Preschool Subtraction Worksheets
There are many different strategies that you can us with students to help them learn the subtraction operation. We can help them understand the nature of this operation and view it as taking something away from number or they can view it at comparing two values and determining the difference between them. We suggest focusing on the former now, but do not forget to mention the latter as well. These printable lessons and worksheets introduce students to the concept of subtraction. We share several different techniques that students can use to better understand and become comfortable with this operation.
Aligned Standard: K.OA.A.3
- Cross-Out Counting: Step-by-Step Lesson - Count how many of the leaves are not crossed out.
- Guided Worksheet - More cross-out counting: in a set of three this time.
- Guided Explanation - Numbering each object works well. Advanced students can write a corresponding word problem for the equation.
- Independent Practice Worksheet - Here, we begin to cross out more than 1 object.
- Matching Worksheet - Cross 1 out. Then, count the remaining total.
- Answer Keys - These are for all the unlocked materials above.
Lesson Sheets
Students will get into the habit of counting backwards or crossing out objects.
- Lesson 1 - Single digit subtraction can be explained as counting backwards.
- Lesson 2 - This problem asks you to take 6 and count backwards 4 places.
- Lesson 3 - There are 8 flowers in the first group on the left. There are 3 crossed‐ out flowers in the second group.
- Lesson 4 - A baker has 8 cookies. He gives 5 cookies to friends. How many cookies does he have left?
- Lesson 5 - We visit a garden and watch some snails for a while. 5 snails are in the grass. After a few minutes, 3 snails leave. How many snails are still in the grass?
Practice Worksheets
The matching worksheet is good for kids who are doing well with the skill.
- Practice 1 - Take the first number (on the top) and count backwards from the number you are subtracting it by (on the bottom).
- Practice 2 - Solve all of the problems found here.
- Practice 3 - Match the subtraction problem to its answer.
- Matching Worksheet - Write the letter of the answer that matches the problem.
Tips to Teach Youngsters How to Subtract
Once children have mastered the concepts of addition, they are faced with a challenge of grasping the concepts of subtraction. Children often take up subtraction as the opposite of addition and try subtracting through addition. For example, children learn that 12 + 24 = 36 and that this can be restated as: 36 – 12 = 24. In this manner, children memorize the sums, but they cannot fully understand subtraction. Youngsters need to understand the concept first if they are to learn fully.
Subtraction can be presented as taking a value away from another value, but ideally, we want students to understand that it is truly finding the difference between two values. In preschool, that is not super important right now. When students reach middle school, they will need to understand the difference concept because as they learn operations with negative integers, this concept becomes paramount. While we can put that off for their 4th grade teachers, it is not a bad idea to include that in with this topic.
Let's have a look at the fun ways to make children understand subtraction.
Drawing Objects - Children learn better with visual representations. Employ this technique with subtraction sums. It is best if you draw the objects or provide them with the worksheets. Explain the given problem to the children. Ask them first to count the objects and then exclude the objects from the problem. Once you have subtracted the objects, prompt children to count the remaining objects.
Number Line - Present your child with a number line ranging from 0 to 10. Recite the problem to the students. For example, if there are 9 cats in the pet store and 2 are adopted. How many are left? Put your pointer on 9 at the number line and move down two numbers to number 7. Ask your child how many cats are left.
Subtraction Facts - You can also employ fact families to make your child learn subtraction. A fact family comprises a set of mathematical facts with the same numbers. In each fact family, there are three numbers. These numbers are added and subtracted in different ways. For example, 10 – 7 = 3 and10 – 3 = 7.