This is part of our collection of favourite rich tasks arranged by topic.

If you are a teacher, you can find the whole collection on our Primary Curriculum teacher page.
Alternatively, if you are a student, you'll find the same problems on our Primary Curriculum student page.


  • problem
    Favourite

    Two Dice

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Find all the numbers that can be made by adding the dots on two dice.

  • One Big Triangle
    problem
    Favourite

    One Big Triangle

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Make one big triangle so the numbers that touch on the small triangles add to 10.

  • Two flowers with the numbers 15 and 16 on them
    problem
    Favourite

    Butterfly Flowers

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Which two butterfly numbers add to make the flower number of 15? What about 16?

  • problem
    Favourite

    Robot Monsters

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Use these head, body and leg pieces to make Robot Monsters which are different heights.

  • Cuisenaire Counting
    problem
    Favourite

    Cuisenaire Counting

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Here are some rods that are different colours. How could I make a yellow rod using white and red rods?

  • Number Balance
    problem
    Favourite

    Number Balance

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Can you hang weights in the right place to make the the number balance balanced?

  • Domino Sorting
    problem
    Favourite

    Domino Sorting

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Try grouping the dominoes in the ways described. Are there any left over each time? Can you explain why?

  • Number Lines
    problem
    Favourite

    Number Lines

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Leah and Tom each have a number line. Can you work out where their counters will land?

  • Tug of War
    problem
    Favourite

    Tug of War

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Can you use the numbers on the dice to reach your end of the number line before your partner does?

  • Shut the box
    problem
    Favourite

    Shut the Box

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    An old game with lots of arithmetic!

  • Sort them out (1)
    problem
    Favourite

    Sort Them Out (1)

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Can you each work out the number on your card? What do you notice? How could you sort the cards?

  • Even and odd
    problem
    Favourite

    Even and Odd

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    This group activity is all about representing and adding odd and even numbers.

  • problem
    Favourite

    Pairs of Numbers

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Which numbers can you put into pairs that add to 10? Which ones do you have to leave out?

  • The add and take-away path
    problem
    Favourite

    The Add and Take-Away Path

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    What score can you get on the add and take-away path?

  • What was in the Box?
    problem
    Favourite

    What Was in the Box?

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    This box does something to the numbers that go into it. What might be happening inside the box?

  • What Could \It Be?
    problem
    Favourite

    What Could It Be?

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    In this calculation, the box represents a missing digit. What could the digit be?

  • Double or Halve?
    problem
    Favourite

    Double or Halve?

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Throw the dice and decide whether to double or halve the number. Will you be the first to reach the target?

  • Always, Sometimes or Never? KS1
    problem
    Favourite

    Always, Sometimes or Never? KS1

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Are these statements about number and shape always, sometimes or never true?

  • Two red apples.
    problem
    Favourite

    Fruity Pairs

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Which two items of fruit could Kate and Sam choose? What would it cost?

  • Subtraction Slip
    problem
    Favourite

    Subtraction Slip

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Can you spot the mistake in this video? How would you work out the answer to this calculation?

  • Equivalent Pairs
    problem
    Favourite

    Equivalent Pairs

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Can you match pairs of cards which show the same amount?

  • problem
    Favourite

    How Many Cubes?

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    This problem challenges you to work out the number of cubes hidden under a cloth.

  • problem
    Favourite

    Noah

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    Noah saw 12 legs walk by into the Ark. How many creatures did he see?

  • Number Round Up
    problem
    Favourite

    Number Round Up

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    Arrange the numbers 1 to 6 so that the sum of each side of the triangle equals the number in its centre.

  • problem
    Favourite

    Birthday Cakes

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    Jack's mum used the same candles on his and his sister Kate's birthday cakes. When was Kate born?

  • Heads and Feet
    problem
    Favourite

    Heads and Feet

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    On a farm there were some animals with 8 heads and 22 feet altogether. How many hens were there?

  • What's in a Name?
    problem
    Favourite

    Magic Squares

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    What do you notice about these squares of numbers? What is the same? What is different?

  • problem
    Favourite

    Ladybirds in the Garden

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    There are ladybirds with 7 spots or 4 spots in this garden. What numbers of total spots can you make?

  • Eggs in Baskets
    problem
    Favourite

    Eggs in Baskets

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    There are three baskets holding a total of 10 eggs. How many eggs are in each basket?

  • The Tall Tower
    problem
    Favourite

    The Tall Tower

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    As you come down the ladders of the Tall Tower you collect useful spells. How many can you collect?

  • Finding Fifteen
    problem
    Favourite

    Finding Fifteen

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    Tim had nine cards. How could he have put them into three piles so that the total in each pile was 15?

  • Ring a Ring of Numbers
    problem
    Favourite

    Ring a Ring of Numbers

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    Choose four numbers to put in the squares so that the differences between joined squares are odd.

  • Making Longer, Making Shorter
    problem
    Favourite

    Making Longer, Making Shorter

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    Ahmed is making rods using different numbers of cubes. Which rod is twice the length of his first rod?

  • Secret Number
    problem
    Favourite

    Secret Number

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    Annie and Ben are playing a game with a calculator. What was Annie's secret number?

  • problem
    Favourite

    Caterpillars

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    What number patterns can you see in the different arrangements of these caterpillars?

  • Find the Difference
    problem
    Favourite

    Find the Difference

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    Place numbers in the circles so that each number is the difference between the two numbers below it.

  • Five Steps to 50
    problem
    Favourite

    Five Steps to 50

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3

    Use five steps to count forwards or backwards in 1s or 10s to get to 50. What strategies did you use?

  • problem
    Favourite

    The Amazing Splitting Plant

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    3 out of 3

    Can you work out how many flowers there will be on this plant after six weeks?

  • 2, 4, 6, 8
    problem
    Favourite

    2, 4, 6, 8

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    3 out of 3

    Using the cards 2, 4, 6, 8, +, - and =, what number statements can you make?

  • The tomato and the bean
    problem
    Favourite

    The Tomato and the Bean

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    3 out of 3

    Tom had a tomato plant and he sowed a bean seed. When will the two plants be the same height?

  • problem
    Favourite

    The Brown Family

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    3 out of 3

    Use the information about Sally and her brother to find out how many children there are in the Brown family.

  • I'm Eight
    problem
    Favourite

    I'm Eight

    Age
    5 to 11
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Find a great variety of ways of asking questions which make 8.

  • Strike it out
    problem
    Favourite

    Strike It Out

    Age
    5 to 11
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    This game involves addition and subtraction skills combined with some strategic thinking.

  • Dotty Six
    problem
    Favourite

    Dotty Six

    Age
    5 to 11
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Dotty Six is a simple dice game that you can adapt in many ways.

  • Take three numbers
    problem
    Favourite

    Take Three Numbers

    Age
    5 to 11
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    What happens when you add three numbers together? Will your answer be odd or even?

  • Doing and undoing
    problem
    Favourite

    Doing and Undoing

    Age
    5 to 11
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    This investigation involving the four operations looks at doing and undoing.

  • Dicey Addition
    problem
    Favourite

    Dicey Addition

    Age
    5 to 11
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    In these addition games, you'll need to think strategically to get closest to the target.

  • Always, Sometimes or Never?
    problem
    Favourite

    Always, Sometimes or Never?

    Age
    5 to 11
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3

    Are these statements relating to odd and even numbers always, sometimes or never true?