to each answer. Ask them to say the numbers around the gap aloud. Work through the first questions together, then let them try more alone.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision, so one download goes a long way.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 has help, a stretch idea and the answers for mixed ability groups.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. It is a screen free activity that needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits quiet time, rainy days and school holidays.
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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.