year 1 maths problem solving activities

50 maths questions for year 1

Practise your maths skills with these 50 maths questions for year 1 , covering counting, addition, subtraction, place value, measurement, and geometry! Answers included.

Author Michelle Griczika

Published February 2024

Key takeaways

• In year 1, mastering counting and understanding the basics of addition and subtraction set the foundation for future mathematical concepts.
• Utilizing visual aids, like ten frames and shape recognition, can significantly aid in understanding numbers and geometric shapes.
• Consider using our maths app to supplement your child’s year 1 maths skills.

Table of contents

• Key Takeaways
• Addition and Subtraction
• Place Value
• Measurement

Get ready to take on 50 maths questions for year 1 ! These exercises are designed to help young learners develop essential maths skills while exploring counting , basic addition and subtraction , shape recognition, place value , and measurement in a fun and interactive way. 

We’ve put together 50 engaging year 1 math problems to prepare your young learner! These exercises cover five essential skills that every child needs to master before stepping into year 2. They include:

• Counting : a foundational skill introduced in kindergarten.
• Addition and Subtraction : which start to build numerical skills in year 1.
• Place Value: designed to set a strong foundation for the basis of our number system.
• Basic Measurements : introduced to help year 1 maths students understand size and comparisons.
• Shape Recognition : a key area designed to help students identify basic shapes.

From geometry problems to counting practice, we have a mixture of year 1 maths word problems for your child to practise at home. Once you are done, check your work with our answer sheet.

 Let’s dive in!

Section 1: Counting

Counting helps us understand numbers and how many things we have, like siblings or how many steps we take.

Section 2: Addition & Subtraction

Adding numbers helps us combine different amounts to find the sum , giving us the result of putting them together. Subtraction allows us to see the difference between two numbers by subtracting one value from another, helping us understand the remaining amount.

Section 3: Place Value

Ten frames show us the value of each digit in a number, helping us understand how they add up to make a bigger number.

1. Look at the ten frames. What number do you see?

2. Look at the ten frames. What number do you see?

3. Look at the ten frames. What number do you see?

4. Look at the ten frames. What number do you see?

5. Look at the ten frames. What number do you see?

6. Look at the ten frames. What number do you see?

7. Look at the ten frames. What number do you see?

8. Look at the ten frames. What number do you see?

9. Look at the ten frames. What number do you see?

10. Look at the ten frames. What number do you see?

Section 4: Measurement

When we measure things, we use the words’ bigger’ and ‘smaller’ to compare them and see which is larger or smaller in size, amount, or value.

1. Which polar bear is bigger?

2. Which snake is bigger?

3. Which Cat is bigger?

4. Which octopus is bigger?

5. Which penguin is bigger?

6. Which frog is smaller?

7. Which turtle is smaller?

8. Which Eagle is smaller?

9. Which Parrot is smaller?

10. Which leopard is smaller?

Section 5: Geometry

We can identify and name different shapes by looking at their features, such as the number of sides and how they are arranged.

1. Name the shape.

2. Name the shape.

3. Name the shape.

4. Name the shape.

5. Name the shape.

6. Name the shape.

7. Name the shape.

8. Name the shape.

9. Name the shape.

10. Name the shape.

Lesson credits

Michelle Griczika

Michelle Griczika is a seasoned educator and experienced freelance writer. Her years teaching coupled with her double certification in early childhood education lend depth to her understanding of diverse learning stages. Michelle enjoys running in her free time and undertaking home projects.

Parents, sign up for a DoodleMaths subscription and see your child become a maths wizard!

Place Value Answer Sheet

Measurement answer sheet, geometry answer sheet.

What we offer

Quick links

All rights reserved. 

Are you a parent, teacher or student?

Get started for free!

Maths information pack

We ask for your contact info so we can send our info pack directly to your inbox for your convenience, exam prep information pack, case studies information pack.

Book a chat with our team

I’m new to Doodle

My school is already using Doodle

Information pack

We ask for your contact info so that our education consultants can get in touch with you and let you know a bit more about doodle., student login, which programme would you like to use.

DoodleMaths

DoodleTables

DoodleEnglish

DoodleSpell

If you’d like to use Doodle’s browser version, please visit this page on a desktop.

To log in to Doodle on this device, you can do so through our apps. You can find out how to download them here:

Reasoning/Problem Solving Maths Worksheets for Year 1 (age 5-6)

Reasoning about number, sorting and counting.

To build on the work done in Early Years children need to sort groups in various ways before counting the objects within the groups.

Counting a variety of things.

Sorting and counting activities.

Sorting and counting activities (3)

How many flowers, balls etc can you see in the picture?

How many boats, trains, bikes and buses can you see in the picture?

Looking for similarities in groups of sorted objects.

Explaining the criteria for sorting into groups - there may be more than one possible answer.

Guess how many objects and then count to see how accurate you are!

Sorting a variety of fruit into groups.

Sorting a variety of objects into groups.

Explaining answers: counting forwards and backwards.

Making number sentences and using number cards

Children will be asked to find different ways of making numbers using addition and subtraction. Number cards are an excellent resource in the classroom for this type of activity.

Use number cards to find different ways of making 3.

How many ways can you make 4 using the cards shown?

How many ways can you make 5 using the numbers and signs?

Use number cards to find different ways of making 6.

How many ways can you make 8 using the numbers on the cards?

How many ways can you add 2 numbers to make 7?

Use cards to make numbers.

Use cards to make numbers, including zero.

Reasoning about money

Using coins is a great way to explore different ways of making amounts. The later pages on shopping require logical thinking and children should be able to explain verbally or on paper how they reached their answers.

How many ways can you pay 8p?

What coins could you use to buy the ragdoll?

What shapes can you buy for 10p? Costs according to the number of sides the shape has.

Solving 2-step problems with money up to 10p.

2-step money problems.

More shopping: 2-step problems with whole pounds.

Simple reasoning with small amounts of money.

Reasoning skills with small amounts of money.

Reasoning about addition and subtraction

Plenty of opportunity to select numbers and add and subtract to reach totals. Finding all the possible combinations can be an important part of these activities.

A first look at word problems needing addition or subtraction to solve.

More problem solving where addition or subtraction is needed.

Sharks know that there's more than one way to catch a fish. And there's usually lots of ways to make a total by adding two numbers.

'How many ways?' investigation using 7, 8 and 9.

How many different answers can you get?

Three darts to score on the board. Good adding up revision.

A little age problem.

Make subtraction sentences using the numbers around the hexagon.

Put the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 onto the grid so that both lines add up to the same total. How many ways?

Can you put the numbers in the circles so that each side of the triangle adds up to 9?

Pick three numbers from those shown and add them. How many different additions can you find?

Completing missing symbols in number sentences.

Completing number sentences using more and less than.

Completing simple number patterns.

More reasoning activities

More activities to challenge children’s reasoning and logical thinking. Plenty of, 'How many ways ....' activities.

Find how many cubes can be held in one hand and record data collected in a table.

How many different ways can the ice lolly be coloured, using just two colours?

How many different ways can you put the cubes in the boxes?

How many rectangles can be made?

How many ways can the 9 tiles be put together to make a square?

How many ways can I join 4 triangles to make other shapes?

Make four 2-digit numbers from just two 1-digit numbers.

Put the numbers into the grid so that there is always a difference of more than one.

Find and describe routes to the bus stop.

How many numbers can you make with 6 beads on the abacus?

How many different routes are there from head to tail? Great logical thinking challenge.

Fun counting challenge which encourages logical thinking.

Subscribe to our newsletter

The latest news, articles, and resources, sent to your inbox weekly.

© Copyright 2011 - 2024 Route One Network Ltd. - URBrainy.com 5.1

Or search by topic

Number and algebra

• The Number System and Place Value
• Calculations and Numerical Methods
• Fractions, Decimals, Percentages, Ratio and Proportion
• Properties of Numbers
• Patterns, Sequences and Structure
• Algebraic expressions, equations and formulae
• Coordinates, Functions and Graphs

Geometry and measure

• Angles, Polygons, and Geometrical Proof
• 3D Geometry, Shape and Space
• Measuring and calculating with units
• Transformations and constructions
• Pythagoras and Trigonometry
• Vectors and Matrices

Probability and statistics

• Handling, Processing and Representing Data
• Probability

Working mathematically

• Thinking mathematically
• Mathematical mindsets
• Cross-curricular contexts
• Physical and digital manipulatives

For younger learners

• Early Years Foundation Stage

Advanced mathematics

• Decision Mathematics and Combinatorics
• Advanced Probability and Statistics

Problem Solving

Problem Solving and the New Curriculum   Age 5 to 11

Developing a Classroom Culture That Supports a Problem-solving Approach to Mathematics   Age 5 to 11

Developing Excellence in Problem Solving with Young Learners   Age 5 to 11

Using NRICH Tasks to Develop Key Problem-solving Skills   Age 5 to 11

Trial and Improvement at KS1   Age 5 to 7

Trial and Improvement at KS2   Age 7 to 11

Working Systematically at KS1 - Primary Teachers   Age 5 to 7

Working Systematically at KS2 - Primary Teachers   Age 7 to 11

Number Patterns   Age 5 to 11

Working Backwards at KS1   Age 5 to 7

Working Backwards at KS2   Age 7 to 11

Reasoning   Age 5 to 11

Visualising at KS1 - Primary Teachers   Age 5 to 7

Visualising at KS2 - Primary Teachers   Age 7 to 11

Conjecturing and Generalising at KS1 - Primary Teachers   Age 5 to 7

Conjecturing and Generalising at KS2 - Primary Teachers   Age 7 to 11

• Mathematical Problem Solving in the Early Years
• Low Threshold High Ceiling - an Introduction
• What's All the Talking About?
• Group-worthy Tasks and Their Potential to Support Children to Develop Independent Problem-solving Skills
• Developing the Classroom Culture: Using the Dotty Six Activity as a Springboard for Investigation

• Home Learning
• Free Resources
• New Resources
• Free resources
• New resources
• Filter resources
• Childrens mental health
• Easter resources

Internet Explorer is out of date!

For greater security and performance, please consider updating to one of the following free browsers

Maths Resources & Worksheets >

Year 1 Resources and Worksheets

About these resources.

These Year 1 maths lessons for KS1 include teacher led IWB and PowerPoints, worksheets and activities for Year 1 primary teachers. There are lessons, worksheets and activities for each area of the curriculum. Our lessons are organised into blocks and steps to ensure full coverage for the National Curriculum in an order that builds and progresses across the year. Lessons are organised into blocks and steps to ensure full coverage to the National Curriculum in an order that builds and progresses across the year. Place Value, Addition and Subtraction, Shape, Length and Height, Weight and Volume, Multiplication and Division, Fractions, Position and Direction, Money, Time, Display and Consolidation resources.

Continuous Provision

Additional Supporting Step →

Maths Stem Sentences

Other maths resources, practical and written activities, spring maths year 1 addition & subtraction resources & worksheets, spring maths year 1 length & height resources & worksheets, spring maths year 1 place value resources & worksheets, spring maths year 1 weight & volume resources & worksheets, summer block 1 (multiplication and division), summer block 2 (fractions), summer block 3 (position and direction), summer block 4 (place value), summer block 5 (money), summer block 6 (time), year 1 autumn maths - addition and subtraction, year 1 autumn maths - place value 1, year 1 autumn maths - place value 2, year 1 autumn maths - shape, year 1 consolidation packs.

Subscription Level

National Curriculum Level

Topic/Skill

Filter by Keyword

Hours, Minutes and Seconds – Discussion Problem

This worksheet includes one discussion problem that can be used in pairs or in small groups to enable pupils to further their understanding of the concepts linked to understanding hours, minutes and seconds.

Hours, Minutes and Seconds – Teaching PowerPoint

These lesson slides guide pupils through the prior learning of before and after, before moving on to the main skill of Hours, Minutes and Seconds.

Hours, Minutes and Seconds – Extension

This worksheet includes a range of varied fluency and reasoning and problem solving questions for pupils to further extend and practise the main skill of recognising hours, minutes and seconds.

Months of the Year – Discussion Problem

This worksheet includes one discussion problem that can be used in pairs or in small groups to enable pupils to further their understanding of the concepts linked to recognising and ordering the months of the year.

Months of the Year – Teaching PowerPoint

These lesson slides guide pupils through the prior learning of the days of the week, before moving on to the main skill of learning the months of the year.

Months of the Year – Extension

This worksheet includes a range of varied fluency and reasoning and problem solving questions for pupils to further extend and practise the main skill of learning the months of the year.

Days of the Week – Discussion Problem

This worksheet includes one discussion problem that can be used in pairs or in small groups to enable pupils to further their understanding of the concepts linked to the days of the week.

Days of the Week – Teaching PowerPoint

These lesson slides guide pupils through the prior learning of sequencing events, before moving on to the main skill of recognising and ordering days of the week.

Days of the Week – Extension

This worksheet includes a range of varied fluency and reasoning and problem solving questions for pupils to further extend and practise the main skill of recognising and ordering the days of the week.

Unitising – Discussion Problem

This worksheet includes one discussion problem that can be used in pairs or in small groups to enable pupils to further their understanding of the concepts linked to unitising.

Unitising – Teaching PowerPoint

These lesson slides guide pupils through the prior learning of counting in 2s, before moving on to the main skill of unitising.

Unitising – Extension

This worksheet includes a range of varied fluency and reasoning and problem solving questions for pupils to further extend and practise the main skill of unitising.

Compare Numbers with the Same Number of Tens – Discussion Problem

This worksheet includes one discussion problem that can be used in pairs or in small groups to enable pupils to further their understanding of the concepts linked to comparing numbers with the same number of tens.

Year 1 Compare Numbers with the Same Number of Tens Teaching PPT

Download this Y1 Compare Numbers with the Same Number of Tens PPT to deepen your children's understanding of how to compare numbers using the ones digit.

Year 1 Compare Numbers with the Same Number of Tens Homework

Download this Y1 Compare Numbers with the Same Number of Tens worksheet today! It is a fabulous resource to embed children's learning at home or in class.

The Number Line to 100 – Discussion Problem

This worksheet includes one discussion problem that can be used in pairs or in small groups to enable pupils to further their understanding of the concepts linked to using a number line to 100.

The Number Line to 100 – Extension

This worksheet includes a range of varied fluency and reasoning and problem solving questions for pupils to further extend and practise the main skill of using a number line to 100.

The Number Line to 100 – Teaching PowerPoint

These lesson slides guide pupils through the prior learning of using number lines to 50, before moving on to the main skill of using number lines to 100.

Tens to 100 – Discussion Problem

This worksheet includes one discussion problem that can be used in pairs or in small groups to enable pupils to further their understanding of the concepts linked to recognising tens to 100.

Tens to 100 – Extension

This worksheet includes a range of varied fluency and reasoning and problem solving questions for pupils to further extend and practise the main skill of recognising tens to 100.

Tens to 100 – Teaching PowerPoint

These lesson slides guide pupils through the prior learning of counting by grouping in tens, before moving on to the main skill of counting tens to 100.

Year 1 Recognise a Quarter of an Object or a Shape Discussion Problem

This Y1 Recognise a Quarter of an Object or a Shape activity will get your class thinking deeply about how shapes can be split into quarters. Download now!

Year 1 Recognise a Quarter of an Object or a Shape Homework

Download this Y1 Recognise a Quarter of an Object or a Shape worksheet to send home with your children to help embed their learning. Give it a go!

Year 1 Recognise a Quarter of an Object or a Shape Teaching PPT

Download this Y1 Recognise a Quarter of an Object or a Shape slideshow to get your children familiar with the concept of a quarter. Try it today!

Stay in touch

01422 419608

[email protected]

Interested in getting weekly updates from us? Then sign up to our newsletter here!

Information

• Cookie Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions

Copyright: Classroom Secrets 2024

Company number: 8401067

VAT number: 248 8245 74

• Terms & Conditions

Designed by Classroom Secrets

• International
• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Year 1 Problem Solving Activity

Subject: Mathematics

Age range: 5-7

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

16 January 2023

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

Year 1 Mathematics Problem Solving Power Point presentation that is suitable for use as a carpet starter input. Includes question sheet for independent or group work linking to the powerpoint.

Creative Commons "Sharealike"

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have downloaded this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

Teacher-Trusted Tutoring

Personalised one to one tutoring that boosts confidence and doubles progress

FREE daily maths challenges

A new KS2 maths challenge every day. Perfect as lesson starters - no prep required!

24 Fun KS1 Maths Games And Activities To Play At Home And School

Emma Johnson

We’ve brought together 24 of the best KS1 maths games to give teachers and parents some new ideas on how to improve pupils’ numeracy in and out of school. 

At KS1, maths games, such as multiplication games , are a great way to motivate, engage and inspire children while still having fun. Children in key stage 1 are ready to start practising and developing a whole range of maths concepts and skills, particularly their fluency and strategic thinking. 

Inevitably, some people consider these sorts of educational games to be an ‘end of term’ or ‘filler’ activity in the classroom, when they are actually an excellent way of helping children learn basic number facts and explore fundamental number concepts at any time.

When searching for fun maths games on the internet, a large number of search results are often for digital online games. While these too have their place, they aren’t always practical to manage with a class of 30. 

In this blog, I will be introducing a range of non-digital games that are interactive in a different sense. While all these maths games are all suitable for primary school children in key stage 1, you’ll find, as with many maths activities, they aren’t restricted to one year group and can be easily adapted to suit children of different ages. They can also be adapted for use in small groups and learning interventions , as well as whole class environments.

Don’t forget to download the printable resources required for a few of the KS1 maths games.

KS1 Maths games printables

All the printable resources you'll need to complete these games

• 1. Number game: battleships
• 2. Number game: total of 10
• 3. Number bonds game: make 10 pyramids
• 4. Mental addition and subtraction game: bowling
• 5. Place value game: sorting and matching
• 7. Addition and subtraction game: grab 
• 8. Addition game: ‘pig’
• 9. Place value two digit number game: in the bucket
• 10. Addition maths game: skunk

11. Addition maths game: make 20

• 12. Maths fluency game: maths fact top it
• 13. Addition and subtraction game: guess my number
• 14. Shapes game: what shape am I?
• 15. Maths dice game: ten sided dice rounding game
• 16. Maths fractions game: snap
• 17. Addition war
• 18. Times tables game bang bang
• 19. Maths, paper, scissors
• 20. The yes / no mental maths game
• 21. Number bond bingo
• 22. Target 50
• 23. Addition turnover
• 24. Number 4 in a row

Maths games for year 1 

In year 1, children continue learning to count to 100, represent numbers in different ways and read and write numbers to 20. They are encouraged to learn their number bonds to 20, alongside the corresponding subtraction facts. Many of the games in year 1 are aimed at improving fluency and the learning of basic maths skills.

1.  Number game: battleships

In year 1, children need to be able to read and write numbers to 100. This is a great game for developing number sense and practising reading numbers.

What you will need to play:

• A hundred square (see downloadable resource pack)

How to play:

• Both players position themselves so they can’t see each other’s hundred square or number square .
• Each player places counters on the hundred square to represent 3 battleships (3 counters long, 4 counters long and 5 counters long).
• Players take it in turns to call out a number. If they hit a battleship, they take the counter. If they miss, the other player marks an x on that number on the hundred square.
• The winner is the first player to ‘sink’ all 3 battleships.

2.  Number game: total of 10

This is a simple KS1 maths game to help children practise their number bonds to 10 and number bonds to 20

• 1 or more players
• A pack of cards with the picture cards removed. Ace is worth 1.

• Shuffle the cards and lay out face up into 4 rows of 5 cards.
• The aim of the game is to remove all the cards from the table in sets of 2 or more cards which add up to 10. E.g. an 8 and a 2 could be removed and a 3, 5 and 2 could also be removed.
• The game can be played individually, with players trying to clear as much of the table as they can.
• If played with other players, take it in turns to remove cards. The winner is the person to have removed the most cards by the end of the game.
• The game can also be played using number bonds to 20, by finding cards which add up to 20.

3.  Number bonds game: make 10 pyramids

This is another fun KS1 maths game for practising number bonds to 10.

• 1 or 2 players.
• A pack of cards (with picture cards removed) Ace is worth 1

How to play :

• This game can be played individually or against another player.
• Shuffle the cards and set out in the shape of a pyramid, with 6 cards on the bottom, up to 1 card at the top. Make sure the cards are overlapping, as in the picture below.
• The aim of the game is to remove all the cards which make 10. This can be 10 on it’s own, or 2 cards which add up to 10.
• Only cards which aren’t covered by another card can be removed, so players have to start with the bottom row.
• If a pair of cards which add up to 10 can’t be made, the player takes a card from the pile at the side.
• If they still can’t make a pair, they put the card in the discard pile and take another card from the face down pile.
• If playing with another player, each person takes it in turns to try and make 10. If playing alone, keep on going until all the cards have been used.

4.  Mental addition and subtraction game: bowling

This is a fun, active way of practising subtraction using subitizing and mental addition.

• 2 or more players
• A set of 6 bottles (to act as skittles) with circle stickers set out in patterns.
• A tennis ball
• Paper and pen
• Set out the ‘skittles’ (water bottles)
• Children take it in turns to bowl their ball.
• They check the skittles that have been knocked over and add together the total on each skittle.
• If they are correct, they get to keep the score from the fallen skittles. This is recorded.
• The winner is the player with the most points at the end of the game.

5.  Place value game:  sorting and matching

In year 1, children need to be able to identify and represent numbers using objects and pictorial representations. This sorting and matching activity is a good way to practise this skill.

• Multi-link cubes
• Dienes base 10
• Using the multi-link cubes, children make stacks of varying sizes, from 1 to 10 cubes in length.
• Ask children to order the stacks of cubes from smallest to largest.
• Once this is complete, ask the child to turn away, mix up the stacks and add some Dienes base 10.
• Children need to match up the Dienes pieces with the corresponding stack of cubes.
• Children working at a different level can be extended further by sorting them into 2 groups – odd and even numbers.
• Paper and pen 
• Both players throw 2 dice and add the 2 numbers together. The player with the highest answer wins the round
• The winner is the first player to reach 10 points.
• The game can be adapted by using 10 sided dice, or by adding a third dice.

7.  Addition and subtraction game: grab 

In this KS1 maths game, children use concrete resources to practise their addition and subtraction skills. They also get to practise writing out number sentences.

• 2 bowls filled with cubes or other small objects
• Paper and pen.
• This game can be played individually or as a speed game against another player.
• Grab a handful of objects from each bowl, count how many in each pile and write out an addition or subtraction sentence (remind children that the largest number needs to go first if they are practising subtraction).
• If playing against another player. Both players take a handful, then race each other to write out the addition/subtraction number sentence. 

8.  Addition game: ‘pig’

This is a simple KS1 maths game for practising mental addition skills.

• The first player roles the dice and if the dice lands on a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 , they can either record the number and let the other player have a turn, or throw again to try and increase the total.
• The aim of the game is to be the first player to reach 100, by throwing a dice and adding to the total each time.
• If a 1 is thrown at any stage, the player loses all the points for that round and score zero.
• The game can also be played with 2 dice, with players adding the totals of both dice each time. If at any stage, they thow two ones, then not only do they lose any points from that round, but they lose all the points gained in the game so far.

Maths games for year 2

In year 2, children are expected to read and write numbers to 100 and recognise the place value of each digit in a 2-digit number. Children will continue to build upon the addition and subtraction skills gained in year 1 and build on their understanding of basic fractions. For our games in this section, we’ll be focusing on place value, basic addition/subtraction and simple fractions.

9.  Place value two digit number game: in the bucket

In year 2, children are expected to identify and recognise each digit in a 2-digit number. This game is great for helping children to understand place value.

• 2 or more players.
• 2 boxes or buckets
• A selection of 2-digit number cards from 10 to 99
• Player one takes a 2-digit number card
• The aim of the game is to use bean bags to make that 2-digit number.
• The 2 boxes/buckets represent the tens and the ones. Children need to try and get the correct number of beanbags into each box, to represent the tens and the ones.
• If the card selected has 54 on it, the player needs to attempt to get 5 bean bags in the ‘tens’ box and 4 bean bags in the ‘ones’ box.
• Players score a point if they get the bean bags into the correct boxes.
• This game can also be played as a relay race with 2 teams competing against each other.

This video shows an example of how this game can be played at KS2 for numbers greater than two digits. Please note that for KS1 this game would only require 2 buckets as you would only be working with 2-digit numbers.

10.  Addition maths game: skunk

This is another great KS1 maths game for practising addition skills, whilst getting children to think about the best strategy.

• Write the word skunk and separate each letter into a different column on a sheet of paper. Each letter of the word ‘skunk’ represents a different round of the game. 
• The first player rolls a pair of dice and works out the total of the two dice. The score is written in the S column. If they roll a one they score zero.
• Once they have their first score under the letter ‘S’, they have to make the decision to either stop and take that score as their score for the game, or roll again and hope they score even more to add to the first round score.
• If they roll a one in the second round, play stops and the player takes the score from the first round as their total for the game. The risk a player takes in moving on and throwing again, is if two ones are thrown, all the points for the game are wiped and the player scores zero. 

This KS1 maths game is great for practising addition of numbers up to 20. The speed element helps children work on their fluency.

• One or more players
• Post it notes with the numbers 0-20
• A large circle (this can be a hoop or a circle draw on paper)
• Put the circle in the middle and place the post-its around the outside.
• This is a speed game in which players need to match the pairs of post-it notes which equal 20 and stick them in the circle.
• Time the player to see how quickly they can make all the pairs. This is then either the target time for the other player, or their own target time, if they are playing alone.

12.  Maths fluency game: maths fact top it

This is another good KS1 maths game for building fluency of addition and subtraction facts. 

• A set of maths fact flash cards which you can create yourself based on children’s prior knowledge of addition or subtraction up to 20 Eg. 7 + 5, 9 + 6, 2 + 11
• Players divide up all the maths fact cards and hold in their hands. On the count of 3, each player throws down one card.
• The card with the highest total wins all the cards. If 2 players have the same answer, they play each other again.
• The winner is last player left in, once all the others have lost all their cards.

13.  Addition and subtraction game: guess my number

In this game, children use information available to them to work out their mystery number. This is a fun way to practise missing number addition and subtraction.

• 3 players – 2 playing and 1 leading
• A set of 1-10 digit cards
• Lay the 10 cards face down on the table.
• Each player selects a card and without looking at it, holds it to their forehead, so the other player can see it.
• The child chosen to lead the game calls out a statement about the 2 cards, such as ‘the 2 numbers added together equal…’ 
• Each child has to look at their partner’s card to work out what their own number must be.
• The winner is the first one to call out the correct number.

14.  Shapes game: what shape am I?

In year 2, children learn to identify and describe the properties of 2D shapes and 3D shapes. This game is good for practising this and can be played as either a 2D or a 3D shape game.

What you will need to play?

• Pictures of 2D or 3D shapes for children who need them.
• Each player chooses a shape and writes 5 statements about their shape. 
• The aim of the game is to be the person who asks the least number of questions to work out the other player’s shape.
• Players need to make their first statements vague, to encourage the other player to ask more questions. E.g. ‘My shape is 2D’, ‘my shape has 3 sides’, ‘my shape has 6 faces’ etc.. 
• After a player receives a statement on the mystery shape, they can choose to make a guess, or ask for another statement. If they guess correctly after the first statement, they get the full 5 points. If they guess after two statements, they get 4 points, and so on…
• If they make a guess and it is incorrect, they receive 0 points for that round.
• The aim of the game is to be the player with the most points at the end of the game.

15.  Maths dice game: ten sided dice rounding game

This simple Ks1 maths game helps children to understand the concept of rounding up and down.

• A 10-sided dice
• Players take it in turns to throw the 10-sided dice.
• One player has the rounding down numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 10 (which represents 0). The other player has the round up numbers 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
• Take it in turns to throw the dice. If it lands on one of the rounding down numbers, that player scores a point. If it lands on one of the rounding up numbers, the other player scores a point.

16.  Maths fractions game: snap

In year 2, children learn to recognise the fractions 1/3, 1/4, 1/2,  2/4 and 3/4. This game is a fun way of practising this.

• A set of fraction cards (see downloadable resource pack)

• Shuffle the cards and share out between the 2 players.
• Each player places their pile of cards face down on the table.
• Players take it in turns to turn over a card. If 2 consecutive cards have a matching fraction and picture, the first player to put their hand on the pile and shout ‘snap’ wins all the cards.
• Players then begin again. The winner is the last person to lose all their cards.

More useful year 2 resources: Year 2 Curriculum Toolkit

Mental maths games KS1 

Mental maths games are great for building fluency. Many of these games need minimal or no resources and are quick and easy to set up. They can be played at any point during the maths lesson, or as a filler activity at any point in the school day.

17.  Addition war

By the end of KS1, children should be able to use and recall addition and subtraction facts to 20. This game is a fun way of practising this skill, with the speed element enabling children to work on fluency.

• A set of playing cards with the picture cards removed (Ace is worth 1)

• Share between the 2 players, so they make 2 piles, face down on the table.
• At the same time, both players turn over a card from their pile and place it in the middle of the table.
• The aim of the game is to add both numbers together and be the first to call out the answer.
• The first person to call out the correct answer gets to keep the cards.
• The winner at the end of the game, is the person who has collected the most cards.

18.  Times tables game bang bang

This is a fun KS1 maths game for practising times tables (in this case the 5 times table). It can be adapted to suit other times tables or mental maths skills, such as addition and subtraction of numbers to 20 or number bonds to 10 or to 20.

• 2 players at a time, but a whole class game.
• 2 players stand at the front of the classroom back to back, cowboy shootout style.
• The teacher, or the game leader calls out a number. Players have to work out how many groups of 5 are needed to make that number. For example, if the teacher calls out ‘40’, the players need to call out 8 as there are 8 groups of 5s in 40; 8 x 5 = 40
• The first player to turn, face their opponent, shout ‘bang bang’ and give the answer wins the round.
• Another member of the class then comes out to the front as ‘the challenger’.
• The winner is the last person standing once time runs out. 

19.  Maths, paper, scissors

This is a KS1 maths game that requires no set-up and is great for building fluency with addition and subtraction facts.

• 2 players 
• Both players stand facing each other.
• Similar to the traditional game of ‘paper, scissors, stone’, players hold one hand out in front but this time call out ‘maths, paper, scissors’. On ‘scissors’, they hold out any number of fingers.
• Players then have to race to add together the number of fingers they are holding out to the number of fingers the other player is holding out.
• The winner is the first player to call out the total.
• This can be adapted by having both children using 2 hands, to make larger numbers. 
• The game can also be played as a subtraction game, subtracting the smallest from the biggest number.

20.  The yes / no mental maths game

This is another quick and easy KS1 maths game to set up and can again be played at any time, when there’s a spare few minutes. 

What you need to play:

• 2 or more players. 
• One player thinks of a number between 0 and 20.
• The aim for the other player (or the rest of the class, if playing as a whole class) is to ask questions to work out the number.
• The questions can only have the answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
• For example, the number could be ‘16’. Children can ask questions such as, ‘is it an even number?’, ‘is it greater than 10?’ ‘Is it less than 18?’ 
• The winner is the player to have worked out the mystery number with the fewest number of questions asked. 

21.  Number bond bingo

This is another fun KS1 mental maths game which gets children practising number bonds to 10 and to 20. It is a good game for playing as a whole class.

• 3 or more players (can be played as a whole class)
• A piece of paper and pen for each player
• Choose one person to be the leader of the game. In a whole class situation, this could be the teacher.
• Children write down 5 numbers (under 10 if practising number bonds to 10, or under 20 if pracising number bonds to 20)
• The leader of the game then calls out numbers (under 10 or under 20). 
• If a number is called out and players have the number which will make it a number bond to 10 or to 20, they cross out that number. E.g: If the teacher calls out ‘7’ and player with the number ‘3’ on their board can cross it out, or ‘13’ if they are playing number bonds to 20.
• The winner is the first person to cross out all their numbers and shout ‘bingo’ 

22.  Target 50

This is another KS1 mental maths game which is quick and easy to set up and great for practising addition fact fluency.

• 2 or more players (can be played as a whole class)
• A dice 
• Pen and paper
• Split the class into 2 teams
• The teacher rolls the dice (this can be a digital dice online) and team 1 adds up the numbers thrown. The teacher continues rolling until either a ‘1’ is thrown or until the teams tells them to ‘bank’ the total so far.
• The first team to reach 50 is the winning team.

More mental maths resources

• 33 Mental Maths Strategies Every Child Should Know
• Nail Your Number Facts
• What Are Number Bonds?

Problem solving games KS1 

Problem solving games are a great way for children to deepen their mathematical understanding. These games require children to think strategically and to approach problems in different ways. 

23.  Addition turnover

This KS1 maths game is great for developing addition skills, whilst encouraging children to think strategically.

• 1 or 2 players
• A pack of cards (2 – 10 cards only)
• This game can be played individually or against a partner.
• Shuffle the cards and lay 18 cards out in front, at 3 rows of 6.
• Throw 2 dice and add the numbers together.
• Turn over the playing cards to match the total on the dice. For example, if a 5 and 4 are thrown, the player needs to turn over cards which total 9. This could be 1 or more cards.
• The other player then does the same.
• The aim of the game is to be the player with the most cards once all the cards have been cleared.
• Players need to think tactically when playing, using the combination of cards which enables them to remove the most cards in one go.

24.  Number 4 in a row

This KS1 problem solving game enables children to practise their addition and subtraction skills and encourages them to think tactically, not only about their own counters but also about those of their partner’s

• A 6 by 6 grid containing the numbers 2 to 12 (see downloadable resource pack)

• The first player throws the 2 dice and adds the 2 numbers together. They then place a counter or colour in a square containing that number.
• The 2 nd  player does the same, placing a different coloured counter on the grid, or colouring in with a different colour.
• The aim of the game is to be the first player to cover 4 squares in a row (horizontally, vertically or diagonally).
• Children aren’t only thinking about how to make a line of 4 themselves. They also need to think about blocking the other player from making a row of 4.

Looking for more fun games to boost pupils’ learning? Look out for our top 25 maths games you can do at home, 26 KS2 maths games as well as our favourite times tables games and place value games .

Hopefully this blog has given you some ideas for games you could play in your classroom. Most are easy to adapt, to suit any age or the topic you are covering. Don’t just adapt the maths games yourself. Give children the opportunity to adapt and think up their own rules too.

Download your free KS1 Maths Games Printable Resource Pack here!

If you want to engage children more fully with maths, Third Space Learning’s online maths lessons provide one to one support that’s personalised to children’s needs. Tutors make lessons fun, and match the interests and previous maths experience of the child being taught.

DO YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO NEED MORE SUPPORT IN MATHS?

Every week Third Space Learning’s specialist school tutors support thousands of students across hundreds of schools with weekly online 1 to 1 maths lessons designed to plug gaps and boost progress.

Since 2013 these personalised one to one lessons have helped over 150,000 primary and secondary students become more confident, able mathematicians.

Learn how the tutoring integrates with your SEF and Ofsted planning or request a personalised quote for your school to speak to us about your school’s needs and how we can help.

Related articles

The Best Free Multiplication Games To Play At KS1 & KS2 For Classroom Engagement

9 Coronation Maths Activities For Schools: Coronation Fun For KS1 and KS2 

18 Brilliant Mental Maths Games To Build Number Fluency, Speed And Stamina In KS1 & KS2 

The 24 Best Free KS3 Maths Games For Engagement At School and Home

FREE 12 Maths Club Activities for Primary Schools (Years 1 to 6)

A collection of games and activities to make maths enjoyable in a primary school maths club!

Minimal resources are needed for each activity.

Privacy Overview

• Home   |  
• About   |  
• Contact Us   |  
• Privacy   |  
• Newsletter   |  
• Shop   |  
• 🔍 Search Site
• Easter Color By Number Sheets
• Printable Easter Dot to Dot
• Easter Worksheets for kids
• Kindergarten
• All Generated Sheets
• Place Value Generated Sheets
• Addition Generated Sheets
• Subtraction Generated Sheets
• Multiplication Generated Sheets
• Division Generated Sheets
• Money Generated Sheets
• Negative Numbers Generated Sheets
• Fraction Generated Sheets
• Place Value Zones
• Number Bonds
• Addition & Subtraction
• Times Tables
• Fraction & Percent Zones
• All Calculators
• Fraction Calculators
• Percent calculators
• Area & Volume Calculators
• Age Calculator
• Height Calculator
• Roman Numeral Calculator
• Coloring Pages
• Fun Math Sheets
• Math Puzzles
• Mental Math Sheets
• Online Times Tables
• Online Addition & Subtraction
• Math Grab Packs
• All Math Quizzes
• 1st Grade Quizzes
• 2nd Grade Quizzes
• 3rd Grade Quizzes
• 4th Grade Quizzes
• 5th Grade Quizzes
• 6th Grade Math Quizzes
• Place Value
• Rounding Numbers
• Comparing Numbers
• Number Lines
• Prime Numbers
• Negative Numbers
• Roman Numerals
• Subtraction
• Add & Subtract
• Multiplication
• Fraction Worksheets
• Learning Fractions
• Fraction Printables
• Percent Worksheets & Help
• All Geometry
• 2d Shapes Worksheets
• 3d Shapes Worksheets
• Shape Properties
• Geometry Cheat Sheets
• Printable Shapes
• Coordinates
• Measurement
• Math Conversion
• Statistics Worksheets
• Bar Graph Worksheets
• Venn Diagrams
• All Word Problems
• Finding all possibilities
• Logic Problems
• Ratio Word Problems
• All UK Maths Sheets
• Year 1 Maths Worksheets
• Year 2 Maths Worksheets
• Year 3 Maths Worksheets
• Year 4 Maths Worksheets
• Year 5 Maths Worksheets
• Year 6 Maths Worksheets
• All AU Maths Sheets
• Kindergarten Maths Australia
• Year 1 Maths Australia
• Year 2 Maths Australia
• Year 3 Maths Australia
• Year 4 Maths Australia
• Year 5 Maths Australia
• Meet the Sallies
• Certificates

Year 1 Maths Worksheets UK Hub Page

Welcome to our Year 1 Maths Worksheets hub page.

In our Year 1 area, you will find a wide range of free Year 1 Maths Activities and worksheets for your child to enjoy.

Take a look at our addition coloring pages, or maybe some of our shape worksheets. Perhaps you would prefer our kindergarten counting games, or our counting worksheets?

For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript.

Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser .

• This page contains links to other Math webpages where you will find a range of activities and resources.
• If you can't find what you are looking for, try searching the site using the Google search box at the top of each page.

Year 1 Maths Learning

Here are some of the key learning objectives for the end of Year 1:

• count to 100 forwards and backwards in ones
• read and write numbers to 100 in numerals
• find one more or one less
• compare numbers up to 100
• use ordinal numbers 1st, 2nd, 3rd, ...
• place missing numbers on a number line
• add and subtract single-digit numbers up to 10
• use number bonds and related subtraction facts within 10
• solve simple 1-step problems involving addition and subtraction to 10
• count in 10s
• add equal groups
• make arrays
• make equal groups by grouping and sharing
• recognise and find a half of shapes and sets of objects up to 20
• recognise and find a quarter of shapes and sets of objects up to 20
• measure and compare lengths
• measure and compare mass and capacity
• recognise coins and notes
• count coins in groups: 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p
• use language 'before' and 'after'
• learn days of the week and months of the year
• tell the time: o'clock and half-past
• compare times
• recognise and name 2D and 3D shapes
• describe position and turns

Please note:

Our site is mainly based around the US Elementary school math standards.

Though the links on this page are all designed primarily for students in the US, but they are also at the correct level and standard for UK students.

The main issue is that some of the spelling is different and this site uses US spelling.

Year 1 is generally equivalent to Kindergarten in the US.

On this page you will find link to our range of Year 1 maths worksheets.

Quicklinks to our resources ...

• Place Value Zone

Operations Zone

Geometry zone.

• Measurement Zone
• Fun Zone: games,dot-to-dot & coloring
• Year 1 Printables

Coronavirus Stay At Home Support

For those parents who have found themselves unexpectedly at home with the kids and need some emergency activities for them to do, we have started to develop some Maths Grab Packs for kids in the UK.

Each pack consists of at least 10 mixed math worksheets on a variety of topics to help you keep you child occupied and learning.

The idea behind them is that they can be used out-of-the-box for some quick maths activities for your child.

They are completely FREE - take a look!

• Free Maths Grabs Packs

Place Value, Counting & Number Sense Zone

Writing numbers.

These sheets will help your child learn to write and form the numbers from 1 to 20 correctly.

There is also a counting challenge on each sheet which involve shading the correct number of objects.

• Writing numbers 1 to 10
• Writing numbers 11 to 20

Count and Write Numbers to 10

The sheets here are counting sheets which involve counting animals and vehicles up to 10.

There is a selection of reference sheets for using in the classroom, or sending home to parents.

There are also some color-in sheets for counting and coloring up to 10 animals or vehicles.

These sheets are a perfect way to start kindergarten kids off with their learning.

• Numbers to 10 Counting and Coloring

Year 1 Counting Objects Worksheets

• Math Worksheets Kindergarten - Matching to 10
• Counting to 10 Worksheets
• Counting to 20 Worksheets
• Kindergarten Counting to 25
• Printable Counting Worksheets to 50
• Count to 100 by Ones
• Ordinal Number Worksheets

This page is all about ordinal numbers: first, second, third, etc.

There are a range of worksheets to help your child understanding how to use ordinal numbers.

Dot-to-Dot Worksheets

Here you will find a range of Kindergarten Dot-to-Dot Worksheets.

Using these sheets will help your child to:

• read numbers up to 60;
• count up to 60.
• Dot to Dot up to 10
• Dot to Dot up to 20
• Dot to Dot up to 30
• Dot to Dot up to 50
• Hard dot to dot 50+

Counting One More & One Less Worksheets

After your child has learnt to count objects up to 10 and write their numbers, they are ready to start counting one more and one less.

Most of the sheets focus on counting up to 10. There are also some worksheets that go up to 25.

• Counting One More Worksheets
• Counting One Less Worksheets

Year 1 Comparing Worksheets

These year 1 maths worksheets will help your child to compare and start to order different things.

• understand the concept of most, least, biggest, smallest;
• count up to 10 objects;
• compare a range of different objects;
• compare numbers up to 20.
• Comparing size and numbers up to 6
• Comparing Numbers Worksheets to 10

Year 1 Sequencing Worksheets

These year 1 maths worksheets will help your child learn to count on and back in ones, and put numbers up to 25 in the correct place in their sequence.

Useing these sheets will help you child to:

• recognise number, letter and picture patterns;
• count on and back in ones to 25;
• sequence numbers to 25.
• Patterns and Sequences
• Kindergarten Counting Worksheets - Sequences to 15
• Kindergarten Counting Worksheets -Sequencing to 25

Year 1 Number Worksheets

The following worksheets involve different Kindergarten Math activities such as counting, coloring and learning to write numbers.

• read and write numbers up to 25;
• compare numbers to 10.
• Kindergarten Number Worksheets
• Hundred Number Charts (100 Squares)

Top of Page

Year 1 Addition and Subtraction Worksheetss

Here you will find a range of Kindergarten Addition and Subtraction Worksheets.

The following worksheets involve adding and subtracting to 10.

• Addition Sentences to 10
• Addition Math Worksheets to 10
• Kindergarten Subtraction Worksheets (easier)
• Subtraction to 10 Worksheets (harder)
• Addition Subtraction to 5
• Addition Subtraction to 10 Coloring Sheets
• Addition and Subtraction Worksheets to 10

Kindergarten Shape Worksheets

These kindergarten math worksheets explore squares, rectangles, circles and triangles, and also matching identical shapes.

There are also some shape tracing worksheets to help your child learn to name 2d shapes and practice tracing them to improved their fine motor skills.

• Free Shape Worksheets Kindergarten
• Shape Tracing Worksheets

Measurement Zone, including Money

Year 1 measuring length sheets.

The Year 1 maths worksheets on this webpage are all about measuring length in inches and centimeters.

There are two different easy activities. The first activity is to write down the number on the ruler pointed to by an arrow. The second activity involves writing down the correct measurement for the length of a line - a ruler has been correctly positioned underneath.

• Measuring Length Worksheets for Kindergarten

Kindergarten Money Worksheets - Recognising coins

These Year 1 maths worksheets are all about recognising and counting coins: 1p, 2p, 5p and 10p.

• Free Counting Money Worksheets UK Coins

Year 1 Count and Graph Worksheets

These sheets involve counting the number of a given object and shading in a square for each one.

Count and graphing is great for developing systematic recording and also for recording data in a bar chart.

• Count and Graph Worksheets

Fun Zone: Puzzles, Games and Riddles

Year 1 counting games.

Here you will find a range of free printable Year 1 Math games to help your child with learning to count.

• Kindergarten Counting Games

Fun Year 1 Maths Activities

The activities include dot-to-dot and coloring pages. The activities have been designed to keep your child motivated and engaged whilst learning their Math facts at the same time.

• count up to 25;
• understand place value to 25.
• Kindergarten Math Activities
• Math Coloring Pages

Year 1 Math Printables

The resources on this page have all been specially designed for Kindergarten kids to use as visual aids or table top support pages.

There are a wide variety of printables including number lines, number squares and math mats.

• Kindergarten Maths Printables

Other UK Maths Worksheet pages

See below for our other maths worksheets hub pages designed for children in the UK.

How to Print or Save these sheets 🖶

Need help with printing or saving? Follow these 3 steps to get your worksheets printed perfectly!

• How to Print support

Subscribe to Math Salamanders News

Sign up for our newsletter and get free math support delivered to your inbox each month. Free seasonal math grab pack included.

• Newsletter Signup

Return to Math Salamanders UK Home Page

Return from Year 1 Maths Worksheets to Math Salamanders Home Page

Math-Salamanders.com

The Math Salamanders hope you enjoy using these free printable Math worksheets and all our other Math games and resources.

We welcome any comments about our site or worksheets on the Facebook comments box at the bottom of every page.

New! Comments

TOP OF PAGE

© 2010-2024 Math Salamanders Limited. All Rights Reserved.

• Privacy Policy
• Copyright Policy

Popular searches in the last week:

Problem-solving maths investigations for year 1.

Hamilton provide an extensive suite of problem-solving maths investigations for Year 1 to facilitate mathematical confidence, investigative inquiry and the development of maths meta skills in 'low floor – high ceiling' activities for all.

Explore all our in-depth problem solving investigations for Year 1 .

Use problem-solving investigations within every unit to encourage children to develop and exercise their ability to reason mathematically and think creatively.

Investigations provide challenges that offer opportunities for the development of the key mathematical skills while deepening conceptual understanding. They are designed to be accessible in different ways to all children. An added bonus is the substantial amount of extra calculation practice they often incorporate! The problems are designed to help children identify patterns, to explore lines of thinking and to reason and communicate about properties of numbers, shapes and measures.

Hamilton provide a mix of our own specially commissioned investigations, that include guidance for teachers together with a child-friendly sheet to guide your pupils through the investigation, as well as links to investigations on other highly regarded websites.

I am very grateful for Hamilton Trust resources, particularly the maths investigations. Julia, teacher in Wiltshire

You can find Hamilton's investigations for Year 1:

• Individually, they are incorporated into every unit in our Year 1 flexible maths blocks .
• Collectively, they appear on our resources page where you can explore all our in-depth problem solving investigations for Year 1 .

Do read our extensive range of advice for more information about the investigations and for tips on how to use them effectively.

Hamilton’s problem-solving investigations are 'low floor, high ceiling' activities that give all children opportunities to develop mastery and mathematical meta-skills. Explore a set for a whole year group.

Hamilton’s Problem-solving Investigations provide school-wide solutions to the challenges of building investigative skills from Early Years to Year 6.

This site uses cookies to give you the most relevant information. Learn more

Log in or sign up to get access to this resource

School subscription, reduce teacher workload.

From £155 (+ VAT) per year. Access to all key stages for multiple users.

Individual Subscription

For inspirational teaching.

Just £45 (£37.50 + VAT) per year to get access to all resources.

Early Career Teacher

Develop your teaching.

Just £33 (£27.50 + VAT) to get access to all resources for 2 years.

Taster Account

100s of resources.

Register to access all free resources.

Already subscribed?

Log in to get access.

maths year 1 problem solving

All formats, resource types, all resource types.

• Rating Count
• Price (Ascending)
• Price (Descending)
• Most Recent

End of Year / Summer Math Activities - Multiplication Mystery Pictures

Brain Benders 1 : Challenging Math Problem Solving Activities for 8-10 years

• Easel Activity

IReady Math Complete Full Year Bundle - Second Grade Units 1 - 5 (2nd Grade)

Australian Curriculum Year 1 Maths Test

Be a Math Expert! {Beginning of the Year Activities}

Special Education Math Curriculum | Multiplication Intervention

7th Grade Math End of the Year Review Test Prep Activity

Pre Algebra 8th Grade Math Notes Bundle Full Year - 2016 Va Math SOLs

End of the Year 3rd Grade Math Spiral Review Packet - Summer Problem of the Day

Australian Curriculum Year 1 Maths Report Card Comments - Semester 2

• Word Document File

End of the Year 2nd Grade Math Review Packet - Summer Math Problem of the Day

End of the Year 6th Grade Math Spiral Review Packet - Summer Problem of the Day

FIRST GRADE Math Formative Assessments - Year Long BUNDLE

Math -1st Grade-Month 01: Challenge Problem Solving (Questions 1 -20)

End of the Year 4th Grade Math Spiral Review Packet - Summer Problem of the Day

Australian Curriculum Year 1 Maths Report Card Comments - Semester 1

Google Form Math Assessments | 2nd Grade Year -Long Bundle

End of the Year 5th Grade Math Spiral Review Packet - Summer Problem of the Day

4th Grade Math Activities, Year Long Math Mystery Pictures | Digital Pixel Art

⭐️2nd Grade Math Assessments| 1 Year Bundle ⭐️

8th-Grade Math Full Year Review Scavenger Hunt Activity # 1

Year 1 Math - Inverse Operations - Add/Subtract to 10 - No Prep Worksheets

Math Tool Kit Grades 3-5

7th Grade Math End of the Year Review Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities

• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think

Problem Solving Activities: 7 Strategies

• Critical Thinking

Problem solving can be a daunting aspect of effective mathematics teaching, but it does not have to be! In this post, I share seven strategic ways to integrate problem solving into your everyday math program.

In the middle of our problem solving lesson, my district math coordinator stopped by for a surprise walkthrough. 

I was so excited!

We were in the middle of what I thought was the most brilliant math lesson– teaching my students how to solve problem solving tasks using specific problem solving strategies. 

It was a proud moment for me!

Each week, I presented a new problem solving strategy and the students completed problems that emphasized the strategy. 

Genius right? 

After observing my class, my district coordinator pulled me aside to chat. I was excited to talk to her about my brilliant plan, but she told me I should provide the tasks and let my students come up with ways to solve the problems. Then, as students shared their work, I could revoice the student’s strategies and give them an official name. 

What a crushing blow! Just when I thought I did something special, I find out I did it all wrong. 

I took some time to consider her advice. Once I acknowledged she was right, I was able to make BIG changes to the way I taught problem solving in the classroom. 

When I Finally Saw the Light

To give my students an opportunity to engage in more authentic problem solving which would lead them to use a larger variety of problem solving strategies, I decided to vary the activities and the way I approached problem solving with my students. 

Problem Solving Activities

Here are seven ways to strategically reinforce problem solving skills in your classroom. 

Seasonal Problem Solving

Many teachers use word problems as problem solving tasks. Instead, try engaging your students with non-routine tasks that look like word problems but require more than the use of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to complete. Seasonal problem solving tasks and daily challenges are a perfect way to celebrate the season and have a little fun too!

Cooperative Problem Solving Tasks

Go cooperative! If you’ve got a few extra minutes, have students work on problem solving tasks in small groups. After working through the task, students create a poster to help explain their solution process and then post their poster around the classroom. Students then complete a gallery walk of the posters in the classroom and provide feedback via sticky notes or during a math talk session.

Notice and Wonder

Before beginning a problem solving task, such as a seasonal problem solving task, conduct a Notice and Wonder session. To do this, ask students what they notice about the problem. Then, ask them what they wonder about the problem. This will give students an opportunity to highlight the unique characteristics and conditions of the problem as they try to make sense of it. 

Want a better experience? Remove the stimulus, or question, and allow students to wonder about the problem. Try it! You’ll gain some great insight into how your students think about a problem.

Math Starters

Start your math block with a math starter, critical thinking activities designed to get your students thinking about math and provide opportunities to “sneak” in grade-level content and skills in a fun and engaging way. These tasks are quick, designed to take no more than five minutes, and provide a great way to turn-on your students’ brains. Read more about math starters here ! 

Create your own puzzle box! The puzzle box is a set of puzzles and math challenges I use as fast finisher tasks for my students when they finish an assignment or need an extra challenge. The box can be a file box, file crate, or even a wall chart. It includes a variety of activities so all students can find a challenge that suits their interests and ability level.

Calculators

Use calculators! For some reason, this tool is not one many students get to use frequently; however, it’s important students have a chance to practice using it in the classroom. After all, almost everyone has access to a calculator on their cell phones. There are also some standardized tests that allow students to use them, so it’s important for us to practice using calculators in the classroom. Plus, calculators can be fun learning tools all by themselves!

Three-Act Math Tasks

Use a three-act math task to engage students with a content-focused, real-world problem! These math tasks were created with math modeling in mind– students are presented with a scenario and then given clues and hints to help them solve the problem. There are several sites where you can find these awesome math tasks, including Dan Meyer’s Three-Act Math Tasks and Graham Fletcher’s 3-Acts Lessons . 

Getting the Most from Each of the Problem Solving Activities

When students participate in problem solving activities, it is important to ask guiding, not leading, questions. This provides students with the support necessary to move forward in their thinking and it provides teachers with a more in-depth understanding of student thinking. Selecting an initial question and then analyzing a student’s response tells teachers where to go next. 

Ready to jump in? Grab a free set of problem solving challenges like the ones pictured using the form below. 

Which of the problem solving activities will you try first? Respond in the comments below.

Shametria Routt Banks

• Assessment Tools
• Content and Standards
• Differentiation
• Math & Literature
• Math & Technology
• Math Routines
• Math Stations
• Virtual Learning
• Writing in Math

You may also like...

2 Responses

This is a very cool site. I hope it takes off and is well received by teachers. I work in mathematical problem solving and help prepare pre-service teachers in mathematics.

Thank you, Scott! Best wishes to you and your pre-service teachers this year!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

©2024 The Routty Math Teacher.   All Rights Reserved.  Designed by Ashley Hughes.

Privacy overview.