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 gamesWord Problem Clue Hunt
Read a short story and choose the number sentence that solves it, rather than the answer. For ages 5 to 7.
QuizWord problems: choose the number sentence to use~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 Word Problem Clue Hunt
Word Problem Clue Hunt asks the child to pick the number sentence a story needs, not to work out the answer. That distinction is the entire game. Word problems are where arithmetic is actually used, and the step children fail is almost never the calculation — it is deciding which calculation to do. Asking for the answer hides that failure, because a child can guess the operation, get lucky with easy numbers and still look correct. Asking for the sentence isolates the decision and makes it the only thing being tested. The wrong options are chosen to catch the two errors that genuinely occur. One is the opposite operation, taken by children who have learned to scan for keywords rather than picture the situation. The other is the right operation with the numbers reversed, which shows a child has understood that something is being taken away but not what from what. The stories deliberately include cases where keyword-matching fails: how many more did Mia read is a subtraction, however much the word more suggests otherwise, and a child who has been taught that more means add will be caught by it, which is the most useful thing that can happen to them. Numbers grow with the level and every subtraction story leaves a positive result. Answers are large tappable buttons. Free, no sign-up, no advertising to children, 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
- Find a calm few minutes with no rush. Let your child know it is fine to find some of it tricky — that is what practice is for.
- While they work
- Sit nearby but let them lead. If they get stuck, ask "what could you try?" rather than giving the answer — the thinking is the point.
- Afterwards
- Ask them to show you one they found easy and one they found hard. Praise the effort on the hard one, not just the right answers.
- Watch out for
- Rushing. If answers come too fast and wrong, slow the pace down together rather than pushing for more.
- Away from the screen
- Look for the same maths in everyday life — counting stairs, sharing snacks, spotting shapes on a walk.
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 90 seconds.
Choose the correct answer
Answer options are shown as large buttons. Tap an answer, or press keys 1–4 on the keyboard. 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 5 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 · word-problems, addition, subtractionAligned to word-problems, addition, subtraction number and operations objectives.
- United KingdomNational Curriculum for England — Maths · word-problems, addition, subtractionAligned to word-problems, addition, subtraction number and operations objectives.
- AustraliaAustralian Curriculum v9.0 — Mathematics · word-problems, addition, subtractionAligned to word-problems, addition, subtraction number and operations objectives.
- CanadaPan-Canadian Provincial Standards · word-problems, addition, subtractionAligned to word-problems, addition, subtraction number and operations objectives.
Common questions from parents & teachers
Everything you need to know before your child starts playing.
- Because the answer hides the mistake. A child can guess the operation, get lucky with easy numbers and still look correct. Asking for the sentence tests the actual decision.
- On purpose. Keyword-matching — "more means add" — is a habit that breaks quickly. Being caught by it once is the most useful thing that can happen to a child who has it.
- The opposite operation, and the right operation with the numbers reversed. Those are the two errors children actually make.
- It is designed for children aged 5 to 7 and matches the grade 2 curriculum for one-step word problems.
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