Math Puzzles for Early Finishers
Every child who finishes early needs something to do that is still math and that does not need an adult to say whether it is right. These puzzles check themselves: a riddle that does not read, a magic square with a line that does not add up, a picture with a stripe in the wrong place.
Each one is made from the same facts as the worksheets, so the number settings work the same way, and each print is a new puzzle with its own answer key.
Puzzles that check themselves
- Addition Math RiddlesSolve the sums, decode the answers, read the riddle.
- Multiplication Math RiddlesSolve the products, decode the answers, read the riddle.
- Magic Square WorksheetsFill the empty boxes so every line adds to the total.
- Color by Number AdditionSolve each sum and color its square to reveal a border collie.
- Color by Number MultiplicationSolve each product and color its square to reveal a border collie.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a puzzle self-checking?
A wrong answer shows on the page. In a riddle the letters stop spelling words, in a magic square a line stops adding to the total, and in color by number the picture has a stripe in the wrong color. The child can find the mistake without a key.
Why are there no mazes or word searches?
A maze or a word search can be finished without doing any arithmetic right, and a puzzle with many correct answers has no one answer to check against. Every puzzle here has exactly one answer a child can test.
Which puzzle should an early finisher get first?
Start with the one at the sheet's level: a riddle for a child who has just finished facts practice, a magic square for one who is ready to add and subtract in the tens. Color by number is the one most children ask for.