Math · Stage 1
Bridge through 10
Make a ten first — 9 + 4 becomes 10 + 3, all in your head.
✦ Math📘 Stage 1 · S1⏱ ~9 min🧒 Ages 5–6★ Free to start
bridge through 10 mentally (make-a-ten as a mental strategy).
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Kavi's Ten-Bridge 🌉
The Ten-Bridge in Kavi's forest carries exactly 10 acorns at a time 🌰, and Kavi has 9 acorns with 4 more waiting. "Fill the bridge first!" says Kavi. "1 more makes ten, and 3 are left over: ten and three is 13!"
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What your child will learn
1Fill the frame to tenLet's add 9 + 4. First put 9 counters in the ten-frame: tap Add nine times, then look at the empty cell.
2Cross the ten-bridgeOn the number line, 10 is the bridge. To make a ten, start at 9: hop +1 to land on 10, then hop the 3 that are left to reach 13.
3Two frames, one tenNow try 8 + 5. Tap Add 8: eight counters fill the first row and part of the second. The 5 empty cells are the numbers still to add.
4The nines in a flashNow do it all in your head. With 9 it is super quick: take 1 from the other number to make the ten. So 9 + 4 is 10 + 3 = 13.
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A peek inside
Kavi has 9 acorns 🌰 and finds 4 more. How many acorns altogether?
9 + 1 = 10 → 10 + 3
Try this at home: Make a ten first: 7 + 5 → 7 + __ = 10, then 10 + __ = __
Ready to play and learn?
Start the free interactive lesson, or print the handout for screen-free play.
Part of Math · Stage 1 · S1 on KAVI Academy — a secular, whole-child learning platform for ages 5–12.