
To get started, we need to look at the most effective ways to break down numbers. Here are the top strategies used to speed up addition.
One of the most reliable Vedic maths addition strategies is finding "Friends of 10." This involves identifying pairs of numbers that add up to 10. Once a child knows these pairs by heart, they can solve larger problems much faster.
Common Friends of 10:
1 + 9 = 10
2 + 8 = 10
3 + 7 = 10
4 + 6 = 10
5 + 5 = 10
If a student needs to solve 8 + 5, they can think: "8 needs 2 to become 10. I will take 2 from the 5, leaving 3. So, 10 + 3 = 13." This mental shift makes the calculation almost instant.
Read More - What is Mental Maths? A Guide for Beginners
Children often find it easier to remember "doubles" (like 4+4 or 6+6) than miscellaneous additions. We can use this to our advantage. If a child knows that 6 + 6 = 12, they can easily find the answer to 6 + 7. Since 7 is just one more than 6, the answer must be 12 + 1 = 13.
Key Doubles to Memorise:
6 + 6 = 12
7 + 7 = 14
8 + 8 = 16
9 + 9 = 18
For smaller additions, the "counting on" method is a classic fast addition trick. Instead of starting from zero, the student starts with the larger number and "counts on" the smaller one.
For example, to solve 12 + 3:
Keep 12 in your head.
Count three steps forward: 13, 14, 15.
Understanding fundamental properties of numbers makes addition feel more like a set of rules and less like a series of random guesses.
This is the simplest of all addition tricks for class 2. Any number plus zero stays exactly the same. Teaching this early prevents silly mistakes in exams.
Example: 15 + 0 = 15.
In addition, the order of numbers does not change the result. Knowing that 4 + 9 is the same as 9 + 4 is vital. It is always faster to start with the larger number and add the smaller one to it.
When adding a single-digit number to a double-digit number (like 20 + 5), teach the child to look at the "place value." The 5 simply takes the place of the zero.
20 + 7 = 27
50 + 2 = 52
Read More - Mental Maths Strategies to Solve Sums Faster
Practice is the only way these tricks become second nature. You can try these daily activities to help your child improve their mental maths class 2 performance.
Use physical objects like buttons, beads, or even fruit to demonstrate how numbers group together. Seeing eight apples join two apples to make ten creates a lasting mental image.
Create cards with "Friends of 10" or "Doubles" on them. Spend five minutes a day testing how quickly your child can give the answer. The goal is to move from "calculating" to "recalling."
Ask your child to help with shopping. "If we have 6 bananas and we buy 6 more, how many do we have?" Using the doubling trick, they should answer "12" almost immediately.
To get better in math quickly, you need to keep practicing, and CuriousJr gives you that chance. CuriousJr Class 2 mental maths class makes practice fun by using interactive modules that are made just for young learners.
CuriousJr focuses on:
Gamified Learning: Kids answer addition problems to go up levels, which makes practice feel like fun.
Conceptual Clarity: The platform doesn't just teach you how to do these addition strategies for class 2 by heart; it also shows you why they work.
Tracking Progress: Parents may see exactly where their child is doing well and where they might need to pay more attention, like with Vedic Maths addition.
Structured Curriculum: The material is in line with what is taught in elementary school, so the abilities learnt can be used right away in the classroom.
Students stop counting on their fingers and start using these digital tools in their daily lives, which helps them become confident, fast calculators.
