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This Mixed Add Subtract drill has 40 problems for Grade 1. Igloos theme. Answer key included.
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Max discovered three baby penguins trapped in a cracking igloo! He must solve math problems quickly to build them an escape tunnel.
Standard: CCSS.MATH.1.OA.C.6
Mixed addition and subtraction problems are crucial for Grade 1 students because they build flexible thinking about numbers. At age 6-7, children are moving beyond counting on their fingers to understanding that numbers can grow and shrink in different ways. When your child sees 5 + 2 - 1, they're learning to track changes in quantity—a skill they use every day when managing toys, snacks, or friends joining and leaving playtime. This mixed practice strengthens number sense and prepares students for word problems where real life doesn't present math in neat, single-operation packages. Solving these problems also develops working memory, as students must hold information in mind while performing multiple steps. Most importantly, it helps children see addition and subtraction as related operations, not isolated facts to memorize.
The most common error is when students add or subtract in the wrong order, especially reversing the operation—for example, solving 7 - 2 + 3 as 7 + 2 - 3 instead. Another frequent mistake is stopping after the first operation; a child will correctly compute 5 + 3 = 8, then forget to subtract the 2 that follows. Watch for students who rush and skip recounting or lose track of their total mid-problem. You can spot these errors by asking the child to explain which operation they did first and what their number was before the second step.
Play a simple game at home using objects like building blocks or crackers. Call out a mixed problem: 'Start with 4 blocks, add 3 more, then take away 2.' Let your child build it out physically, saying each number aloud as they go. This concrete approach helps 6-year-olds see that a number lives in the middle of the problem—it's both an answer and a starting point—which is the key insight for mixed operations.