Addition within 5 Worksheet (Free Printable PDF)

What’s in the PDF

• Page 1 (Level 1, easier): It has six picture sums with apples, ducks, stars, cars, fish and cupcakes, plus six easy number sums such as 1 + 2 and 4 + 1.
• Page 2 (Level 2, harder): It has twelve number sums, six missing-number sums like 2 + ? = 5, and a story sum about balloons.
• Page 3: an answer key for both levels.

Print one level at a time. If Level 1 feels easy, move straight on to Level 2.

How to teach addition within 5

Start with real things before paper. Put two spoons on the table, add one more and ask how many there are now. Say “two and one more makes three” as you push them together. When this feels easy, use the pictures on Level 1: count the first group, count the second, then count them all. Fingers are a perfectly good tool at this stage, so let your child use them.

What to watch for

Many children count the first group, then count the second group and write that number as the answer. Ask them to touch every picture once as they count all of them together. Also check that zero makes sense: 0 + 3 is still 3.

Game: Hide and add

Put up to five small toys under a cup in two groups: show two, show one, then hide them all. Ask how many are under the cup. Lift it to check. Swap roles so your child hides and you guess.

Everyday practice

Adding within five comes up all day: two socks and one more, three grapes and two more, one book and two more at bedtime. Ask “how many now?” whenever something gets added to a small group.

Questions to ask while they work

• How many are in the first group?
• If we add one more, will we have more or less?
• Can you show me 4 on your fingers, then one more?

Practise next

Try counting 1 to 10, addition within 10, subtraction within 5. Check that your child can write the numbers with number tracing 1 to 10.