MathBot Academy

Brackets Games for Kids

Brackets practice for children aged 7–9 across KS2.

This page supports fluency-building, confidence checks, and progression into mixed-maths missions.

Curriculum focus: order of operations and mixed arithmetic in bracketed expressions.
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What to practise

  • Use short daily drills to build automatic retrieval.
  • Mix untimed explanation rounds with faster accuracy rounds.
  • Track weak patterns and revisit them every 2–3 days.

Teaching tips

  • Use step-by-step annotation so operation order is explicit.
  • Start with single brackets, then increase expression complexity.
  • Check answers by estimating before full calculation.

How to work it out

Step-by-step worked examples to talk through together.

(3 + 4) × 2 = ?

  1. 1 Always calculate inside brackets first
  2. 2 3 + 4 = 7
  3. 3 Then multiply: 7 × 2 = 14

5 × (10 − 3) = ?

  1. 1 Brackets first: 10 − 3 = 7
  2. 2 Then multiply: 5 × 7 = 35
  3. 3 Answer: 35

Quick tips for parents & teachers

  • The rule is simple: brackets always go first — make this a mantra.
  • Write out each step separately so the order is crystal clear.
  • Compare (3 + 4) × 2 with 3 + (4 × 2) to show why brackets matter.

Related pages

Continue with connected practice routes.

Addition Missing Number Division Multiplication Number Bonds Remainders Square Roots Squares Subtraction Times Tables

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should we practise this topic?

Most learners improve with 10–15 minutes on most school days.

Should we focus only on weak questions?

Prioritise weak areas, but keep a mix of secure questions to maintain confidence.

How do we know when to move on?

Move on when speed and accuracy are both stable across multiple sessions.