Missing Addend Worksheet – Free Printable PDF
This free missing addend worksheet asks children to work backwards, which is far more demanding than an ordinary sum. Nine problems each hide one number — sometimes the first, sometimes the second — and a 1 to 10 number strip runs along the top for support. Problems include 2+_=5, _+3=7, 6+_=10 and _+4=7. Print it instantly — no login, no payment, no sign-up required.
- 📚 GRADE LEVEL → Nursery – LKG – 1st – 2nd
- 👶 AGE GROUP → 3–7 Years
- 📐 PAGE SIZE → A4 Size
- 🎯 DIFFICULTY → Beginner
Related Worksheets
More about this worksheet
About This Free Missing Addend Worksheet for Kids
This free missing addend worksheet fits one addition activity onto a single printable page. A name and date line runs across the top, a coloured title band names the activity, and one line of instructions sits beneath it. At Kidzolearn, every worksheet is 100% free to download and print — no login, no subscription, no payment required.
A number strip from one to ten runs across the top of the page. Below it sit nine problems in a three by three grid, each with a dashed box where one of the numbers should be. The problems are 2 + _ = 5, _ + 3 = 7, 4 + _ = 6, _ + 5 = 9, 3 + _ = 8, _ + 2 = 6, 6 + _ = 10, _ + 4 = 7 and 5 + _ = 9. Every total stays within ten.
The gap moves. It sits in the second position, then the first, then the second again, alternating all the way down the page. A child who has worked out that the box is always in one place has to actually read each problem. This is harder than it looks. Working backwards from an answer is a different kind of thinking from adding forwards, and a child who adds confidently may still stall here. The number strip at the top is there to be used — counting on along it is a perfectly good method. For more early maths in the same style, see our tracing lines worksheets for preschool, and the full library sits on our free printable worksheets for kids.
What your child will learn from this worksheet
One page, one method, and several things being practised at the same time:
- Find a hidden number in either the first or the second position of a sum
- Understand that the equals sign means balance, not simply the answer comes next
- Use the 1 to 10 number strip to count on from the known number to the total
- Discover the link between addition and subtraction without either being named
- Solve nine varied problems including 2+_=5, _+5=9, 6+_=10 and _+4=7
These are the early number objectives set in Nursery, LKG, UKG, Reception and Year 1. Counting securely is what makes adding possible, so if any of these sums feel slow, our uppercase letter tracing worksheets are the place to build that foundation first.
Who is this worksheet best for?
This free missing addend worksheet is perfect for:
- LKG, Kindergarten and Grade 1 children aged 4 to 7 years meeting addition for the first time
- Preschool and Kindergarten classroom maths centres and small-group work
- UK Reception and Year 1 KS1 children working on adding within 5
- Homeschooling parents who want a gentle visual introduction before written sums
Browse the complete collection of Free Addition Worksheets for Kindergarten on Kidzolearn for more free addition printables.
How to download and print this free worksheet
Click the “Download Free Worksheet” button on this page — the PDF downloads instantly with no sign-up or email required. Print on standard A4 paper for the best experience. Once your child counts and adds confidently, move on to the Subtraction Worksheet to stretch the same skill to bigger totals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Kidzolearn worksheets really free?
Yes! Every worksheet on Kidzolearn is 100% free — no subscription, no login and no payment required at any time. Simply click the download button, save the PDF and print it instantly at home or in the classroom.
At what age should children start using this missing addend worksheet?
Around four is typical, but go by counting rather than age. If your child can count a group of up to five or ten objects accurately and consistently, they are ready for this missing addend worksheet. If not, secure the counting first — every error on an addition sheet at this stage traces back to a miscount rather than to the adding itself.
How do I help my child find the missing number?
Read the sum as a story rather than a calculation: for 2 + _ = 5, ask how many more are needed to get from 2 to 5, and count up on the strip — three, four, five, that is three hops. Counting up is far easier for young children than subtracting, and it keeps a missing addend worksheet feeling like addition instead of introducing a new operation before they are ready.
Are missing number problems part of the official early years curriculum?
Yes — adding within ten appears in early maths frameworks worldwide, usually in the year before formal arithmetic begins. What those frameworks share is the order they teach it in: counting, then adding with things you can see, then adding with numerals alone. Our math worksheets for kindergarten cover the step that comes just before this one.
Can I use these worksheet at home?
Absolutely! This worksheet is completely free to download and print at home. All you need is a printer and a pencil — no cost, no sign-up and no login required. You can print it as many times as your child needs.