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Math tip sheet

Number bonds to 10

The pairs that make 10, shown with a rainbow, a ten-frame, fingers and part-whole circles. The base of all mental math.

Free, no sign-upPrints on one pageAges 5 to 7

Number bonds to 10

Ages 5 to 7

  1. 1The rainbow

    Each arch joins two numbers that make 10: 1 and 9, 2 and 8, 3 and 7, 4 and 6. 5 and 5 meet in the middle.

    4 + 6 = 10

  2. 2Fill the ten-frame

    Put counters in the ten-frame. The empty boxes are the partner: 7 counters leave 3 empty boxes.

    7 + 3 = 10

  3. 3Ten fingers

    Hold up 10 fingers and fold some down. The fingers still up and the fingers down always make 10.

    6 up + 4 down = 10

  4. 4Part, part, whole

    The big circle is the whole. The two small circles are its parts. Cover one part and ask for the other.

    10 = 6 + 4

  5. 5Bigger bonds

    Know 3 + 7 = 10? Then you also know 13 + 7 = 20 and 30 + 70 = 100.

    4 + 6 → 40 + 60 = 100

  6. 6Play "Make 10"

    Say a number from 0 to 10. Your child shouts its partner as fast as they can. Then swap roles.

    "8!" → "2!"

💡 Memory tip: Know your bonds to 10 by heart and adding past 10 gets easy: 8 + 5 is 8 + 2 (that is 10) + 3 = 13.

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Practise it

Addition worksheetsMissing number worksheetsPicture addition worksheets

Print the sheet for the fridge or the homework folder, and look at one idea a day. Kids learn a strategy best when they say it out loud while they use it: "8 and 2 make 10, and 3 more is 13."

More tip sheets

Addition strategiesSix ways to add without counting every dot.Subtraction strategiesSix ways to take away.How multiplication worksWhat times means, shown with equal groups, arrays, skip counting, turn-arounds, doubling and breaking a fact apart.Times table tricksA trick for every times table from 0 to 12, including the 9s on your fingers.How division worksSharing, grouping, thinking in times tables, jumping back, remainders and the four steps of long division.Printable multiplication chartA colorful times table chart from 1 to 10 (1 to 100), 1 to 12 or 1 to 20.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What are number bonds to 10?

Number bonds to 10 are the pairs of whole numbers that add up to 10: 0 + 10, 1 + 9, 2 + 8, 3 + 7, 4 + 6 and 5 + 5, plus the same pairs turned around. Kids usually learn them in kindergarten and 1st grade.

How do I teach number bonds to a 5 year old?

Use things they can touch: ten counters in an egg box with two rows of five, or ten fingers. Hide some and ask how many are hiding. Then move on to the rainbow and the part-whole circles on this sheet.

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