Are you looking for ways to help your child get the best possible start in math class? If you have a kindergartner, consider these kindergarten subtraction activities. With each one, you will be helping them master the basic understanding about subtraction.
Subtraction Snacks
Kindergarten subtraction is all about using manipulatives to understand what, exactly, subtraction means. Snack time is an excellent time to practice subtraction with your child, because eating a snack is the essence of subtraction.
Turn snack time into one of your favorite kindergarten subtraction activities by sharing a snack that is made up of small countable items, like pieces of whole-grain cereal or small berries. Make up subtraction problems every time you eat a few of the pieces. Count the remaining pieces to state what the difference is.
Cheerios Necklaces
Use some string to make a necklace out of Cheerios or some other round cereal. Then, have your child count the number of Cheerios on the necklace. Roll a dice, and have your child eat that number of Cheerios. Remind your child that you have subtracted, and find out how many are left. Remember to state the subtraction problem (i.e. 10 minus 4 equals 6).
Number Line Subtraction
Make a number line grid that starts at 0 and goes through 20. Choose some sort of marker to play the game. Then, make a paper dice with –1, –2 and –3 on the sides, two sides for each value. Take turns rolling the dice and moving your marker that number of spaces on the number line, stating the subtraction problem. So, if you are on 20 and roll –3, you would state, “20 minus 3 equals 17.” Play continues until someone reaches zero, but since you are not working with negative numbers, you must reach zero on an exact roll.
Remember, kindergarten subtraction activities are less about making sure the child learns a specific fact and more about helping the child understand the basic concepts about subtraction. With each of these kindergarten subtraction activities, you are building that basic understanding.
