Symbol Math with Insects and Bugs: Solve Each Expression

This math worksheet asks the child to read a key, substitute the values, and evaluate each expression with Insects and Bugs. First the child studies the key, where every picture stands for a small number. Then they tackle the expressions, each one a string of symbols linked by plus and minus signs. The child replaces each Insects and Bugs with its value, then adds and subtracts in order until one answer is left, sometimes as high as forty. Handling several symbols and two operations in the same sentence is exactly the kind of calculating Grade 2 calls for, and the picture key gives the child a friendly way in. You can sit alongside and read the key together, then watch your child solve each problem step by step — substituting, adding, subtracting, and arriving at a clear, correct total.

This version mixes the operations within each expression, so the child adds in one spot and subtracts in another while solving with Insects and Bugs. Substituting the right value for each picture and then keeping the order straight is real Grade 2 calculation. The totals can climb toward forty, giving the child solid two-digit answers to write down.

If your child enjoys this math worksheet with Insects and Bugs, there is plenty more to solve, at a pace that feels right. You can print the worksheet as a PDF to work on paper, or play the interactive version online, always free and with no sign-up. There are no timers and no scores: each child substitutes, adds, and subtracts in their own time, with warmth and no shame about a tricky problem. When this is easy, try a symbol math worksheet with Insects and Bugs that uses longer expressions, or solve the same key with a fresh set of pictures. You can also browse every math worksheet to keep the adding and subtracting going, steadily and at your child's own pace.