Maths can be tricky for some children, but hands-on, game-based learning really works. Here’s our list of tried-and-tested Year 1 maths activities that teach and reinforce key concepts, organised by skill!
Author
Mhairi Sim
Published
July 2025
Key takeaways
Fun, hands-on Year 1 maths activities help children build confidence and enjoy learning. Simple games and practical activities introduce key concepts in a positive and engaging way, laying the foundation for future success.
Maths isn’t just for the classroom – everyday activities are full of learning opportunities. Parents can support their child by including maths in daily routines.
Table of contents
Engaging Year 1 maths activities make a big difference in helping children learn key concepts like number sense, shapes, and basic operations. Making tricky topics like simple addition and subtraction, patterns, and money fun and hands-on can turn lessons into exciting experiences that children enjoy.
Whether you’re a teacher looking for fresh Year 1 maths activities for your classroom or a parent wanting extra practice at home, we know your little learners will love the activities we’ve gathered here!
The Year 1 maths curriculum introduces lots of new learning while also revisiting important concepts from Foundation (Prep).
The curriculum focuses on four key areas:
Number – including counting, place value, addition and subtraction, and simple fractions
Measurement – length, mass, capacity, money, and time
Geometry – recognising and describing 2D and 3D shapes, and exploring patterns
Statistics – collecting, representing, and interpreting simple data in charts and tables
Unlock unlimited maths questions
Put your skills to the test with fun exercises + maths games that are proven to boost ability!
Maths can be tricky for some children, but hands-on, game-based learning really works. Here’s our list of tried-and-tested Year 1 maths activities that teach and reinforce key concepts, organised by skill!
An important part of learning place value is partitioning, which means breaking a number into its parts using place values. For example, 23 can be split into 20 and 3, or 2 tens and 3 ones.
1. Place value bingo
Give each child a bingo board with numbers written as numerals. Call out numbers using place value language – for example, “three tens” for 30 – and have them mark the correct number on their board.
2. Use crafting supplies
Beads and pipe cleaners are great for helping children see what partitioning looks like. Ask them to take a number of beads and make groups of ten on pipe cleaners to show tens, leaving the remaining beads as ones. This visual approach helps reinforce the idea that ten ones make one ten.
Try DoodleMaths for free!
Select a year group
When teaching addition and subtraction in Year 1, it helps to use hands-on objects so children can see and physically manipulate items when adding or taking away.
Ask your child to use objects to explore different ways to make 20. They can take 20 items, split them into two groups, and then write the number sentence that matches their arrangement.
You can use almost anything as a manipulative – LEGO, pom-poms, buttons, or centimetre cubes – anything you have on hand!
Children pick a domino and count the dots on each side. They can then add or subtract the numbers, depending on the skill they’re practising. They can play in small groups, with the player having the highest (or lowest) total winning the round.
This area of learning can be one of the trickier parts of the Year 1 maths curriculum, so visual, hands-on activities are really important!
Using objects when practising repeated addition or subtraction helps children understand what is happening. Show them that each time we multiply or divide, we are either adding or subtracting the same number repeatedly.
Being able to skip count in 2s, 5s, and 10s is an important skill in Year 1 to prepare for times tables later. Try fun skip-counting games and activities as quick, engaging tasks.
Mark areas on the floor with tape or chalk, then have children “share” themselves between the areas to demonstrate division. You can show them first, and then let them try sharing themselves equally between the areas!
Measurement is one of the easiest topics to make fun and hands-on, especially with Year 1 maths activities!
Cut strips of paper to each child’s height and have them write their name on it. They can measure and record their height in metres and centimetres, then order the strips from tallest to shortest. This also makes a great classroom display!
Mix coloured water using food colouring to create ‘potion recipes’ (e.g., 50 ml red, 20 ml clear, 30 ml blue). Children can measure and mix the correct amounts to make their potion.
Show children three objects and three weights in grams. Their task is to match each object to its weight and then check by weighing them.
This year, children focus on the properties of 2D and 3D shapes. Ask them to sort shapes by their properties, such as the number of faces, edges, or corners.
Describe a shape by giving some of its properties, then have children search the classroom for an object that matches. For extra fun, divide them into teams and turn it into a race!
Game-based learning is a firm favourite of students across the country. But with thousands of websites and apps targeted at kids, which is best? The DoodleMaths app stands out as it is recommended by teachers, parents, and kids!
Our award-winning app uses a specialised algorithm to find and close gaps in users’ learning by tailoring activities to their performance. The content is fully aligned with the National Curriculum, and adults can track their learners’ progress against key curricular standards.
Supporting your child with maths at home is easier than you might think – you’re probably already doing it without even realising! Here are some teacher-recommended at-home Year 1 maths activities.
While shopping, ask your child to help add the cost of two items – you can round the prices to make it easier. If you’re paying with cash, let them help count the money.
When following a recipe, have your child read out the quantities and help measure the ingredients. Ask which measuring tool to use for different items to encourage independent thinking and problem-solving.
Next time you check the time, show your child what you are doing and how you do it. You can also give them responsibility for watching the clock for certain events, like knowing when it’s 4:30 pm and playtime begins.
A big part of getting children engaged in learning is making it fun and hands-on, and DIY games and tools are perfect for this!
Paper plate clocks are a great way for Year 1 children to learn how to tell time. Use them to practise hand positions for telling time to the nearest 5 minutes.
Use snack or mealtimes to explore fractions. Cut foods like pizza or sandwiches into halves, then quarters, and show that one half is the same as two quarters.
Create a shop with household items or toys to practise money and giving change. Label each item with a price, gather some coins, and take turns being the shopkeeper and the customer.
Build simple balancing scales using a coat hanger, string, and two plastic cups. This easy activity helps children explore weight and balance while having hours of fun!
Did you know that early maths skills are one of the strongest predictors of a child’s future academic success? Here’s why:
Early maths helps develop important skills like problem-solving, logical thinking, and reasoning.
Maths connects with other subjects, including science, design and technology, and reading.
Positive early experiences in maths build confidence and encourage a growth mindset.
Early maths also supports practical life skills, such as telling the time and using money.
Parents, sign up for a DoodleMaths subscription and see your child become a maths wizard!
All rights reserved.
Book a chat with our team
If you’d like to use Doodle’s browser version, please visit this page on a desktop.
To log in to Doodle on this device, you can do so through our apps. You can find out how to download them here:
