Printable Adding 4 Flash Cards
Adding 4 is where strategy replaces counting: add 2 twice, or lean on a nearby double — 4 + 4 = 8 and 6 + 4 is 5 + 5 in disguise. These fold-over flashcards cover 1 + 4 through 12 + 4.
How to Use These Flash Cards
When a card stalls, offer two routes and let the child pick: two hops twice (8 + 4: 8, 10, 12), or slide to a double (6 + 4 = 5 + 5 = 10). Different children prefer different routes — what matters is abandoning the four-hop count. The ten-crossers 7 + 4 and 9 + 4 earn the repeat pile.
How to Cut and Fold
- Print the PDF single-sided on plain paper or light cardstock.
- Cut along the solid lines to separate the cards.
- Fold each card along the dashed center line so the answer sits behind the question, and turn the card over like a page to check.
- Optional: a dab of glue inside the fold makes a sturdy double-thick card.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the +2 twice trick for adding 4?
Split 4 into 2 + 2: for 9 + 4, go 9 + 2 = 11, then 11 + 2 = 13. Each step is an easy count-on, and the split works on every card in the deck.
How do doubles help with +4 facts?
Facts near a double can borrow it: 6 + 4 regroups to the double 5 + 5 = 10 by moving 1 across. And 4 + 4 = 8 itself is one of the doubles worth knowing cold.
Which +4 facts are hardest?
7 + 4 = 11 and 9 + 4 = 13 — both cross ten without landing on a friendly double. The make-ten route (9 + 4 as 9 + 1 + 3) is the cleanest fix for the second one.