Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Number Bonds to 10 Worksheet for Year 1 (Free Printable)
- ForYear 1 (Free Printable)
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Number Bonds to 10 is a free printable worksheet for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6) in Key Stage 1. It has 18 questions in three steps, a challenge question and full answers. Children practise number bonds, adding and numbers to 10 with a pencil and some quiet thinking time.
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. The sheet is two A4 pages. Page 1 is for the child. Page 2 is for the grown-up. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children work through numbered questions, with space to write each answer. The 18 questions are arranged in three steps, so the practice builds gradually. At the end there is a challenge question for children who want to go further. The sheet gives short, focused practice with number bonds, adding and numbers to 10. Children can use counters or fingers to help them.
Why learn number bonds?
A number bond is a pair of numbers that add together to make a given total. Year 1 children learn the bonds to 10 first because 10 is a small, friendly number that they can picture, count and show on their fingers. Knowing these pairs by heart means children do not have to count from one every time they add.
The Year 1 maths curriculum for England asks children to represent and use number bonds and related subtraction facts within 20. The bonds to 10 are a strong base for that work. A child who knows how a number splits into two parts can add and subtract more quickly, and can check whether an answer makes sense.
Skills and curriculum link
- Number bonds
- Adding
- Numbers to 10
- Counting and checking
- Explaining your thinking
Ideas to help children with number bonds
- Use countersPut 10 counters on the table. Split them into two groups and count each group. Moving real objects makes the idea of two parts and one whole easy to see.
- Use fingersTen fingers make a handy tool. Hold up all ten, fold some down, then count the fingers that are up and the fingers that are down.
- Say it aloudSaying a whole number sentence out loud helps children hear the pattern. Encourage them to say the two parts and the total each time.
- Look for patternsOnce a few bonds are written down, ask what the children notice. Spotting that one part gets bigger as the other gets smaller builds real understanding.
Key words
- Number bondTwo numbers that go together to make a bigger number.
- AddPut two amounts together to find the total.
- TotalThe number you get when you add. It is also called the sum.
- PartOne of the two smaller numbers that make a whole number.
- WholeThe full amount, made from the parts put together.
- Partner numberThe number that goes with another number to make the total.
How to use it
- Print both pages on A4. Give page 1 to your child and keep page 2, which has the answers, for yourself.
- Do the first few questions together. Let your child say what they notice and how they might work it out.
- Offer 10 counters. Your child can split them into two groups and count each group to help with a question.
- Check the answers using page 2. Ask, "How did you know?" so your child explains their thinking, not only the answer.
- Come back to the sheet another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Use 10 counters. Split them into two groups and count each group. Move one counter at a time from one group to the other and see what changes. Say the two parts out loud and then say the total.
To stretch confident children
Try the challenge question at the end of the sheet. Then write three similar questions of your own for a friend to answer. Check your friend's answers together and talk about how you made your questions.
Make it a game
Play hide and find. Count out 10 counters. One player closes their eyes while the other hides some under a cup. The first player counts the counters they can see and says how many must be hiding.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child counts the starting number as the first count when counting on, so the answer is one out.
Try thisSay the start number, then count on with fingers. Only the new numbers get a finger.
Watch forA child writes an answer that is bigger than the total the question is aiming for.
Try thisAsk them to show it with counters. Can they see where there are too many? Count the whole group together.
Watch forA child has to count from one every time and finds it slow.
Try thisPractise with counters and fingers for a few questions. Say each pair aloud so the facts start to stick.
Talk about it
- How did you work that one out?
- Can you show me with counters?
- What do you notice about the numbers in the pairs you have found?
- Can you find another pair that does the same job?
- Which question felt easiest, and why?
- Where do we use adding in everyday life?
Take it off the page
Counter sharing
Take 10 small objects, such as buttons or pasta shapes. Share them between two bowls in different ways. Say the two amounts and the total each time.
Finger flash
Hold up some fingers behind your back and show them quickly. Your partner says how many fingers are down. Swap and play again.
Shopping count
Lay out 10 items from the fruit bowl or toy box. Split them into two groups, such as ones you like and ones you do not like. Count both groups and say what they make together.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first few questions, then let them lead. Keep it relaxed and short. If they get stuck, offer the counters before you offer the answer. Praise effort and thinking, not only correct answers.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives help and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups, and the curriculum link is stated at strand level.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider maths plan. It pairs well with counting games, books and everyday talk about numbers. Because it is free to print, you can use it again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later.
Where this fits in learning
Before this sheet, children count objects to 10, recognise numbers and learn that a number can be made from smaller parts. Practical work with counters and fingers is the best preparation.
After this sheet, children move on to number bonds within 20 and to related subtraction facts. In Year 2 they use these facts to add and subtract larger numbers. Secure bonds to 10 make all of that much easier.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Number Bonds to 10 for?
It is written for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6), in Key Stage 1. Children who are a little younger or older may enjoy it too, with support or a challenge as needed.
- What will children practise?
Children practise number bonds, adding and numbers to 10. The 18 questions come in three steps, and there is a challenge question at the end. Short, focused questions help the facts stick.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages on A4. Give page 1 to the child and keep page 2, which has every answer, for the adult. Use 10 counters to split into two groups and count each group when a question is tricky.
- What if it feels too hard?
Use 10 counters. Split them into two groups and count each group. Work through the questions together, one at a time, and stop when your child has had enough. Come back to it another day.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision.
- What is on page 2?
Page 2 is for the grown-up. It has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard, a stretch idea, and the answers.
- How long does it take?
There is no set time. Children work at their own pace, and you can stop and come back another day. Short, calm sessions suit this age well, and repeating the sheet later builds confidence.
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.