Number Bonds to 10 Game: Make 10 for Addition & Subtraction
Practise number bonds to 10 and learn how to make a friendly multiple of 10 before finishing an addition or subtraction question. The game uses visual number splitting, four progressive levels and no timer, so children can focus on the strategy rather than speed.
- Number bonds of 10
- Addition & subtraction
- 4 progressive levels
- No timer
- Mobile & tablet friendly
Number Bonds to 10 Game
Make a friendly 10 first, then finish the calculation.
Step 1 of 3 · Which number helps us make 10?
Great work!
You finished the round by making friendly tens first.
The Answer Is Not the Only Skill: Children Need to See How to Reach 10
A child may know that 8 + 6 = 14 after counting, but still not recognise the more efficient structure inside the calculation. This game makes that hidden structure visible: split the second number, use one part to reach 10, then use the part that remains.
Want more practice with the underlying operations? Use our addition guide and practice questions or subtraction guide and practice questions.
How the “Make 10 First” Strategy Works
The game deliberately asks for the small numbers inside the method before it asks for the final answer. That helps children practise partitioning instead of relying only on counting forwards or backwards.
Find the number that reaches 10
For 8 + 6, the first useful fact is 8 + 2 = 10. For 16 − 8, the first useful fact is 16 − 6 = 10.
Split the second number
The number being added or subtracted is partitioned into two parts. In 8 + 6, the 6 becomes 2 + 4. In 16 − 8, the 8 becomes 6 + 2.
Finish from the friendly 10
Once 10 is reached, the remaining step is easier to see: 10 + 4 = 14 or 10 − 2 = 8.
Number Bonds Are Part of Early NSW Additive Thinking
The current NSW Mathematics K–10 syllabus explicitly connects early addition and subtraction learning with part–whole relationships, number bonds and partitioning. This game is an independent practice activity designed to reinforce those ideas in a visual way.
Children represent the relationship between the parts that form a whole, with numbers up to 10. This is the foundation behind learning number bonds to 10.
Students use number bonds and the relationship between addition and subtraction when solving partitioning problems.
NSW Department of Education resources describe using known facts, strategically partitioning numbers and using landmark numbers such as 10 when developing additive thinking.
Curriculum links are provided for parent and teacher reference. Aussie Math Tutor NSW is not affiliated with or endorsed by NESA or the NSW Department of Education.
Four Levels From Number Bonds to Two-Digit Bridging
The year labels in the game are suggested starting points rather than strict rules. A child should begin where the method feels understandable and move up once they can explain the strategy accurately.
Number Bonds to 10
Build the core part–whole facts that make later mental addition and subtraction easier.
See the Year 1 maths guideMake 10 First
Split a single-digit number so the first part reaches exactly 10, then finish the calculation.
Explore Stage 1 foundationsMake the Next 10
Apply the same idea across larger numbers such as 27 + 8 or 43 − 7.
See the Year 2 maths guideTwo-Digit Addition & Subtraction
Use a multiple of 10 as a stepping stone inside more demanding two-digit calculations.
See the Year 3 maths guideWhy This Number Bonds Game Has No Timer
Speed can come later. For a child who is still learning how numbers split and recombine, seeing the correct structure matters more than racing to the answer. The game therefore keeps the working visible and lets children choose each number deliberately.
This approach is especially useful when a student can calculate by counting but struggles to explain a quicker mental strategy. Once the bridge-to-10 method makes sense, children can practise fluency through our other free mental maths games.
What to Ask While a Child Plays
A short question can reveal whether the child understands the number relationship or is only guessing from the buttons.
“How much do we need to make 10?”
This checks whether the child can recognise the missing number bond without counting all the way from the beginning.
“What is left after we use that part?”
This focuses attention on partitioning. For 8 + 6, if 2 is used to make 10, the child should see that 4 remains.
“Can you tell me the whole story?”
Ask the child to say the steps aloud: “8 needs 2 to make 10; 4 is left; 10 plus 4 is 14.” Verbalising the strategy can show whether it is truly understood.
More Free Maths Games, Guides and Practice
Use the next resource according to what the child needs: basic counting, visual number position, arithmetic explanations or broader NSW syllabus practice.
Still Counting Every Addition or Subtraction Question?
A game can give useful repetition, but persistent difficulty may come from an earlier number-sense or arithmetic gap. Aussie Math Tutor NSW provides personalised Years 1–10 maths tutoring with step-by-step support matched to the student’s current level.
