Make addition to 10 hands-on and memorable with our Bucket of Apples: Addition to 10 Craft! This apple-themed resource invites students to practise early addition skills while creating a colourful and engaging classroom display. With both stamping and cut-and-paste options included, it’s a perfect way to support different learning styles and abilities.

Students will use real apple halves to stamp red and green apples into a bucket, then record their equation using the included number sentence template. As they stamp each apple, they’ll explore part-part-whole relationships and represent number facts in a visual, concrete way. Short on time or supplies? No problem! We’ve included printable apple pieces so students can also cut and paste to complete the task.

Designed for Foundation and Early Years classrooms, this resource supports fine motor development, number fact fluency, and mathematical thinking. With a bright display banner and simple templates, Bucket of Apples is ideal for a seasonal maths activity, maths rotations, or a creative follow-up to addition lessons.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Represent addition problems using objects, drawings, and numbers
• ✅ Explore combinations that make numbers to 10
• ✅ Develop part-part-whole understanding and number fluency
• ✅ Strengthen fine motor skills through stamping, painting, and cutting
• ✅ Use mathematical language to describe number combinations

What’s Included:

• Step-by-step instructions with a finished example
• Bucket pieces and backing templates
• Printable apple pieces (optional cut-and-paste version)
• Addition number sentence template
• Colourful display banner

Materials Needed:

• Printed templates (enlarge to A3 for more space)
• Apples (cut in half for stamping)
• Red, green, and brown paint
• Cotton tips for adding details or stems
• Plates or trays for paint
• Scissors and glue (for cut-and-paste version)

How to Use:

1. Introduce the concept of addition using real-life examples and part-part-whole models.
2. Distribute the bucket and backing templates to students.
3. Students spin or choose two addends, then stamp that many red and green apples into their bucket using apple halves and paint.
4. Use the number sentence template to record the equation based on the stamped apples.
5. Alternative: use pre-printed apple pieces and have students cut and paste instead of stamping.
6. Display finished crafts around the included banner for a vibrant maths display.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use as a maths rotation during your addition to 10 unit.
• 💡 Set up a stamping station with paints and templates ready to go.
• 💡 Pair with an apple-themed story or poem to create a cross-curricular connection.
• 💡 Compare different addition combinations across the class and discuss strategies.

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Cut apples in advance and blot them to remove excess moisture before stamping.
• 💛 Print templates on coloured card for a bold, eye-catching effect.
• 💛 Use cotton tips to paint on stems, seeds, or even numbers inside each apple.
• 💛 Store any leftover printed apples in zip-lock bags for future addition tasks or maths games.

Bucket of Apples: Addition to 10 Craft is a fun and tactile way to explore addition, perfect for reinforcing number combinations while creating a colourful classroom display that shows off your students’ mathematical thinking!