Guide · teaching
How to Teach Addition Facts: An Order That Works
Teach addition facts in groups, not in number order. Start with plus 0, 1 and 2, then doubles, then pairs that make 10, then near doubles and ten plus, and finish with the facts that cross 10. Each group gives a child a tool for the next one, so by the end there are very few facts left that need raw memory.
Why groups beat number order
Teaching all the 3s, then all the 4s, treats each sum as a new thing to remember. But 3 + 8 and 8 + 3 are one fact, 4 + 5 sits next to 4 + 4, and 9 + 6 is close to 10 + 6. Groups show those links. Start by showing that order doesn't matter: 3 + 8 is 8 + 3, and starting from 8 is much easier. That alone takes away nearly half the chart. See the full strategy list.
The first three groups
Plus 0, 1 and 2 need only counting on from the bigger number. Doubles are memorable because they have real-life pictures: egg boxes, spider legs, two hands. Pairs that make 10 come from fingers and ten-frames: seven up means three folded down. These three groups are worth real time. They're the foundation, and between them they cover a large part of the chart.
The harder facts
Near doubles like 6 + 7 become a double plus 1. Ten plus facts like 10 + 6 are about place value, so link them to one full ten-frame and some extras. What's left are the facts that cross 10, like 8 + 5 and 7 + 6. Teach them with the make a ten strategy: 8 + 5 becomes 8 + 2 + 3, which is 10 + 3. Move on when a child can use a strategy without help, not when they've finished a set number of days.
How to do it with Sumtown
- Check where your child is with a plus 1 game or the chart.
- Work through doubles, then make 10, a week or so each.
- Open a fact page for any fact that wobbles: each one shows the method with its own numbers.
- Switch to the full addition game to mix everything together.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to learn the addition facts?
It varies a lot, and most school programs spread it over a couple of years. Steady small steps matter more than the calendar.
My child counts on fingers. Should I stop them?
No. Fingers are a sensible tool early on. Teach strategies that need less counting and they'll drop away by themselves.
An app is on its way
We're building a Sumtown app for iPhone with the parts that need a real app: offline play for car rides, a town map that remembers how far your child got, and a parent report on every fact. Until then, the whole game is free right here.
Coming soon on theApp Store