Kindergarten Subtraction

Subtraction in kindergarten is something a child does with their hands long before it becomes a written symbol, and these subtraction worksheets for kindergarten are built exactly that way. Each row shows a group of pictures and asks the child to cross some of them out, then write how many are left. Crossing-out is the heart of it: the child physically removes the ones that go away and counts the ones that remain, so take-away feels real. Every problem stays within ten, the range a kindergartner is ready for.

Because the pictures carry the whole problem, a child who cannot yet read an equation can still solve every line -- they count, cross out, and count again. A few sheets turn it around and ask how many are missing from a group, which is the gentle first step toward finding a missing number. Friendly themes keep the mood light, and the big, clear pictures leave room for little fingers to mark each one out.

Use the page however suits you. Print it as a PDF for a quiet morning task, print the answer key so checking takes a moment, or play the identical worksheet online where crossing out is a tap. There are more than 200 kindergarten subtraction sets to choose from, all completely free and open to everyone with no account and no login.