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How can I help my child with maths word problems?

Quick answer

Many children can do a sum but get stuck when it's hidden in words. Help them slow down: read the problem twice, picture it or draw it (schools often use bar models), decide which operation fits, then check the answer makes sense. Talking through everyday problems, such as shopping and sharing, is the best practice.

By the TapLearn team · Updated 30 October 2026 · Facts checked 30 October 2026 · For England

Why word problems are harder

A word problem asks a child to read, understand the situation, choose what to do and then calculate. Children often grab the numbers and add them, or look for a "key word" like "altogether" that sometimes points the wrong way. The aim is understanding the story, not spotting words.

In the Year 6 SATs, two of the three maths papers are reasoning papers, full of problems in words, so this skill matters well beyond Year 1.

A simple routine

  1. Read it twice. Once for the story, once for the question. What are they actually asking?
  2. Picture it. Draw it, act it out with toys, or use a bar model (below).
  3. Decide. Are we putting together, taking away, sharing, or making groups?
  4. Estimate, then calculate. "About how many?" stops wild answers.
  5. Check it makes sense. Read the answer back into the story. Can a bus really carry 3,000 children?

Bar models

Many schools teach bar models: rectangles that show the parts and the whole. "Sam has 12 stickers and gives 5 away" is a bar of 12 with 5 cut off; the other part is what's left. Once a child can draw the bar, choosing the calculation becomes much easier. Ask your child to show you how their class draws them.

Ideas for home

  • Make up problems from real life: "We need 3 eggs for each cake and we're making 4 cakes. How many eggs?"
  • Let your child make up a problem for you, and get it wrong on purpose so they can explain.
  • Shopping: "We have £5. Can we buy both?" "How much change?"
  • Ask "How did you know?" rather than "Is it right?" Explaining is what reasoning means.
  • Multi-step problems: for Years 5 and 6, break them into small questions. "What do we need to find out first?"

Questions parents ask

My child can do sums but not word problems. Why?

Word problems need reading, understanding the situation and choosing an operation before any calculating. Practising the 'picture it' step, by drawing or using a bar model, usually helps most.

What is a bar model in maths?

A drawing of rectangles that shows the parts and the whole in a problem. It helps children see whether to add, subtract, multiply or divide.

Should my child look for key words like 'altogether'?

Key words can mislead: 'How many more' can mean subtracting. It's better to picture what's happening in the story.

Are word problems in the SATs?

Yes. Two of the three Year 6 maths papers are reasoning papers, with many problems in words.

Sources

Related guides

Written by the TapLearn team for parents and carers in England. Schools teach in different orders and ways, so your child's teacher is always the best person to ask about your child. Spotted something out of date? Please email us at [email protected].