1st Grade Addition Worksheets

Add within 20 and learn addition strategies.

6 subtopics · 60 worksheets · Easy, Medium & Hard levels

About Addition

Addition is the process of combining two or more quantities to find a total. It is one of the four fundamental operations of arithmetic and the one children typically learn first. These worksheets progress from concrete representations (counting pictures and objects) to abstract number sentences, building both conceptual understanding and computational fluency.

Why Addition Matters for 1st Grade

For 1st Grade students, addition is the first "real math" they learn. Fluency with basic addition facts is critical because these facts are used constantly — in subtraction (as inverse operations), in multiplication (as repeated addition), and in every area of math that follows. Students who struggle with addition will face compounding difficulty in later grades.

Tips for Parents & Teachers

1

Start with objects your child can touch and move — combining two groups of blocks or toy cars makes addition tangible.

2

Teach the "count on" strategy: start from the bigger number and count up. It is faster than counting everything from 1.

3

Practice "making 10" — it is the most powerful addition strategy and will serve your child for years.

4

Use addition in daily life: "You have 3 strawberries and I am giving you 4 more. How many will you have?"

5

Celebrate when your child can recall a fact from memory without counting — that is fluency developing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills does addition cover in 1st Grade?

1st Grade addition builds foundational skills that students need to progress in math. The worksheets on this page cover all the key concepts within this topic area, organized from basic to more advanced.

How many addition worksheets are available?

We offer 10 worksheets per subtopic for 1st Grade addition, organized by difficulty level (Easy, Medium, Hard). Each worksheet targets specific skills within this topic area.

What should my student learn before starting 1st Grade addition?

Check the prerequisite topics listed on this page. We recommend students have a solid understanding of those foundational skills before moving on to addition.