Little Learners · Ages 5 to 7
Addition Lightning
Build addition fluency with timed quick-fire sums for ages 5 to 7.
10 levels+50 XP
ProgressNot started
10 levels · IntermediatePlay
Little Learners · Ages 5 to 7
All Little Learners gamesFact Family Triangle Flip
Flip cards to match each addition fact to the take away that undoes it, for ages 5 to 7.
MemoryFact family triangles: addition and its inverse~8 min per level5 levelsAll devices
- Free · no account required
- COPPA compliant
- +10 XP per level
- 5 levels
- Plays on all devices
- Curriculum-aligned
The learning journey
Every activity is one step. Here is where this one fits.
- Play(you are here)Learn the idea in a game
- PractiseLock it in on paper
- ReviewCome back and keep it sharp
- MasterTake on a harder challenge
- AchieveEarn a certificate
About Fact Family Triangle Flip
Fact Family Triangle Flip is about the relationship between adding and taking away, which is one of the most useful ideas in early arithmetic and one of the most often missed. Every fact family triangle holds three numbers and four facts: 3 plus 4 makes 7, 4 plus 3 makes 7, 7 take away 4 leaves 3, and 7 take away 3 leaves 4. Those are not four separate things to learn, they are one thing seen from four directions. In this game each addition card is hidden somewhere among its partners, and the child has to find the subtraction that undoes it. Having to search for the partner is what does the work: the child cannot simply be told that adding and subtracting are inverse, they have to ask themselves which take away comes out of this addition, and answer it, several times a round. Once that connection is in place, subtraction stops being a separate subject to be feared and becomes addition read backwards, which is exactly how fluent arithmetic actually works. Facts stay within ten plus ten, and each family appears only once in a round so no card is ever ambiguous. Boards begin at two pairs and grow to four. Cards are reachable by tap or keyboard and are announced clearly to screen readers, unmatched turns flip back quietly with no penalty, and matched pairs stay face up with a soft chime. The game is free, needs no sign-up, shows no advertising to children, and keeps progress on the device.
Where to go next
Chosen by the skills this activity practises.
Next — more of the same skill
Printable worksheets for this skill
A hand for grown-ups
- Before you start
- Have something countable nearby. Being able to check "3 and 2 really is 5" by counting builds trust in the maths.
- While they work
- If a sum is hard, suggest counting on from the bigger number rather than counting both from one. It is a real strategy, not a crutch.
- Afterwards
- Try one together out loud, talking through how you worked it out. Hearing an adult think aloud is genuinely useful.
- Watch out for
- Counting both numbers from one every time. Nudge gently towards "start at the bigger one and count on".
- Away from the screen
- Add up small shopping items, or dots on two dice. Board games with dice are addition practice in disguise.
How to play
A question appears on screen
A maths question is shown in large text at the centre of the play area. A timer bar begins counting down from 120 seconds.
Choose the correct answer
Answer options are shown as large buttons. Tap or click the correct option. Any input method works — touch, mouse or keyboard.
Build your streak
Each consecutive correct answer increases your streak. A longer streak lights up the flame icon and adds a bonus multiplier to the XP you earn for the level.
Finish the level
Each level has 4 questions. Complete them to earn the full level reward (+10 XP, plus up to +10 XP for a perfect run). Progress is saved locally and shown on the Parent Dashboard.
Curriculum alignment
Mapped to national curriculum frameworks so teachers and parents can match practice to school standards.
- United StatesCommon Core State Standards for Mathematics · fact-families, addition, subtractionAligned to fact-families, addition, subtraction number and operations objectives.
- United KingdomNational Curriculum for England — Maths · fact-families, addition, subtractionAligned to fact-families, addition, subtraction number and operations objectives.
- AustraliaAustralian Curriculum v9.0 — Mathematics · fact-families, addition, subtractionAligned to fact-families, addition, subtraction number and operations objectives.
- CanadaPan-Canadian Provincial Standards · fact-families, addition, subtractionAligned to fact-families, addition, subtraction number and operations objectives.
Common questions from parents & teachers
Everything you need to know before your child starts playing.
- Three numbers that make four facts. From 3, 4 and 7 you get two additions and two subtractions — one idea seen from four directions rather than four things to learn.
- The child has to ask which subtraction comes out of a given addition and answer it themselves. Being told that the operations are inverse rarely sticks; working it out does.
- It is designed for children aged 5 to 7, and suits grade 1 and grade 2 children working on addition and subtraction within 20.
- No. Each fact family appears only once per round, so every card has exactly one correct partner.
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