Subtract a Number with Forest Creatures — Kindergarten

Here subtraction mixes something to count with something to read. One side is a little set of foxes, deer and a hedgehog the child counts; the other is a numeral to take away; the box holds what's left. Counting the forest creatures and then removing the written number — stepping the count down by that much — is how five- and six-year-olds start to trust that a numeral stands for an amount they could have crossed out themselves. Totals stay within ten so every answer can be checked.

Pairing a countable group with a number to subtract builds two things at once — the take-away meaning and the first comfort with written numbers. Because the forest creatures stay pictured and the totals stay within ten, the child can always fall back on counting to check, so the symbol is introduced on a foundation they can trust.

Children who enjoy forest creatures 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 fruits, or try subtract a number with musical instruments. You can also browse every subtraction worksheet or the whole forest creatures collection for kindergarten — each sheet prints cleanly in black and white or plays online for free.