What is the Make 10 strategy and why is it fundamental to kindergarten math?

The Make 10 strategy identifies pairs of numbers that sum to 10 (1+9, 2+8, 3+7, 4+6, 5+5) and uses ten as a benchmark quantity for mental arithmetic. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.OA.A.4 requires kindergartners to find the number that makes 10 for any given number 1–9. Knowing Make 10 combinations allows children to decompose larger additions into manageable steps (8+5 = 8+2+3 = 10+3 = 13) — the foundational mental math strategy of first grade.

How does a ten frame help children visualise combinations that make 10?

A ten frame is a 2×5 grid with 10 spaces. When children fill some spaces with counters and see how many empty spaces remain, they directly visualise how many more are needed to make 10. This physical-visual experience makes the Make 10 combinations concrete and memorable, connecting the abstract number facts to a visual pattern that children can reconstruct mentally. Research shows ten frame visualisation produces faster Make 10 fluency than drill-based memorisation.

How many combinations make 10 and which should be taught first?

There are 11 combinations that make 10 (0+10 through 10+0), but the most important 5 to memorise are: 1+9, 2+8, 3+7, 4+6, 5+5, plus their reverses. Teach 5+5 first (the symmetrical pair), then work outward to 4+6 and 6+4, then 3+7 and 7+3, as the visual symmetry of the ten frame makes these pairs self-evident. The Make 10 Combinations worksheet uses ten frame visualisation to reinforce exactly this order.

How does knowing Make 10 combinations help children with subtraction from 10?

Because addition and subtraction are inverse operations, knowing 3+7=10 automatically means knowing 10−7=3 and 10−3=7. Children who know all Make 10 addition combinations therefore also know all subtractions from 10 without additional memorisation — a significant acceleration in fact fluency. This relationship is explicitly addressed in CCSS kindergarten algebraic thinking standards and is one of the reasons Make 10 is prioritised so heavily in US math curricula.