Free Marshmallow Addition Math Mats for Kindergarten

It’s so important for young learners to really UNDERSTAND addition and subtraction! They need to SEE it, TOUCH it, SMELL it (sorry, got carried away)! But seriously, hands-on activities in early math are truly mandatory in preschool, kindergarten, and even beyond.

Check out the FREE Marshmallow Addition Math Mats for Kindergarten to help support your students’ understanding of addition problems. All you need to do is print, cut, and protect the free printable.

Place it at the math center, work with small groups, turn it into a game, or put another spin on it! These work mats are super versatile, and will meet the needs of all learners!

This activity was designed with a yummy marshmallow cereal in mind. However, mini erasers, buttons, beads, or other countable objects also work!

How to Teach Addition in Kindergarten

We want to expose children to addition in kindergarten so they can begin mastering the basic facts in first grade. However, there are some prerequisite skills that should be in place before delving into that addition practice in kindergarten.

Prerequisite skills for addition include:

• Count fluently to at least 20
• Count groups of objects up to 20
• Recognize numerals 0-20
• Match numbers with a group of objects
• Write the numerals 1-20

When those skills are in place, pull out the addition math centers for kindergarten!

How to Use the Free Printable Addition Activity for Kindergarten

After printing and preparing the printable math mats for addition, you’ll need to decide how to use them with your students. There are multiple ways to make this work for a diverse bunch of learners!

Each full-page printable includes two math mats. Cut the pages in half to limit it to one addition sentence per mat.

Here are the facts included in this free printable math addition worksheet for kindergarten: 10+1, 10+5, 2+8, 7+3, 4+6, 5+5, 8+1, 3+6, 2+6, 4+4, 7+0, 2+5, 4+2, 1+5, 4+1, 3+2, 4+0, 2+1, 1+1, 1+0.

Remember those prerequisite skills mentioned above? If your students aren’t quite there yet, try this:

• Instead of adding the numbers in the provided equation, pull it apart. Ask students to count objects into the bowl for the top number, then do the same for the bottom number. Finally, they can count the total number of objects.
• Place the first number of objects INTO the bowl, then instruct students to place the second number ON the bowl to create separation. Then, push all the objects into the bowl and count the total.

Wondering about those students who can already add with a bit of ease? Try this:

• Have the students start with the top number in their heads, then count the bottom by adding objects onto the mat to find the sum.
• Try starting with the bigger number instead of the top number, to teach students a more effective addition strategy.

Addition Math Games for Kindergarten

Here are some “additional” games for your kindergarteners to practice math facts:

• Number bond mats show addition in a different way! When we take out the equation symbols and just show the relationship between the numbers, it can be very helpful for young learners. Students can roll a die or draw number cards to begin the bond, then add them up to complete it.
• Flash card memory matching game.
• Turn a boring math worksheet into an interactive story problem by asking students to take turns making up a story to go with each problem.
• Roll and Add is a simple game to practice addition problems in kindergarten. It requires a whiteboard, a dry erase marker, and two dice. Just roll the dice, write the equation, and find the sum. Students can compete by getting a point for the student with the higher sum each round.