Little Learners · Ages 5 to 7
Number Bond Match (to 20)
Match the pairs of numbers that bond to make 20. A Grade 2 number-bonds matching activity with answer keys.
The learning journey
Every activity is one step. Here is where this one fits.
- PlayLearn the idea in a game
- Practise(you are here)Lock it in on paper
- ReviewCome back and keep it sharp
- MasterTake on a harder challenge
- AchieveEarn a certificate
About Number Bond Match (to 20)
Number Bond Match (to 20) builds fluency with the pairs of numbers that add together to make 20. Down one side are numbers and down the other their partners; the child draws a line to join each number to the one that completes the bond to 20. Knowing number bonds by heart is one of the most valuable early-number skills, because it underpins fast mental addition and subtraction and the bridging strategies children use for years afterwards. Bonds to 20 are a key Year 2 expectation in the UK and Australia and align with US Grade 1–2 work on making ten and twenty. Presenting the bonds as a matching task keeps the practice active and lets children spot patterns — that as one number goes up, its partner goes down. The five levels vary the pairs so the worksheet stays fresh and reusable. Each page prints cleanly on a standard A4 sheet, and every level downloads with its own answer key listing the correct partner for each number. There is no advertising, no sign-up and no data leaves the device. Use it for bond fluency or alongside our number-bond games.
Common questions
- What are number bonds to 20?
- Pairs of numbers that add together to make 20, like 13 and 7.
- Why learn them?
- They power fast mental addition and subtraction for years to come.
- Is an answer key included?
- Yes, every level lists the correct partner for each number.
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.
Where to go next
Chosen by the skills this activity practises.