How to order numbers when adding up with Numberblocks

At Five's new smoothie cafe, the Numberblocks discover that it doesn't matter which order you add two numbers in - the answer's the same!

Which order should you add two numbers?

Numberblocks Two and Three have the answer: you can add two bananas to three bananas, or three bananas to two bananas and the total stays the same. It's five bananas!

2 + 3 = 5 

3 + 2 = 5

There is no difference, they're both correct!

Order doesn't matter when adding two values. This can be a tricky concept for your child so take some time to rewatch the Numberblocks and customers swapping places to visualise the numbers and their order.

Whatever order they are in, Numberblocks Two and Three always have five bananas combined.

When they come into the cafe, together they have five banana smoothies.

One table has three Numberblobs and the other has two Numberblobs. Everyone wants a banana smoothie.

Even when all the Numberblobs move from one table to the next, they still need fivesmoothies.

The order of two numbers doesn't matter when adding up, but order does matter when subtracting. 

Bitesize has some great guides to help your child practise adding and subtracting as they prepare for KS1.

Learn to tell the time with Numberblock One and the missing buttons.

Understanding perimeters with Numberland’s Great Bug Race.

Discover the area of a shape with Numberland's art challenge.

Learn to see and recognise quantities with Numberland's space satellite.

Visualise capacity with the Three Threes' magic trick.

There's so much to discover with Numberblocks!

Try some Numberblocks songs with the One times table.

Print and colour the Numberblocks with these One to Ten colouring sheets.

Visit Numberland with the Numberblocks Make and Play game.

You can watch more episodes of Numberblocks on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.

If your little one is just getting to grips with numbers and counting, start with the first series on BBC iPlayer.

Have you watched all the current episodes? Abrand new series of Numberblocks is on BBC iPlayer with even more exciting ways for your little ones to learn about numbers and beyond!

Or discover more from the Blocks Universe, with Wonderblocks, Alphablocks and Colourblocks.