What is a mystery picture?

A grid of squares, each with a number or a maths problem. Children colour every square with the colour the key gives for its number, and a picture appears. The picture’s name is only printed on the answer key, so it stays a surprise.

Can the squares show maths facts?

Yes. Choose Sums for addition within 10, like 3+4, or Take away for subtraction within 20, like 12–5. Children work out the answer to find the colour, so a page is 144 to 400 facts of practice.

Which pictures are there?

Fruit, animals, a bus, a house, a rainbow and seasonal pictures such as a pumpkin, a turkey and a Christmas tree. Each one is drawn from a full-colour illustration, so the finished picture looks right.

How many colours do children need?

At most seven, and only everyday crayon colours: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, pink, grey and black. Squares in the background say “leave white”.

Which grid size should I choose?

12 by 12 for preschool and Foundation, 16 by 16 for most children, and 20 by 20 for older children who like a longer project.

Colour by Number Mystery Pictures: Numbers, Addition and Subtraction

Why children love them

A mystery picture turns a page of number recognition or maths facts into a puzzle with a payoff. Children want to see what the picture is, so they keep going, and every square they colour is one more fact practised. Because a wrong answer shows up as a square of the wrong colour, they can often spot and fix their own mistakes.

Three ways to play

Numbers. Match each number to its colour in the key.
Sums. Addition within 10, every answer from 2 to 10.
Take away. Subtraction within 20, every answer from 2 to 10.

More puzzles

Try dot to dot for counting in order and mazes for pencil control. For more practice with the same facts, the addition worksheets come with answer keys too.

In the Australian Curriculum

FoundationNaming and recognising numerals including zero to at least 20 (AC9MFN01).
Year 1Adding and subtracting within 20 (AC9M1N04), the range the Sums and Take away pictures use.
Year 2Recalling addition facts to 20 and the related subtraction facts (AC9M2A02).

Colour by number isn’t a curriculum topic, but it is a good fluency task: every square is one more fact recalled. It works as a reward at the end of a maths block, or as quiet work while you hear readers.

Some seasonal pictures, like the pumpkin and the turkey, belong to northern hemisphere holidays. The Christmas tree fits the last weeks of Term 4, and the fruit, animal and vehicle pictures work at any time of year.

Summarised in our own words from the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics, Version 9.0 (ACARA).