First to the Finish!

Master Addition with Our Fun Online Maths Game: First to the Finish!

Looking for free and engaging maths games to help your child or students build confidence with addition? You’ve come to the right place! “First to the Finish!” is a simple, exciting race-to-the-end game designed to make practicing addition and subtraction a fun and motivating experience. It’s a perfect activity for children in Key Stage 1.

The goal is simple: be the first player to land exactly on the target number! But be careful—if you roll a number that takes you over the target, you BUST and go back to the start! This adds a fun element of risk and strategy that children love.

How to Play

1. Choose Your Challenge: Select a target number of 20, 50, or 100 to set the difficulty.
2. Select Players: Choose to play against the computer or with up to 4 friends.
3. Roll the Die: On your turn, click the “Roll Die” button.
4. Solve the Sum: A question will appear asking you to add your roll to your current score (e.g., “What is 5 + 6?”).
5. Move Your Token: Type in the correct answer and watch your token race along the track!
6. Win the Game: The first player to land exactly on the target number wins the game!

Learning Objectives & Curriculum Links

This game is more than just fun; it’s a powerful tool for developing key mathematical skills, designed with the UK’s primary school curriculum in mind.

• Target Age Group: This game is ideal for children in Key Stage 1 (KS1), particularly Year 1 and Year 2 (ages 5-7). The adjustable target numbers also make it a great tool for older children in Lower Key Stage 2 (LKS2) who may need to consolidate their addition skills.
• Key Maths Focus:
  • Addition Fluency: Directly supports the objective to “recall and use addition and subtraction facts to 20 fluently, and derive and use related facts up to 100.”
  • Counting On: Encourages the mental maths strategy of “counting on” from a given number, rather than starting from zero each time.
  • Number Sense: Helps children develop an intuitive understanding of how numbers relate to each other and the effect of adding to them.
  • Problem Solving: The “bust” rule introduces a light layer of strategic thinking, as children begin to consider which numbers they “hope” to roll as they get closer to the target.

Tips for Teachers and Parents

This interactive maths game is a versatile tool that can be used in many ways:

• For Teachers: Use “First to the Finish!” on your interactive whiteboard as a quick and exciting lesson starter or “maths meeting” activity to get brains warmed up. It’s also perfect for a plenary session to reinforce the day’s learning, or as part of a station rotation for small group work.
• For Parents: Looking for a way to support your child’s maths learning at home? This game is a fantastic, pressure-free alternative to worksheets. Play along with your child, talk about the numbers, and celebrate their successes. It’s a wonderful way to build positive associations with maths.
• Differentiation: The ability to choose a target of 20, 50, or 100 makes this game instantly adaptable for different abilities. Younger children can focus on mastering addition to 20, while older or more confident children can be challenged with adding numbers up to 100.

We hope you enjoy playing this free online addition game. Be sure to check out our other fun maths games for primary-aged children!