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Sum or Difference

Digit Dog and Calculating Cat are are playing a game called sum or difference.

sum or difference


  • Take turns to throw 2 dice.
  • Find the sum of the two numbers OR the difference, then cover the number on your grid.
  • The first one to cover all their numbers is the winner.

Download the game here

Encourage children to use the mathematical language:

The sum of …….and ………is …………..

The difference between …….. and …….. is………..


Which numbers are more difficult to cover? Why do you think that is?

Do you make some numbers more often than others?

What if………..

…….you were making your own board? Which numbers do you think would be good to choose?

……you were only finding the sum of the dice? Which numbers would you put on the board so that you were the winner?

………you were only finding the difference? Would you choose the same numbers?

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Spring Chicks

Digit Dog and Calculating Cat are trying one of the Numicon Ideas for Spring resources that they found on

Screenshot 2019-03-26 16.08.27.png

How can Calculating Cat share the chicks between the 3 nests? Try it.

How many chicks will be in each nest? Convince your friend that you are right.

Write a dividing calculation to go with your representation.

Try different numbers of nests – can you share the 12 chicks equally between 2 nests? What about 4 nests, 5 nests, 6 nests? What do you notice?

Try a different number of chicks. What happens?