Are your students learning about addition to 10? Are you looking for a fun, hands-on resource to help them develop their knowledge and understanding of addition as well as build their fine motor skills? Allow your young learners to play, explore, count, add and create with these birthday cake themed addition mats.

This colourful resource offers a playful approach to mastering addition to 10. Each mat displays a simple number sentence beside a birthday cake image, with space for students to model their answers using play dough candles. By integrating fine motor practise with foundational numeracy, students will enjoy learning through tactile exploration while strengthening their understanding of part-part-whole relationships.

As children roll, shape, and place play dough candles onto the cakes, they reinforce early maths skills like one-to-one correspondence and number recognition. At the same time, they are developing bilateral coordination and finger strength - both essential for daily classroom tasks like cutting, handwriting and using tools. With just a few materials and minimal prep, this versatile activity supports sensory, physical, and cognitive development in one engaging task.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Build fluency in addition facts to 10
• ✅ Strengthen one-to-one correspondence and number recognition
• ✅ Represent numbers in a concrete, visual way
• ✅ Develop fine motor strength and coordination
• ✅ Support play-based and sensory learning in maths

What’s Included:

• A variety of birthday cake themed mats featuring:
  • - Visual addition problems up to 10
  • - Space to model each number using play dough candles
• Designed for A4 printing but can be enlarged to A3 for more space
• Bright, engaging illustrations to encourage participation

Materials Needed:

• Printed mats (paper or cardstock)
• Play dough in assorted colours
• Write-and-wipe sleeves or laminator for durability (optional)
• Whiteboard markers if laminated and using for recording totals

How to Use:

1. Print and prepare the mats - laminate or place in sleeves for repeated use.
2. Provide each student with a mat and a small amount of play dough.
3. Students read the addition sentence and model the numbers using play dough candles.
4. They place the candles on the birthday cake image, count the total, and say or write the number sentence.
5. Repeat with new mats or use as part of a small group activity for discussion and support.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use during small group instruction to reinforce early addition concepts.
• 💡 Add to your numeracy rotations for independent or partner work.
• 💡 Set up as a fine motor station to combine maths with skill building.
• 💡 Use alongside birthday-themed songs or stories for an engaging theme.
• 💡 Include in morning tubs for an active start to the day.

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Enlarge to A3 for younger learners or those who need extra space for building.
• 💛 Use two colours of play dough to represent each part of the addition sentence.
• 💛 Encourage students to explain their thinking aloud using mathematical language.
• 💛 Store mats and dough in labelled baskets for easy classroom organisation and reuse.

Make & Add to 10 Play Dough Mats: Candles offer a sweet and simple way to reinforce number sense through hands-on, joyful learning. Perfect for early years maths stations, these mats help every child celebrate success as they build their way to 10!