What Are Some Useful Metal Maths Strategies for Children?

Mental maths is about much more than answering questions quickly. It helps children develop number sense, which is the ability to think flexibly about numbers and choose efficient ways to solve problems. The more confident children become with mental strategies, the more prepared they are for everyday maths.

The best way to support your child is not by memorising lots of rules, but by exploring different ways to think about numbers.

Bridge Through 10 or 100

Our brains like working with tidy numbers. When adding or subtracting, encourage your child to "bridge" through the nearest multiple of 10 or 100.

For example, rather than working out 8 + 7 all at once, they can think, "I need 2 to make 10, so I'll take 2 from the 7. Now I have 10 + 5 = 15."

The same idea works with larger numbers. For 97 + 8, think "Add 3 to make 100, then add the remaining 5."

These strategies become quicker with practice and help children see the relationships between numbers.

Use Compensation

Sometimes it's easier to change a calculation slightly and then adjust the answer afterwards.

Imagine solving 49 + 27. Instead of adding 49, add 50 because it's easier. That gives 77, but you've added one too many, so subtract 1 to get 76.

Likewise, 198 + 45 becomes 200 + 45 = 245, then subtract 2 to give 243.

Children often enjoy discovering that changing the numbers can actually make the maths easier.

Keep Things Balanced

When both numbers in a calculation change by the same amount, the difference between them stays the same.

For example, 83 − 48 can become 85 − 50. Both numbers have increased by 2, so the answer is unchanged, but the calculation is much easier to solve mentally.

Helping children spot opportunities like this encourages flexible thinking rather than relying on one fixed method every time.

Sometimes It's Better to Count Up

Subtraction isn't always about taking away. Sometimes it's much easier to count up from one number to another.

For example, to work out 203 − 198, start at 198 and count up: 199, 200, 201, 202, 203. That's just 5.

This approach is especially helpful when the numbers are close together or when working out how much change you should receive in a shop.

Encourage your child to ask themselves, "Would it be quicker to count up?"

Partition Numbers

Partitioning simply means breaking numbers into smaller, more manageable parts.

For example, 36 + 25 can be thought of as:

30 + 20 = 50

6 + 5 = 11

50 + 11 = 61

As children become more confident, they'll naturally begin combining partitioning with other strategies, choosing whichever method feels most efficient.

Talk About Time Frequently

Time is one of the trickiest concepts for children because it doesn't work in tens. Instead of 100, we count in groups of 60, so it requires a different way of thinking.

You can also use time to reinforce mental maths strategies. For example, if your child rides their bike for 55 minutes on Monday and 40 minutes on Tuesday, they might first say 105 minutes. While that's correct, encourage them to think more flexibly.

They could split the 40 minutes into 5 minutes and 35 minutes. Adding the first 5 minutes to 55 minutes makes 1 hour, with 35 minutes left over. So the total becomes 1 hour and 35 minutes.

Helping children see how numbers can be broken apart and recombined strengthens their mental maths skills and builds confidence in solving problems efficiently.

Encourage Flexible Thinking

One of the most important things children can learn is that there is rarely just one correct way to solve a mental maths problem. Different calculations lend themselves to different strategies, and confident mathematicians choose the approach that makes the most sense.

When practising at home, ask questions such as, "Is there an easier way?" or "Why did you choose that method?" These conversations help children develop mathematical reasoning alongside calculation skills.

Most importantly, celebrate your child's thinking, not just the correct answer. Talk about how you think and how there are different routes to the same answer. Confidence grows when children realise that maths is about making sensible choices and spotting patterns, not simply remembering procedures. With regular practice and plenty of encouragement, mental maths can become an enjoyable challenge rather than something to fear.