Make simple addition fun and hands-on with our Ladybug Addition Activity! This engaging resource provides young learners with a playful and visual way to develop early addition skills and number sense. Using a cute ladybug template and familiar materials like counters or buttons, students will love rolling, counting, and adding as they explore basic addition facts in an interactive format.

The activity is easy to set up and perfect for independent or small group practise. Students begin by rolling a dice and placing that many counters, buttons, or drawn spots on one side of the ladybug. They record this number in the first box. They then roll the dice again, repeat the process on the other half of the ladybug, and record the second number. Finally, students add all the spots together and write the total in the final box. This visual and tactile process helps to reinforce one-to-one correspondence, counting, and addition fluency.

Ladybug Addition Activity also includes a recording sheet, allowing students to document their work and reflect on their learning. The recording sheet is a great way to extend the activity and provide an additional layer of accountability. Whether used during maths rotations, as a small group task, or for independent practise, this resource offers an engaging and effective way to consolidate early addition skills while fostering a love of learning.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Develop fluency with simple addition facts
• ✅ Strengthen one-to-one correspondence and counting skills
• ✅ Build number sense and understanding of number relationships
• ✅ Promote visualisation and conceptual understanding of addition
• ✅ Foster independence and mathematical confidence through hands-on learning

What’s Included:

• Ladybug addition activity mat
• Student recording sheet for documenting addition work
• Teacher notes with tips for classroom use and differentiation

Materials Needed:

• Printed ladybug addition activity mats (preferably laminated for durability)
• Printed student recording sheets
• Dice (standard 6-sided)
• Counters, buttons, small objects, or whiteboard markers to draw spots
• Pencils for recording sheets

How to Use:

1. Print and prepare the ladybug activity mats and recording sheets.
2. Provide each student or pair with a ladybug mat, dice, and counters or markers.
3. Students roll the dice and place that many counters or spots on one side of the ladybug, recording the number in the first box.
4. They roll again and repeat the process on the other side, recording the number in the second box.
5. Students then add all the counters or spots together and record the total in the final box.
6. Encourage students to complete the recording sheet to reinforce learning and provide a record of their work.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use as part of a maths rotation to develop early addition fluency.
• 💡 Include as an independent task for reinforcing counting and addition skills.
• 💡 Incorporate into small group instruction to support learners who need extra practise with basic facts.
• 💡 Offer as a warm-up or cool-down activity during maths lessons.
• 💡 Encourage students to verbalise their addition strategies and explain their thinking as they play.

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Laminate the ladybug mats for repeated use and durability.
• 💛 Model the activity with the whole class before introducing it to small groups or independent rotations.
• 💛 Provide number lines or counting charts for students who need additional support.
• 💛 Use the recording sheets as an informal assessment tool to track students’ progress in understanding addition.

Ladybug Addition Activity is a fun and flexible way to build early addition fluency while supporting number sense and counting skills. Your students will love the playful format, and you’ll love the valuable learning opportunities it provides!