Counting
Number snake
Count forwards and backwards from any number to 100.
Talk about it: What changes when we count past a ten?
Ages 5 to 6 · Key Stage 1
Year 1 maths activities
34 free activities: counting past 100, partners to ten and twenty, and first adding and subtracting. Each one is mapped to the National Curriculum for Year 1.
- 34 activities
- All 7 activity types
- Every question read aloud
Activity types
Year 1 activities
Choose a type, or browse them all. Each activity is a short round of spoken questions, with something to talk about at the end.
Showing 9 of 34 Year 1 activities
- Counting
Snake going back
Count forwards and backwards from any number to 100.
Talk about it: Which digit changes each time?
- Counting
Socks and gloves
Count in 2s, 5s and 10s, and through the odd numbers.
Talk about it: Why is counting in groups quicker than counting in ones?
- Counting
Stepping stones
Count in 2s, 5s and 10s, and through the odd numbers.
Talk about it: What pattern do the numbers make?
- Counting
Tidy into tens
Count a big group by putting it into tens.
Talk about it: How many full tens? And how many more?
- Recognise and represent
Number cards
Read numerals to 100 and match them to their names.
Talk about it: Which part tells us the tens?
- Recognise and represent
Word match
Read number words to twenty.
Talk about it: What sound does it start with?
- Recognise and represent
Ten and some more
See teen numbers as ten and some more.
Talk about it: Where are the ten and the three in 13?
- Recognise and represent
Number line spot
Place numbers on a marked number line to 20.
Talk about it: Which numbers are next to it?
- Recognise and represent
Bundles and bits
Show numbers to 100 as tens and ones.
Talk about it: How many tens? How many ones?
- Subitising
Scatter spotter
See numbers to 10 in scattered groups.
Talk about it: Which groups did you see?
- Subitising
One push
See numbers to 20 on a bead frame as "ten and a bit".
Talk about it: Where is the ten? What's left?
- Composition and bonds
Partners to ten
Know all the bonds to 10 quickly.
Talk about it: Can you picture the ten frame?
- Composition and bonds
Fact family house
Use a bond to find its take-away facts (fact families) within 10.
Talk about it: Which number is the whole?
- Composition and bonds
Bonds to twenty
Use bonds to 10 to find bonds to 20.
Talk about it: Which bond to ten helps?
- Composition and bonds
Double dominoes
Know doubles and near doubles to 20.
Talk about it: How did the double help?
- Composition and bonds
Teen split
Split teen numbers into ten and ones.
Talk about it: Where is the ten?
- Compare and order
Which is more?
Compare numbers to 20 using more than, less than, equal to, <, > and =.
Talk about it: Which is further along the line?
- Compare and order
One more, one less
Say one more and one less than any number to 100.
Talk about it: What happens when we cross a ten?
- Compare and order
Most and fewest
Find the most and the least.
Talk about it: How can you be sure?
- Add and subtract
Which sentence?
Read and build +, − and = sentences that match a picture or story.
Talk about it: Where is the whole in the sentence?
- Add and subtract
Build the sentence
Read and build +, − and = sentences that match a picture or story.
Talk about it: Can you read it to me?
- Add and subtract
Count on frog
Add within 20 by counting on from the larger number.
Talk about it: Why start at the bigger number?
- Add and subtract
Hop back
Subtract within 20 by counting back.
Talk about it: Where did you start counting?
- Add and subtract
Mystery number
Find a missing number in any place in a sentence.
Talk about it: Which is the whole? Which are the parts?
- Add and subtract
Nothing changes
Add and take away zero.
Talk about it: What does zero mean?
- Add and subtract
Story time
Solve one-step story problems to 20.
Talk about it: Can you draw the story?
- Share and group
Boats of five
Make equal groups and count them in 2s, 5s or 10s.
Talk about it: How many groups? How many in each?
- Share and group
Array garden
Count arrays made of equal rows.
Talk about it: Can you count it another way?
- Share and group
Party bags
Share a group equally and say how many each.
Talk about it: How do you know every plate has the same?
- Share and group
Egg boxes
Find how many equal groups I can make.
Talk about it: Are you counting eggs or boxes?
- Share and group
True halves
Find half of a shape or a group.
Talk about it: Are both parts the same?
- Share and group
Quarter it
Find a quarter of a shape or a group.
Talk about it: How many equal parts?
- Share and group
Odd and even steps
Use odd and even to 20: two more or two less keeps the pattern.
Talk about it: What do you notice about where you land?
For teachers
What children practise in Year 1
National Curriculum statements for Year 1, with the activities that practise each one.
| National Curriculum statement | Activities |
|---|---|
| Count to and across 100, forwards and backwards, beginning with 0 or 1, or from any given number. | Number snake, Snake going back, Tidy into tens |
| Count, read and write numbers to 100 in numerals; count in multiples of 2s, 5s and 10s. | Socks and gloves, Stepping stones, Number cards |
| Given a number, identify 1 more and 1 less. | One more, one less |
| Identify and represent numbers using objects and pictorial representations including the number line, and use the language of: equal to, more than, less than (fewer), most, least. | Tidy into tens, Ten and some more, Number line spot, Bundles and bits, Scatter spotter, One push, Teen split, Which is more?, Most and fewest |
| Read and write numbers from 1 to 20 in numerals and words. | Word match |
| Read, write and interpret mathematical statements involving addition (+), subtraction (−) and equals (=) signs. | Which sentence?, Build the sentence |
| Represent and use number bonds and related subtraction facts within 20. | Partners to ten, Fact family house, Bonds to twenty, Double dominoes, Teen split |
| Add and subtract one-digit and two-digit numbers to 20, including 0. | Count on frog, Hop back, Nothing changes |
| Solve one-step problems that involve addition and subtraction, using concrete objects and pictorial representations, and missing number problems such as 7 = ? − 9. | Mystery number, Story time |
| Solve one-step problems involving multiplication and division, by calculating the answer using concrete objects, pictorial representations and arrays with the support of the teacher. | Boats of five, Array garden, Party bags, Egg boxes |
| Recognise, find and name a half as 1 of 2 equal parts of an object, shape or quantity. | True halves |
| Recognise, find and name a quarter as 1 of 4 equal parts of an object, shape or quantity. | Quarter it |
Count to and across 100, forwards and backwards, beginning with 0 or 1, or from any given number.
Number snake, Snake going back, Tidy into tens
Count, read and write numbers to 100 in numerals; count in multiples of 2s, 5s and 10s.
Socks and gloves, Stepping stones, Number cards
Given a number, identify 1 more and 1 less.
One more, one less
Identify and represent numbers using objects and pictorial representations including the number line, and use the language of: equal to, more than, less than (fewer), most, least.
Tidy into tens, Ten and some more, Number line spot, Bundles and bits, Scatter spotter, One push, Teen split, Which is more?, Most and fewest
Read and write numbers from 1 to 20 in numerals and words.
Word match
Read, write and interpret mathematical statements involving addition (+), subtraction (−) and equals (=) signs.
Which sentence?, Build the sentence
Represent and use number bonds and related subtraction facts within 20.
Partners to ten, Fact family house, Bonds to twenty, Double dominoes, Teen split
Add and subtract one-digit and two-digit numbers to 20, including 0.
Count on frog, Hop back, Nothing changes
Solve one-step problems that involve addition and subtraction, using concrete objects and pictorial representations, and missing number problems such as 7 = ? − 9.
Mystery number, Story time
Solve one-step problems involving multiplication and division, by calculating the answer using concrete objects, pictorial representations and arrays with the support of the teacher.
Boats of five, Array garden, Party bags, Egg boxes
Recognise, find and name a half as 1 of 2 equal parts of an object, shape or quantity.
True halves
Recognise, find and name a quarter as 1 of 4 equal parts of an object, shape or quantity.
Quarter it
From the National Curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study, Years 1 and 2 (number).
At home
Playing together
A few minutes, a grown-up alongside and plenty of chat. That is all it takes.
Step 1: Keep it short
Two or three activities is plenty. Stop while it is still fun.
Step 2: Turn the sound on
Every question is spoken, so your child can play before they can read.
Step 3: Ask the talk question
Each activity suggests one. Carry on with real cups, toys and fingers.
Why does it ask about 13 and 31?
Teen numbers are easy to write the wrong way round, because we say the ones first. Ten and some more practises exactly this, and the session report shows if it comes up.
My child finds it too easy. What next?
Try the same activity type in Year 2. Each type grows one small step at a time, so the next step is always close.
Can we use the activities on a whiteboard?
Yes. The activities fill the screen, with big buttons that are easy to tap at the board, and every question is read aloud for the whole class.
Try a Year 1 activity
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