How to teach kids subtraction

Kids grow up so fast! One moment you’re feeding them cereal from a spoon & the next you’re trying to figure out ways to teach kids subtraction! As parents of the 21^st Century, you are expected to know a lot more fun ways to teach arithmetic functions to kids. Ideally, your kids should master basic addition & subtraction after grade 1. Let’s have a look at some cool tricks you can use to teach math to kids:
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Use the reliable Number Line

Using the number line while teaching basic subtraction helps your child conceptualize the process of subtraction. Show them how moving left & right on the number line works. Then ask them to subtract 1s & 2s from single-digit numbers up to 10. When they are comfortable with it, let them tackle bigger numbers & more complex subtraction.
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Add Candies & chocolates to the mix!

Give your child 5 candies take 4 away. Ask them how many candies they had before. Then repeat this activity with different objects, changing the numbers. When kids are interested in having more of something, you can use it to teach them the concept of “less” & “more”, which helps a lot to teach kids subtraction.
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Use Visualization For better memory

Use visual tools such as charts, figures & shapes to help your kids better remember the concepts of subtraction. Subtraction facts can be tricky & confusing for your little ones so try to make it as interesting & fun as possible by using a lot of visual cues. You can refer to YouTube videos if you want help in explaining a concept better.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Once your child is comfortable with the basic facts, you must encourage them to practice using worksheets. Worksheets are a great way of getting some writing practice & applying the concepts to subtract numbers on paper. Reward your child after they’re done & check which areas they are lacking at, so you can focus on those concepts later.

Happy Learning!

Here were the tricks you can use to teach addition to your tiny tots. You refer to this blog for more insights on teaching math to your 2^nd graders. Keep following our blog for more updates on homeschooling, parenting  & learning.