Subtract a Number with Fourth of July Things — Kindergarten

Every row of this kindergarten worksheet pairs a group of flags, stars and a drum you can count with a number written beside a minus sign, and leaves the answer as an empty box. The child counts the pictured Fourth of July things, then takes that written number away — counting back by that much — to find how many are left. Seeing a real group on one side and a number to subtract on the other is the first bridge from taking away pictures to working with symbols.

Taking a written number away from a group you can count is a real milestone for a five-year-old. It is where counting back begins — starting from the pictured Fourth of July things and stepping down by the number — and where a child first feels that a numeral is just a quick way of writing an amount they could have crossed out by hand.

Children who enjoy fourth of july things settle into this quickly once crossing-out feels easy, and it suits a calm independent task. When this feels easy, take some away in subtract a number with accessories, or try subtract a number with birds. You can also browse every subtraction worksheet or the whole Fourth of July things collection for kindergarten — each sheet prints cleanly in black and white or plays online for free.