Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Pirate Coin Match-Up: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Pirate Coin Match Up is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7). Children add up piles of pirate coins to find each total in pence. Then they draw a line to match each pile to its total. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, 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, 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 each pile of pirate coins and add the coins together to find the total in pence. Then they draw a line from the pile to the total that matches it. They write and read amounts using the p symbol. Adding the biggest coins first and the small ones after helps them keep track. Saying each sum aloud makes the thinking easier to hear.
Worked example
A pirate has a 20p, two 10p coins, a 2p and a 1p. What is the total?
This pile is our own example. It shows two ways children can add coins.
Method 1: biggest coins first- Start with the biggest coin, 20p.
- Add the first 10p: 20p + 10p = 30p. Add the second 10p: 30p + 10p = 40p.
- Now add the small coins. 40p + 2p = 42p. Then 42p + 1p = 43p.
- Add the coins that are tens: 20p + 10p + 10p = 40p.
- Add the small coins: 2p + 1p = 3p.
- Put the two parts together: 40p + 3p = 43p.
Ways to build coin skills
Know the coins
Look at real coins together. Name each one and say what it is worth. Children add faster when they know the coins well.
Count in steps
Count in 10s and 5s out loud. Then count a row of 10p coins, or a row of 5p coins, using the same counting steps.
Say the p
Always say and write the unit. Say "thirty pence" and write 30p. This helps children see that the number tells us how many pence.
Why use pirate coins for money?
In the United Kingdom we use pounds and pence. The p symbol stands for pence, and 100 pence make one pound. Year 2 children learn to name coins, know their values and combine them to make an amount. Money is useful in daily life, so the maths has a clear purpose from the start.
Pirates and treasure give coin counting a story. A pile of pirate coins is more fun to add than a row of bare numbers. The story keeps children interested. Adding the big coins first and the small ones after is a strategy that works with real money in a shop too.
Fun facts about coins
- The letter p on a coin amount stands for pence.
- 100 pence make one pound.
- The 20p and 50p coins each have seven sides.
- The 1p and 2p coins are copper coloured.
- Coins in the UK show the head of the king or queen on one side.
Skills and curriculum link
- Adding coins
- Using the p symbol
- Counting in 5s and 10s
- Knowing coin values
- Checking totals
Ideas to help with money
- Big coins firstStarting with the biggest coins gives a large number to count on from. The small coins then add only a little each.
- Use steps of 10 and 5Coins worth 10p can be counted in 10s. Coins worth 5p can be counted in 5s. Counting in steps is quicker than counting one by one.
- Keep the unitEvery amount of money needs its unit. Writing p after the number reminds children that they are counting pence.
- Check by doing it twiceAdd the coins in a different order and see if the total is the same. Adding in any order gives the same total.
Key words
- CoinA small, flat piece of metal money.
- PenceThe small units of money in the UK. We write it as p.
- ValueHow much a coin is worth.
- TotalThe amount you get when you add everything together.
- AddPut amounts together to find the total.
- PoundA unit of money worth 100 pence.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for you.
- Read the instructions together. Look at the first pile of coins and name each coin before adding.
- Say each sum aloud. Add the biggest coins first, then the small ones. Draw a line to the total.
- Check against the notes on page 2. Ask, "How did you work that out?" The thinking matters as much as the matching.
- Come back another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Use real coins to make each pile, then count them together. Put the biggest coins down first and say the total each time you add one. Do one pile at a time and take a short break whenever your child needs one.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to find a different pile of coins that makes the same total, for example 35p. Then ask them to make a new total of their own and challenge a grown-up or friend to find a pile for it.
Make it a game
Take turns to make a pile with real coins and let the other player say the total. If the total is right, that player keeps the pile. When all the coins are used, the player with more piles wins.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child counts each coin as 1, so a 10p coin is counted as one.
Try thisHold up the coin and ask what it is worth. Say the value as you add, such as "ten, twenty, thirty".
Watch forA child adds the small coins first and loses track of the total.
Try thisStart with the biggest coin and add the others one at a time. Say the running total aloud each time.
Watch forA child writes the right number but forgets the p.
Try thisSay the whole amount aloud, such as "forty three pence", then write the number and the p together.
Talk about it
- Which coin is worth the most in your pile? How do you know?
- Why is it a good idea to add the biggest coins first?
- Can you make the same total with different coins?
- What do you notice about the coins that are worth 10p?
- Where do we use coins in real life?
- How could you check your total another way?
Take it off the page
Pirate shop
Set up a pretend shop with small toys and price labels in pence. Take turns to be the shopper and the pirate shopkeeper. Pay with real coins and say the total.
Treasure hunt
Hide a few real coins around a room. Children find them, make a pile and add the total. Swap places and hide them again.
Coin rubbings
Place a coin under paper and rub with a pencil to see its pattern. Label each rubbing with its value and the p symbol, then put them in order.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first pile, then let them lead. Real coins make the sums easier to see. Keep it light and stop when they have had enough.
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.
Home educators
Use it alongside real shopping, a pocket money jar or a pretend shop. It is free to print again for brothers and sisters, or to revisit a few weeks later.
Where this fits in
Before this, children learn to recognise coins and know their values. They also practise counting in 2s, 5s and 10s, and read and write numbers up to 100. These skills make adding coins much easier.
After this, children move on to finding change, comparing amounts of money and solving simple money word problems. They also use the pound symbol with amounts in pounds and pence. Adding coins well is a strong start for all of these.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Pirate Coin Match Up for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Younger children can try it with real coins and a grown-up, and older children can use the stretch idea for extra challenge.
- What will children practise?
Children add coins to find a total in pence and use the p symbol. This links to the Year 2 money aim of combining coins to make a value. They also practise counting in 5s and 10s.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. They say each sum aloud, add the biggest coins first, then the small ones, and draw a line to the total. Check using the notes on page 2.
- What if it feels too hard?
Use real coins to make each pile and count them together. Add the biggest coins first and say the running total aloud. Try one pile at a time and come back to the sheet 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 to revisit the activity a few weeks later.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It is a screen free printable that needs only paper and a pencil. That makes it useful for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Real coins are a helpful extra but not essential.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Colour is not needed, and printing in black and white saves ink.
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.