1 + 1 = 2. It’s the basic foundation for every child’s math education and the building block to a whole world of learning. Addition is usually the first of the four operations that kids tackle, and mastering it is key to success for years to come. Try these fun addition activities in the classroom or at home to help your students become math wizards in no time!
Lay out flash cards, and then use blocks to create towers that answer the problems. Addition activities like this incorporate visual and hands-on techniques, honoring a variety of learning strategies.
Sticker dots are inexpensive—you can usually pick them up at the dollar store. Little ones will really get a kick out of using them to answer a series of addition problems.
You can use pipe cleaners and beads for a variety of addition activities. In this one, put beads at opposite ends of a pipe cleaner, then bend them together and solve the equation.
This pretty math craft gives kids a chance to work on addition activities like number bonds and mastering math facts. Get the free printable at the link.
When you’re ready to move on to slightly more advanced addition activities, use LEGO bricks to help kids understand the concept of regrouping. (Find many more LEGO math ideas here.)
Jot numbers all over a beach ball using a Sharpie. Then, toss it to a student, and wherever their thumbs land, have them add up the two closest numbers. Ready for trickier addition activities? Add up all the numbers their fingers are touching!
Here’s an easy one! Just turn dominoes sideways and they become math problems to be solved. Say them out loud, or write the equations for more practice.
Kids will like the mystery element in this addition activity. Fill bags with small toys or mini erasers, then have them grab a handful from each and add them together.
Pull out the crayon box—it’s time to color by number! The twist? Kids have to solve the equations first to learn the right colors to pick. Get the free printables at the link.
You can do a variety of addition activities with dominoes. For this version, lay out a number line, then sort the dominoes by the sum of their two sides.
Have you ever seen dice-in-dice? They’re so cool, and kids can’t get enough of them. Play addition war by having each student roll a die and add the numbers together. The one with the higher sum wins. Got a tie? Break it by looking at the number on the outside die.
Use double dice or regular ones along with a package of pom-poms for this easy addition activity. Or try it with goldfish crackers for a tasty way to learn!
These pancakes aren’t very tasty, but they’re definitely a clever take on traditional flash cards. Kids will have fun flipping them with a spatula to check their answers.
Get the free printable game boards for this fun addition game at the link. Kids roll the dice and try to be the first to make sums that fill in their grids.
Click and drag the puzzle pieces to answer the math questions, revealing a cool picture at the end. There are multiple versions for different skills and levels, and you can change the target sums too.
Classic arcade game meets math! You’ll have to think fast to solve the equation and eat the right ghost. Try this one in pairs with one student solving and the other moving Pac-Man as fast as they can.
Can your puppy-filled canoe beat the others to the finish line? Solve the equations quickly to paddle your way to victory. Students practice two-digit addition with this game.
What if the ever-popular game Candy Crush was educational too? Wish granted! Match two squares to make 10, and they disappear from the board. This one will keep kids clicking (and practicing math facts) for hours.
Choose a target sum between 10 and 20. Then, aim and shoot the center number ball at one of the balls circling the track to make the target sum. Repeat until all the balls are gone.
