Printables › Number machines › Ages 4–5

Number machine puzzles for 4–5 year olds

12 free printable number machines chosen for 4–5 year olds (preschool and kindergarten), easiest first, each with an answer key. Print the whole set, or open any one to play it on screen.

Cosmic Number Machine #1: printable number machine puzzle, level 1, ages 4–5
Cosmic Number Machine #1Level 1 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer
Golden Number Machine #21: printable number machine puzzle, level 1, ages 4–5
Golden Number Machine #21Level 1 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer
Golden Number Machine #41: printable number machine puzzle, level 1, ages 4–5
Golden Number Machine #41Level 1 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer
Rocket Number Machine #61: printable number machine puzzle, level 1, ages 4–5
Rocket Number Machine #61Level 1 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer
Rocket Number Machine #81: printable number machine puzzle, level 1, ages 4–5
Rocket Number Machine #81Level 1 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer
Lucky Number Machine #101: printable number machine puzzle, level 1, ages 4–5
Lucky Number Machine #101Level 1 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer
Quick Number Machine #121: printable number machine puzzle, level 1, ages 4–5
Quick Number Machine #121Level 1 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer
Quick Number Machine #141: printable number machine puzzle, level 1, ages 4–5
Quick Number Machine #141Level 1 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer
Happy Number Machine #1: printable number machine puzzle, level 2, ages 4–7
Happy Number Machine #1Level 2 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer
Starry Number Machine #37: printable number machine puzzle, level 2, ages 4–7
Starry Number Machine #37Level 2 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer
Lucky Number Machine #73: printable number machine puzzle, level 2, ages 4–7
Lucky Number Machine #73Level 2 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer
Silver Number Machine #109: printable number machine puzzle, level 2, ages 4–7
Silver Number Machine #109Level 2 · about 5 minPlay or print · Answer

How to help a 4–5 year old with number machines

A number goes into the machine, follows each step (add 3, double, take away 4) and comes out changed. Children follow the chain and write each answer, practising mental maths step by step. At this age they mainly build mental arithmetic and following steps in order.

The first machines are short chains with small numbers. Let your child act out the machine with toys going in and out.

Ten minutes a day is plenty. Stop while it is still fun, and praise the effort (“you kept going after that dead end”) more than the speed.

Questions parents ask

What is a number machine?

A chain of simple steps that changes a number. Children apply each step in order and write the result.

Is this the same as function machines?

Yes, it is the same idea that schools call function machines or input-output machines.

Are answers included?

Yes, every puzzle has an answer key.

More free puzzles: the full library of 10,000+ · all number machines by age

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