This mental math worksheet is for children who are just getting confident with numbers to 10. It is quick, calm and easy to fit into a busy day.
No long sums here. Just one small question at a time, with plenty of room to think. Your child reads a sum, works it out in their head, and writes the answer on the line.
The main sheet: quick sums to 10
Start here. The first sheet opens with 4 + 3, 7 – 2 and 5 + 2, so children settle in with friendly numbers.
Then it mixes things up a little. You will find 9 – 4, 2 + 6 and 8 – 3, plus doubles your child may already know, like 3 + 3, 2 + 2 and 4 + 4.
Look out for 10 – 5 in the middle and 10 – 7 near the end. Those two are handy for talking about halves and what is left from 10.
Tip for grown-ups: ask your child to say the answer out loud before writing it. Hearing the number helps it stick.
Download Worksheet (Free Printable)
Click the button to download the worksheet, then print it at home or in class.
What is in this mental math worksheet?
Every sheet below has 21 quick questions. Some are addition and some are subtraction, and every answer stays within 10.
That is the whole idea. Small numbers, short sessions and lots of little wins. Print one sheet at a time, or print the set and work through it over a week.
- 21 quick problems on every sheet
- Addition and subtraction to 10
- Grade 1 and kindergarten level
- Perfect for a five-minute warm-up
Five more sheets to print
The five sheets below use the same friendly layout, but the sums are different on each one. That way your child gets fresh practice without learning a sheet by heart.
Tap any picture to see it at full size before you print. Each one has its own download link underneath.
Sheet 1: Take-away by one
This sheet starts with 7 + 2, 3 + 2 and 4 – 3. It feels gentle, and most children finish the first row with a smile.
Watch for the take-away-by-one sums: 5 – 1, 4 – 1, 8 – 1 and 6 – 1. They sit beside adding sums such as 9 + 1 and 5 + 3, so your child has to look at the sign each time.
Tip: if 9 – 8 feels tricky, count back one step from 9 on your fingers. One step back is all it takes.
Download Sheet 1 (Free Printable)
Sheet 2: Taking away from 10
This sheet is all about taking away from 10. You will spot 10 – 7, 10 – 8, 10 – 3 and 10 – 2 as you work down the page.
It also pairs 1 + 9 with 9 + 1, and mixes in gentler sums such as 4 – 3, 4 + 3 and 5 + 2. That mix keeps children thinking, not just guessing.
Tip: hold up ten fingers, then fold down the number being taken away. What is left standing is the answer.
Download Sheet 2 (Free Printable)
Sheet 3: Pairs that make 10
This is the make-10 sheet. Look for 8 + 2, 7 + 3, 6 + 4, 2 + 8, 4 + 6 and 5 + 5. Six pairs in one sheet, all adding up to 10.
Between those pairs are small take-aways such as 4 – 3, 3 – 1, 2 – 1 and 3 – 2, plus easy adds like 7 + 2 and 8 + 1. It is a lovely sheet for spotting patterns.
Tip: once your child knows that 8 + 2 makes 10, ask them what 2 + 8 makes. Swapping the numbers round is a great little discovery.
Download Sheet 3 (Free Printable)
Sheet 4: Adding on in small steps
This sheet leans towards adding. It opens with 6 + 1, 6 + 4 and 4 + 1, so children can count on in ones and twos.
Further down you will find 7 + 3, 7 + 2, 5 + 2 and 9 + 1, with small take-aways such as 2 – 1, 7 – 1 and 3 – 1 tucked in between. The last row, 6 – 4, 2 + 3 and 4 – 3, is a calm finish.
Tip: for 7 + 3, start at 7 and count on three: 8, 9, 10. Counting on from the bigger number is much quicker than starting from 1.
Download Sheet 4 (Free Printable)
Sheet 5: Little numbers, mixed signs
The last sheet mixes plus and minus signs with small numbers. It starts with 6 + 3, 9 + 1 and 4 + 1, then switches to 3 – 2, 5 – 4 and 8 – 7.
Look out for the double 4 + 4, the make-10 pairs 4 + 6, 8 + 2 and 1 + 8, and the gentle finish of 5 + 2, 6 – 4 and 7 + 1.
Tip: before working out an answer, ask your child to point to the sign first. Is it a plus or a minus? That one-second check stops lots of slips.
Download Sheet 5 (Free Printable)
How to use these sheets
Keep each mental math worksheet session short and relaxed. Five minutes is plenty, and one row a day works well too.
Let your child say each sum out loud first. Then they can write the answer, check it with you, and talk about any tricky ones.
- Say the answer out loud, or write it down.
- Check the answers together at the end.
- Talk about any tricky ones. How did you work that one out?
- Try one row a day, or the whole sheet at once.
Little and often works best. A few minutes a day is enough to build speed and confidence.
Who is it for?
These sheets are for Grade 1 and kindergarten children, and for any child who is still building confidence with numbers to 10.
Use them as a warm-up, a fast finisher, or a quiet activity at home. They also work well for extra practice after school.
If your child enjoys these, try our number bonds worksheet next. It uses the same short, friendly style.
How to print and download
Printing is easy. Open a sheet image above, right-click it and choose Print, or press Ctrl+P (Cmd+P on a Mac). Print on A4 paper for the best result.
Save the mental math worksheet you like best and print it again later. A pencil and a quiet corner are all you need.