Addition Teaching Resources
Introduce addition this school year with printable worksheets, digital activities, adding games, addition word problems, flashcards and more to help students understand how to add numbers and apply addition strategies to math problems.
This teaching resource collection was created by the teachers on the Teach Starter team for elementary teachers. Each of the curriculum-aligned resources has been carefully reviewed and curated by our expert teachers to make sure it's ready to use with your students! Browse printables and digital activities for teaching students how to make 10, how to add integers and more, plus find differentiated resources to help you meet each student's needs!
New to teaching addition, or just looking for new ways to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a kid-friendly definition and some common vocabulary!
What Is Addition? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Let's start with a definition of this math operation that's easy for them to understand!
Addition is a math operation that involves combining two or more numbers to find a total. The symbol (+) is used to indicate addition, and this is called a plus sign.
Here's an example of addition at work!
In the equation 2 + 3 = 5, the numbers 2 and 3 are added together to get a sum of 5.
Addition Terms for Kids to Learn
There are plenty of new vocabulary words for your students to learn when introducing addition. Here are some of the terms you will want to start off with.
Sum
The sum is the result of adding two or more numbers. It's the solution or answer to an addition problem!
In the equation 2 + 3 = 5, 5 is the sum.
Addend
The numbers being added in an addition equation are called addends.
In the equation 2 + 3 = 5, for example, both 2 and 3 are addends.
Commutative Property
The commutative property states that changing the order of the addends in your addition problem does not change the sum.
For example, 2 + 3 is the same as 3 + 2.
Associative Property
The associative property states that changing the grouping of the addends in your math problem will not change the sum.
For example, (2 + 3) + 4 is the same as 2 + (3 + 4).
Repeated Addition
Sometimes a math problem involves adding the same number multiple times. We call this repeated addition, and it's a way to find the product of two numbers where one of the numbers is repeated a certain number of times.
Repeated addition is handy for helping students understand multiplication. After all, multiplication can be thought of as repeated addition.
Cartoon plus sign
What Is Partial Sums Addition?
If you know what a sum is, you're halfway to understanding partial sums addition! This math vocabulary term refers to adding two or more numbers by breaking apart the addends and adding the value of the digits in each place value position from right to left.
This handy strategy is great to use with students when they are first learning to add two or more numbers. Partial sums addition breaks down the process of addition into smaller, more manageable steps.
Let's look at an example.
If you have the 36 + 27 and want to use partial sums addition, you start by determining the value of the digits in the ones place, adding them together, and writing down the sum (6 + 7 = 13).
Next, add the value of the tens place digits together (30 + 20 = 50), and write down the answer under the previous sum. Add together the two partial sums to get your answer, 63.
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Counting On Bingo
Engage your students with a whole class bingo game while using the counting-on strategy to add within 20.
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Valentine Bingo - 2-Digit Addition and Subtraction Game
Add and subtract two-digit numbers to win this fun Valentine’s Bingo Game!
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Touchdown Throwdown Addition Game
Win the addition fact championship with a football-themed partner game!
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Friends of 10 - Addition Match-up Activity
A set of 22 matching cards to explore the number combinations of 10.
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Presidents' Day Color by Number - Addition
Practice adding single-digit numbers with sums to 20 with a Presidents’ Day Color By Number Worksheet.
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Color-by-Number Valentine's Day Addition Worksheet
Have fun with your Valentine’s Day Math practice with an addition color by number worksheet.
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Rearranging Parts – Worksheet
Rearrange the parts of an addition problem to form new number sentences with this worksheet.
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100th Day of School Dice Games - Roll to 100 Challenge
Roll your way through the 100th Day with dice games for kids.
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Roll, Add, and Color Christmas Math Worksheet
Roll into Christmas break with this addition coloring activity.
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Christmas Color-By-Addition-Fact Worksheets
Boost addition skills and bring a bit of Christmas magic into the classroom with Christmas color-by-number addition worksheets.
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5th Grade Whole Number Operations Assessment
Asses student understanding of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing whole numbers with this math assessment.
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Christmas Math Worksheets - Addition and Subtraction Mazes
Navigate these Christmas math mazes with addition and subtraction facts to keep those minds active!
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Adding Four 2-Digit Numbers Task Cards
Practice adding four 2-digit numbers together with this set of 16 task cards.
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Addition Strategies: Base-Ten Blocks Worksheet
Practice using the strategy of using base-10 blocks and regrouping to find the sum.
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Linking Addition and Subtraction Worksheet
Explore the relationship between addition and subtraction with a fact family worksheet.
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Word Problem Task Cards: Addition and Subtraction Within 10
Practice addition and subtraction within 10 with this set of 18 word problem task cards.
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Color by Numbers - Adding Single-Digit Numbers
A set of 5 color by number activity pages to use when practicing addition facts.
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Addition and Subtraction Word Problem Task Cards (Numbers 1-50)
Use a range of addition and subtraction strategies to solve twenty word problems that contain numbers 1–50.
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Ten Add Bowling Active Learning
A whole class active game that encourages learning through a physical setting.
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Equation Tails Active Learning
A whole class active game that encourages learning through a physical setting.
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Rainbow Numbers Worksheet
A worksheet using rainbow numbers.
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Mathematics Vocabulary Posters
A teaching resource to help students identify the associated vocabulary for mathematical operations.
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Doubles Plus One - Grid Game
Practice the doubles plus one addition strategy with this dice game.
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Thanksgiving Escape Room - The Stolen Feast
Play a Thanksgiving Escape Room game and practice two-and-three digit addition for holiday fun!
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Hide-a-Turkey Kindergarten Math Worksheet
Hide the turkeys and practice sums to ten with a fun Thanksgiving math worksheet for Kindergarten.
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Thanksgiving Math Tales - Kindergarten Math Problems
Solve story problems using models with a Thanksgiving Story Problem interactive activity for kindergarten.
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1st Grade Halloween Addition Game - Roll-a-Potion
Roll and add to create a magic potion, then draw it in the cauldron with a printable Halloween game.
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Halloween Addition Worksheet
Count on to solve spooky addition problems in this 2-page Halloween Addition Worksheet.
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Spooky Sums Tarsia Puzzle - 3 Digit Addition
Practice three-digit addition skills with a Halloween pumpkin tarsia puzzle.
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Spooky Halloween Math Centers for Kindergarten
Save time writing your October Math Lesson plans with a Digital Halloween math activity for kindergarten.
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Number Bonds Math Center Activity
Use this hands-on number bonds (addition and subtraction) strategy activity in your next guided math group lesson!
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Addition by Regrouping Classroom Poster
Learn the steps to addition with regrouping with this simple classroom poster.