Number Bonds to 10 – Colouring

Help children develop their understanding of number bonds to 10 with this engaging and visual colouring sticks maths activity. Children choose two colours and explore different ways to colour the stick to make a total of 10. This activity provides a simple visual representation of number composition and part-part-whole relationships. By using two colours, children can clearly see how the whole number 10 can be split into two different parts. Encourage children to find as many different combinations as possible and then complete the corresponding number sentence to show each number bond. This helps children make connections between visual representations and mathematical notation. The resource is ideal for Early Years and KS1 and can be used during whole-class maths lessons, small-group activities, independent learning, interventions or continuous provision. It provides an opportunity for children to investigate number bonds rather than simply memorising them. Children can practise: Learning number bonds to 10 Finding different ways to make 10 Exploring number composition Understanding part-part-whole relationships Completing number sentences Developing early addition skills Counting accurately Recognising patterns in number bonds Using mathematical vocabulary Developing mathematical reasoning and number sense For additional practical learning, provide children with coloured cubes and ask them to build the sticks before they colour them. This gives children a concrete way to explore each combination and helps them connect manipulatives with pictorial representations. For example, children could build a stick using 4 cubes of one colour and 6 cubes of another, then colour the corresponding sections and record 4 + 6 = 10. Encourage them to swap the colours and explore what they notice. You could also challenge children to systematically find all the different ways to make 10. Ask questions such as “How many different combinations can you find?”, “What happens when you