Numbers and place value games

Key Stage 1

Year 1: 1 more and 1 less

Number – number and place value: “given a number, identify 1 more and 1 less”

Finding 1 more or 1 less than a number is one of the first things children learn about how numbers are ordered. 1 more than 6 is 7, the next number when counting forwards. 1 less than 6 is 5, the number before it.

It sounds simple, but it builds a very important idea: every number has a fixed place in the counting sequence. Year 1 pupils start with numbers up to 20 and move on to numbers up to 100. The tricky moments come when the tens change, such as 1 more than 39 being 40, or 1 less than 70 being 69. The game focuses on numbers up to 100 so these boundary cases come up often.

Play 1 more and 1 less · Free printable

Year 1: Numbers on a number line to 20

Number – number and place value: “identify and represent numbers using objects and pictorial representations including the number line”

A number line shows numbers in order with equal spaces between them. Year 1 pupils learn to identify and represent numbers using objects, pictures and the number line, and to use the language of equal to, more than, less than, most and least.

In this game the line runs from 0 to 20 with every number marked by a tick, but only 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 are labelled. Children have to work out where a number such as 13 goes by counting on from a labelled point. This builds a feel for the size of numbers, which is the foundation for estimating, rounding and mental calculation later on.

Play Numbers on a number line to 20 · Free printable

Year 2: Tens and ones

Number – number and place value: “recognise the place value of each digit in a two-digit number (10s, 1s)”

Place value is the idea that a digit's value depends on where it is in a number. In the two-digit number 47, the 4 is in the tens place and is worth 40, while the 7 is in the ones place and is worth 7. Year 2 pupils learn to recognise the place value of each digit in a two-digit number.

In the game, children balance the scales by partitioning, such as 47 = 40 + ?. The Quick quiz asks two kinds of question: 'What is the value of the 4 in 47?' and '47 = ? tens and 7 ones'. Both check that children see a two-digit number as tens and ones, not just two digits side by side. Solid place value is what makes adding, subtracting and comparing bigger numbers possible.

Play Tens and ones · Free printable

Year 2: Ordering numbers to 100

Number – number and place value: “compare and order numbers from 0 up to 100; use <, > and = signs”

Comparing and ordering numbers means deciding which is bigger or smaller and putting several numbers in order. Year 2 pupils compare and order numbers from 0 up to 100 and use the signs < (less than), > (greater than) and =.

In this game children put five numbers in order, sometimes smallest first and sometimes largest first. Many rounds include a pair with the same digits swapped, such as 34 and 43, because that is exactly where place value understanding shows. You can move the cards with the arrow buttons or by tapping one card and then another to swap them.

Play Ordering numbers to 100 · Free printable

Lower Key Stage 2

Year 3: Hundreds, tens and ones

Number – number and place value: “recognise the place value of each digit in a 3-digit number (100s, 10s, 1s)”

Year 3 pupils learn to recognise the place value of each digit in a three-digit number: hundreds, tens and ones. In 365, the 3 is worth 300, the 6 is worth 60 and the 5 is worth 5.

In the game, children balance the scales by partitioning, such as 345 = 300 + ? + 5. The Quick quiz asks 'What is the value of the digit in this number?' with four choices. The wrong answers include the digit itself and the digit in the wrong place, which are the most common mistakes. All numbers use three different digits so each question has only one correct answer.

Play Hundreds, tens and ones · Free printable

Year 3: 10 or 100 more or less

Number – number and place value: “find 10 or 100 more or less than a given number”

Year 3 pupils learn to find 10 or 100 more or less than a given number, working with numbers up to 1,000. Adding or subtracting 10 changes the tens digit; adding or subtracting 100 changes the hundreds digit.

In the game, children balance the scales, such as 456 + 100 = ? or 456 + ? = 556. In the Quick quiz most questions are straightforward, such as 100 more than 456 = 556. The interesting ones cross a boundary: 10 more than 395 is 405, because the tens digit goes from 9 to 0 and the hundreds go up by one. The game deliberately includes many of these, and the wrong answers include the most common slips, such as changing the wrong digit.

Play 10 or 100 more or less · Free printable

Year 4: Rounding to 10, 100 and 1,000

Number – number and place value: “round any number to the nearest 10, 100 or 1,000”

Rounding means replacing a number with a nearby 'friendly' number that is easier to work with. Year 4 pupils learn to round any number to the nearest 10, 100 or 1,000. For example, 4,567 rounded to the nearest 100 is 4,600.

Rounding is used for estimating and checking answers, and for describing numbers in everyday life ('about 300 people'). In this quiz race, numbers go up to 9,999. The wrong answers include rounding in the wrong direction and rounding to the wrong place, the two most common slips.

Play Rounding to 10, 100 and 1,000 · Free printable

Year 4: Roman numerals to 100

Number – number and place value: “read Roman numerals to 100 (I to C) and know that over time, the numeral system changed to include the concept of 0 and place value”

Year 4 pupils learn to read Roman numerals to 100 (I to C). They also learn that, over time, the number system changed to include zero and place value, which the Romans did not have. Roman numerals still appear on clock faces, monarchs' names, film credits and buildings.

In this matching game, children pair Roman numerals with the numbers they represent. Many rounds include subtractive numerals such as IV, IX, XL and XC, which are the ones children find hardest.

Play Roman numerals to 100 · Free printable

Upper Key Stage 2

Year 5: Negative numbers

Number – number and place value: “interpret negative numbers in context, count forwards and backwards with positive and negative whole numbers, including through 0”

Negative numbers are numbers less than zero, such as −3 or −10. Year 5 pupils learn to interpret negative numbers in context and count forwards and backwards with positive and negative whole numbers, including through zero. Temperature is the most common context: −4 °C is 4 degrees below freezing.

In this game the number line runs from −10 to 10, with −10, −5, 0, 5 and 10 labelled. Some questions simply ask children to place a number; others give a temperature to mark. Placing negative numbers shows clearly that −7 is further left, and so smaller, than −2.

Play Negative numbers · Free printable

Year 5: Rounding numbers to 1,000,000

Number – number and place value: “round any number up to 1,000,000 to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 and 100,000”

Year 5 pupils learn to round any number up to 1,000,000 to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 and 100,000. The rule is the same one they learnt in Year 4, applied to bigger numbers: look at the digit just to the right of the place you are rounding to.

Rounding big numbers is useful for estimating, checking calculations and describing large amounts, such as populations or distances. In this quiz the numbers go up to 999,999, and the wrong choices include rounding the wrong way and rounding to the wrong place.

Play Rounding numbers to 1,000,000 · Free printable

Year 5: Roman numerals to 1,000

Number – number and place value: “read Roman numerals to 1,000 (M) and recognise years written in Roman numerals”

Year 5 pupils learn to read Roman numerals to 1,000 (M) and recognise years written in Roman numerals. This builds on Year 4 (numerals to 100) by adding D (500) and M (1,000), and the subtractive pairs CD (400) and CM (900).

In this matching game, around two in five cards are years between 1066 and 2030, such as MCMXCIX (1999) or MMXXVI (2026). The rest are numbers from 1 to 1,000. Years are a good real-life test because they appear on buildings, foundation stones and at the end of film and TV credits.

Play Roman numerals to 1,000 · Free printable