Charts and data
Year 2 · Maths
Explore numbers, spot patterns and explain how you worked it out.
Choose a game
Take your time, try a game and collect stars.
Pictograms and tally charts
Each star stands for 2 votes: how many votes is that? Read pictograms and tally charts in this
Play Pictograms and tally chartsCounting tally marks
A gate of five and 2 more marks makes 7. Match tally marks to their totals in this
Play Counting tally marks
Learning about charts and data
These Year 2 Maths games practise Pictograms and tally charts, Counting tally marks. Choose a game above for a short activity, or explore the examples below before you play. The full guide for each game explains its controls, gives more examples and includes a free printable for practice away from the screen.
Talk it through
Use counters, a drawing or a number line before moving to a mental method. Ask your child to explain a choice, then change one number and try the method again.
Ask: “How could you show the same answer another way?” Give your child time to explain. Return to an example after playing and ask whether they would approach it differently.
Pictograms and tally charts
Year 2 pupils learn to read and make simple pictograms, tally charts, block diagrams and tables. A pictogram uses a symbol to stand for a number of things, and the key tells you how many.
Try an example: Each ★ stands for 2 votes. Bananas has 3 ★. How many votes?
Count in 2s: 2, 4, 6.
Show the answer
6 votes
What to look out for
Counting symbols and forgetting the key, so 3 stars is called 3. Point at the key and say what one symbol is worth before counting.
Counting tally marks
Year 2 pupils use tally charts to record data. Tally marks are drawn in groups of five: four upright marks with a fifth drawn across them, sometimes called a gate.
Try an example: Tally: 1 gate of five and 3 single marks
5, then 6, 7, 8.
Show the answer
8
What to look out for
Counting a gate as 4 because only four marks stand up. Draw a gate slowly and count each mark aloud, including the one that crosses.
Practise away from the screen
- Make a pictogram of the family's favourite fruits, with one sticker for each person.
- Keep a tally of how many times someone says a chosen word at dinner.
Curriculum connections
These games support selected practice connected to Statistics in the National Curriculum in England. Use your school’s sequence to decide when to introduce and revisit each skill. A game covers selected examples, rather than assessing every requirement.
Questions families ask
Where should we start with charts and data?
Start with Pictograms and tally charts. Look at the worked example together, then try a round. If the task feels unfamiliar, use the full game guide or its free printable before trying again.
Does this cover everything taught at this level?
No. This page brings together the games currently available for this topic. It supports selected skills and does not replace the full programme of study or practical teaching.