Simple Number Stories
An early-years lesson on number stories: turning little real-life tales into add and take-away sums. Worked examples, picture maths, a quiz and an activity.
Key takeaways
- A number story is a little tale that hides a sum inside it.
- Words like 'more', 'altogether' and 'join' usually mean add.
- Words like 'away', 'left' and 'gone' usually mean take away.
- Draw a picture or use objects to act out the story and find the answer.
Maths hiding in a story
A number story is a little tale with a sum hidden inside it. When you listen carefully, you can find the maths and work out the answer.
Here is one: "Two birds sat on a branch. One more bird flew over. How many birds now?"
Did you spot the sum? It is 2 + 1. And the answer is 3 birds! That is a number story.
Add or take away? Listen for clue words
Number stories are about joining things or taking things away. Special clue words tell you which one.
| These words mean ADD | These words mean TAKE AWAY |
|---|---|
| more | away |
| join | left |
| altogether | gone |
| both | eat / lose |
| and | fly off / hop away |
When something comes or you find a total, you add. When something goes or is removed, you take away.
Act it out with objects
The best way to solve a number story is to act it out. Use toys, buttons or your fingers to BE the story.
If the story says "3 frogs, then 2 hop away", put out 3 frogs and hop 2 of them off. Count what is left. The story comes to life and the answer appears!
Worked example 1: an adding story
"There are 4 fish in a tank. Grandad adds 3 more fish. How many fish altogether?"
The clue words are more and altogether — that means add.
Put out 4 counters, then 3 more. Count them all: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. There are 7 fish. The sum is 4 + 3 = 7.
Worked example 2: a take-away story
"A plate has 6 cookies. The children eat 2 of them. How many cookies are left?"
The clue words are eat and left — that means take away.
Put out 6 counters and remove 2. Count what stays: 1, 2, 3, 4. There are 4 cookies left. The sum is 6 − 2 = 4.
Worked example 3: drawing the story
You do not always have toys handy — so draw the story instead.
"5 ducks swim on a pond. 1 duck waddles away. How many ducks are left?"
Draw 5 little ducks. Then cross out 1 duck. Count the ducks not crossed out: 4. So 5 − 1 = 4.
Drawing is a brilliant trick, because you can do it anywhere, any time.
Make up your own
Number stories are everywhere in real life:
- "I had 2 grapes, then Mum gave me 5 more..."
- "There were 8 cars, then 3 drove away..."
Try making up your own stories about your toys, your snacks or your family. Every story is a friendly little sum.
Why number stories matter
Number stories show the most important truth in all of maths: numbers describe real life. Adding is not just "+", it is birds arriving and grapes being shared. Subtracting is not just "−", it is balloons popping and cookies being eaten.
Turning words into sums is the very start of word problems, which you will meet for many years. Practising now builds the skill of reading carefully and choosing add or take away — and it puts your addition and subtraction to real use. If you want to add faster while you solve stories, try counting on from a number.
Try it yourself
Play Story Box with a grown-up. You need a few small toys or counters and a box.
- The grown-up tells a short story: "3 teddies were in the box. 2 more climbed in..."
- You act it out with the toys as the story is told.
- At the end, count to answer: "...5 teddies altogether!"
- Listen for the clue word. Was it an add story or a take-away story?
- Challenge: Now YOU make up the story and let the grown-up solve it.
What's next?
Once you can solve simple number stories, build your number sense further with our lesson on one more and one less.
Quick quiz
Test yourself and earn XP
Three ducks are swimming and 2 more join them. How many ducks now?
'Join' means add. 3 + 2 = 5 ducks.
You have 6 sweets and eat 2. How many are left?
'Eat' takes some away. 6 − 2 = 4 sweets left.
Which word usually means take away?
'Gone' tells you something has been taken away, so you subtract.
A nest has 4 eggs. 1 more egg is laid. How many eggs altogether?
'More' and 'altogether' mean add. 4 + 1 = 5 eggs.
5 balloons float up. 2 pop. How many balloons are left flying?
Popping takes some away. 5 − 2 = 3 balloons left.
FAQ
A number story is a short, everyday tale that has a sum hidden inside it, like 'two cats and one more cat'. Working it out is the child's first kind of word problem.
Listening for clue words helps. 'More', 'join' and 'altogether' usually mean add; 'away', 'left', 'eat' and 'gone' usually mean take away. Acting out the story makes it clear.
They show that maths describes real life, not just numbers on a page. They also build the skill of turning words into sums, which is the basis of all word problems later on.
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