🧱 Friends and Spares — Bar Model

About this game

Friends and Spares: Bar Model shows the make-20-with-ten-frames strategy visually. Students drag number tiles into a bar to fill it to exactly 20, find the friends pair, then add the spare number to find the total of a three-number sum.

Best for: Years 1 to 2

How to play

1. Look at the three numbers.
2. Drag two tiles into the bar to fill it to 20. These are the friends.
3. Add the spare number onto 20.
4. Type the total and check.

Teaching tips

• Use this version for students who need a visual model before moving to Friends and Spares.
• Ask: how do you know those two numbers make 20?
• The printable Friends and Spares worksheet works with this game too.