Kindergarten Sums to 10 Worksheet: Add Two Numbers in Eight Boxes

One day a child stops counting every finger for 5 + 2 and simply says the answer. This kindergarten sums to 10 worksheet is for the weeks just before that day. Eight colored boxes each hold one addition, such as 3 + 2, 4 + 5 or 6 + 4, and an empty box for the total. There are no pictures here, so the numbers stand on their own, while a smiling girl gives a thumbs-up from the top corner. The PDF has two pages: the worksheet and its answer key.

Why counting on matters more than counting all

Young children first add by counting everything: one, two, three for the 3, then four, five for the 2. It works, but it is slow, and it breaks down with bigger numbers.

The next step is counting on: start at the bigger number and count only the rest. For 2 + 7, that means saying seven and adding two more, and this page is a quiet place to practice because there are no pictures to recount.

It also holds a double, 5 + 5, which many children learn by heart first. Doubles become anchors. Then nearby sums get easier.

At the table: 2 + 7 and the swap trick

Start with 3 + 2 in the orange box. Ask, "Which number is bigger? Start there." Hold up three fingers, then count four, five.

The yellow box, 2 + 7, is the likely stumble. Many children start at 2 and count seven more on their fingers, and they often lose track along the way. Instead of correcting, ask, "What if we start at seven? Is it easier?" Your child may notice that the total does not change, which is a real discovery: order does not matter in adding.

For 6 + 4, invite your child to tap the table four times while counting on from six. The taps keep the count honest.

After the page: black dots and dinner forks

Adding two numbers sticks best with real objects. When you set the table, put out three forks and two spoons, then ask, "How many pieces in all?" On a walk, count the cars on one side of the street, then the cars on the other, and join them.

Also, the picture book Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews shows what you can make with one dot, two dots and up to ten. After reading, draw dots on two sticky notes and add them together.

These games make addition facts feel ordinary. Finally, check the page with the answer key and praise the strategy: "You started with the big number. That saved you time."