Vertical Addition Worksheet – Free Printable PDF
This free vertical addition worksheet introduces the stacked column layout children will use for the rest of their school maths. Twelve sums are printed with one number above the other, a plus sign on the left, a horizontal line, and a dashed answer box below it. Every total stays within 10, so the layout is the only new thing to learn. 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
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More about this worksheet
About This Free Vertical Addition Worksheet for Kids
One page, one method — that is the whole of this free vertical addition worksheet. 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.
Twelve sums arranged vertically, four across and three down. Each sits in its own card with the two numbers stacked, a plus sign on the left, a rule beneath and a dashed answer box under the rule. The problems are 1 + 2, 3 + 4, 2 + 5, 6 + 1, 4 + 3, 5 + 2, 2 + 2, 7 + 2, 3 + 6, 4 + 4, 5 + 5 and 8 + 1. Totals run from three to ten.
The sums are the same kind your child has already met, but written top to bottom instead of left to right. Changing only the layout is deliberate — it lets a child meet the column format without also meeting harder numbers. Point out that the answer goes below the line, not beside it. Children who have only ever written answers to the right of an equals sign often put it in the wrong place the first time. For more early maths in the same style, see our uppercase letter tracing worksheets, and the full library sits on our free printable worksheets for kids.
What your child will learn from this worksheet
By the time the page is finished, your child will have practised:
- Read a sum written top to bottom rather than left to right
- Write the total in the correct place, directly under the line
- Recognise that 4 + 3 means the same thing in both column and horizontal layouts
- Solve twelve column sums with totals of 10 or less, including 5 + 5
- Build the neat column alignment habit that carries and two-digit work will need
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 shapes worksheets for kids are the place to build that foundation first.
Who is this worksheet best for?
This free vertical addition 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 vertical addition worksheet?
Most children are ready from around age four, once they can count a small group of objects reliably and get the same answer twice. Counting accurately matters far more than age here — a child who miscounts a group of five will get the sum wrong no matter how well they understand adding. Count each group out loud together before anything is written down.
What is the difference between vertical and column addition?
They are the same thing under two names. US materials usually say vertical addition or stacked addition, while UK schools say column addition or the column method. This vertical addition worksheet uses the identical layout either way — one number above the other, a plus sign on the left, a line, and the answer beneath — so it fits US, UK and Indian classrooms without any change.
Is column addition part of the official early years curriculum?
Yes. Adding within ten is a named objective in early years maths almost everywhere. Indian schools cover it across LKG, UKG and Grade 1; the UK sets it in the EYFS early learning goals and Year 1 of KS1; the US covers it in Kindergarten and Grade 1, including representing addition with objects, fingers and drawings before written equations. Counting comes first in every one of those frameworks, which is why our free alphabet tracing worksheets 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.