Addition Worksheets By Specific Topic Area

Below you will find well over 100 free addition worksheets specifically for this skill. We now feature the most complete Kindergarten through Middle School math curriculum available anywhere. You will find our work fun and engaging for your students.

How to Teach Basic Addition Skills

Once your students have learned about numbers and counting, you should teach them about additions. It will help develop the foundation required to do mathematics, and the lessons will help them throughout their academic journey.

As a teacher, it can be a challenge to teach children addition skills in a fun way. Addition skills help kids to develop an in-depth understanding of numbers.

This article will cover some tips and tricks you can use to teach your students basic addition skills, and it will help them form a strong mathematical base.

First, let us look at what addition skills are and why they are important for preschoolers and kindergarteners!

What are Basic Addition Skills, and Why are They Important for Kids?

According to research conducted by the University of California, a strong foundational understanding of math needs to be developed in children for good lifelong math performance. After developing a sense of numbers, mastering addition skills can be the first stepping stone towards good math performance for kids as they progress.

Teaching kids addition skills means teaching them how to derive the total value or two or more numbers. For example, if you write 1 + 1 + 1 on the classroom board along with 3 apples (one each below every number), students should be able to quickly tell you that this equals the number 3 or 3 apples.

Here are a few reasons why learning addition skills are important for kids!

1. Prepares Them for What Is to Come In Their Math Journey

Learning addition skills prepares students for elementary school math, which can be quite troublesome and overwhelming for some students owing to the drastic increase in worksheets, coursework, and homework. With strong addition skills, they will have a basic understanding of math concepts which will aid in their understanding of more complex addition problems.

This will help them grasp the concepts that are behind mathematical problems. Additional skills will also give them a deeper sense of how to apply counting skills practically.

2. Helps Them Gain Confidence

From a very early age, kids are made to fear maths and are told that this is the most challenging subject. Due to this affirmation, kids have a very underconfident approach in math as they progress due to its stereotypes. This greatly hinders their performance.

If they are well versed in addition skills, it will give them confidence in attempting math problems at later stages as they will also understand the practical nature and use of math.

3. They Understand the Relationship Between Numbers

After learning good counting skills, kids need to understand the relationship between numbers and how quantities of different items are related. Addition skills help with this.

At early stages, kids may not understand how numbers relate to quantities, and once they develop this understanding, they can be well on their way to solving elementary school math.

4. They Learn How to Master Learning Strategies in Math

According to a study, kids that master the learning strategies in math at an early stage are better able to perform in future math courses.

Hence, these learning strategies will help them in later years and during a more structured mathematical learning.

Tips and Tricks on How to Teach Addition Skills Effectively

Here is how you can effectively teach basic addition skills to your students and prepare them for elementary math.

1. Make Use of Objects for Demonstration

Using objects to demonstrate addition skills is an effective way to teach. Visual tools develop a practical understanding of the concept for kids. You can make a fun activity out of it.

For example, take small marbles or toy cars and give them two groups of each. In one group, you can have 3 marbles, and in the other, you can have 5 toy cars. Ask kids to count the items in each group and explain how this is done.

Following this, you can teach your students how to add the items in both groups together; for example, 3 marbles and 5 cars make 8 items.

2. Use the "Counting Up" Strategy

The counting up strategy involves the use of fingers to count. For example, a fun and straightforward way to do it is by asking the kids to close their fists and say the number "three.” Then, ask them to count up to five by extending their fingers as they count. Remind them that the answer is not three. It is 5 since they started with 3.

3. Count Coins

You can also use coins to teach basic addition skills. Using the coins to count will also acquaint kids with money skills and teach them a practical application of addition.

For example, you can start by asking them to add ones together, then twos, and so on!

4. Use Addition Flashcards With Pets on Them

Use addition flashcards with cute pets to make it interesting for the kids. For example, one card can have 5 cats on it, a space at the bottom to count and write, and another card can have 2 cats on it. Then, you can ask students to add the total of both cards, so five plus two would make 7 cats in total.

5. Hands-on Learning Using Stickers

You can print sticker dots with different colors and ask students to paste the dots in front of the numbers.

For example, for 3 + 2, they can paste three red color dots and two blue color dots and then count the total number of dots, which should be five.

6. Use Blocks and Flashcards to Build Block Towers

You can print flashcards with simple equations, like 2+3 and 2+4. Then, give the cards to the students and ask them to build a block tower on top of the cards using the equation on it.

So, for example, for the first equation, they can stack two orange blocks and three pink blocks, which makes five total blocks. These activities are simple for kids, and they should be able to answer them without much trouble.

Conclusion

By following these simple yet fun tips and tricks, you can make the learning experience for your students an enjoyable one, and they’ll be able to perform better in elementary math. Happy teaching, and good luck!