When you eat two cookies out of five, what happens? You’re taking something away!
Telling a story about something disappearing, becoming lost, or being given away is similar to subtraction.
With some memorable stories, concepts, and easy tactics, let’s make subtraction a lot of fun and easy.
What is Subtraction?
Subtraction is the process of removing something. It displays the amount that remains after removing a portion of a group.
When subtracting, we use this sign: –
For instance, how many balloons are left when two of your six fly away?
6 -2 =4.
You have 4 balloons left, then!
Story Time: Subtraction in Real Life
Let’s turn subtraction into fun little stories.
Story 1: The Pencil Box
Anita had 10 pencils. She gave 4 to her friend.
How many pencils does she have now?
10 – 4 = 6
She has 6 pencils left.
Story 2: The Ice Cream Cart
There were 8 ice creams in the cart. 3 kids bought one each.
How many ice creams are still in the cart?
8 – 3 = 5
Five ice creams are still there.
Story 3: The Animal Farm
There were 7 goats in the barn. 2 ran outside.
How many goats are still in the barn?
7 – 2 = 5
Subtraction is just like solving little mysteries — what’s left after something is gone?
Use Fingers to Subtract
Your fingers can help you subtract!
Let’s say you have 5 apples and you eat 2.
Hold up 5 fingers. Now, fold down 2 fingers.
How many are still up?
This trick works great for numbers up to 10.
Draw It Out
You can draw pictures to help subtract.
Let’s do this:
You have 6 stars. You erase 2 of them.
Draw: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Now cross out 2: ★ ★
Count the rest: 4 stars left
Drawing makes subtraction fun and visual!
Try These Fun Subtraction Problems
- You had 9 candies. You gave 4 to your brother. How many left?
- There were 10 ducks in the pond. 6 flew away. How many stayed?
- You picked 7 flowers. You dropped 3. How many are still in your hand?
Answers:
- 9 – 4 = 5
- 10 – 6 = 4
- 7 – 3 = 4
Subtraction Tips for Kids
- Always start with the bigger number.
- Use your fingers, toys, or drawings to help.
- Practice with real-life things like toys, coins, or snacks.
- Say it out loud like a story to remember it better.
Let’s Make Up Your Own Subtraction Story
Now it’s your turn! Think of a story where something is taken away.
Start like this:
“I had ___ , then I lost/gave away/used ___ . What’s left?”
Try writing it in your notebook or sharing it with your friends.
Conclusion: Subtraction Is Easy
The idea of subtraction is to take something away and see what’s left.
To make it simple and enjoyable, you can tell stories, draw images, or use your fingers.
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