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Subtraction is a concept that many children have difficulty with. Adding things together seems to come naturally, but taking things away causes confusion for a lot of young minds. This can lead to a break in self-esteem as well as lagging confidence. There are ways to avoid this by keeping your child interested in subtracting and showing them how to have fun with it.
By using your imagination and some simple supplies you can make subtracting games and activities that your children will love using. These are just starter ideas. You can use them as they are or elaborate on them to tailor them to your child's needs.
Play games backward. When you play simple children's games with your child, try starting at the end and playing backwards. This way they must subtract their spaces instead of adding them. Get them to vocalize what they are subtracting as they move their game piece. Guide them through any misunderstanding without giving them answers. Struggling for an answer and getting it on your own will cause a greater understanding and longer memory of the concept.
Break the bank with pennies and dice. This is a game in which you use a large supply of pennies and one die. You start with a designated amount of pennies. For those children who are just starting out, ten is best. You can use more as your child develops his understanding of subtraction. You take turns rolling the die. Then, you must take away that many pennies from your pile. While doing this you must vocalize what you are doing. If you roll a four, you say, "I have ten pennies. I must take four pennies away. I have six pennies left." The first to lose all his pennies or "break the bank" wins.
Subtraction art is a good way to get a visual of this mathematics concept. Allow your child to paint or draw a picture containing any amount of objects. After the picture is complete have him roll a die. Then, he must erase or cross out or wipe out that many objects and write a number sentence about what he did with his art.
For example, say your child draws a picture that contains fifteen toys. Then, he rolls a die and gets the number six. He is supposed to eliminate six of the toys in his picture in anyway he feels is necessary. Then at the bottom or top of his artwork he should write 15-6=9. Make sure you talk with your child during this and any other activity to get a sense of what he is thinking. That way if he makes a mistake you will understand why and know how to help him find a way to correct his mistake.
Use every day items for pencil and paper practice. When you are sitting down with your child to practice facts with pencil and paper allow her to use small objects from around the house as counters. Some of these objects can include paper-clips, dried pasta curls, buttons, bolts, nuts, screws, bobby pins, crayons or small toys such as army men. If you'd like you could also use foodstuff like small cheese crackers, small graham crackers, grapes or any other small food and allow your child to eat as she subtracts. This is sure to bring a smile to both your faces and urge eagerness in your child.
There are many ways to get your child interested in subtracting. By using these ideas as a springboard, you can come up with those activities that will best suit the needs of your child. Remember to always talk about the procedure with your child and check for his or her understanding of what he or she is trying to accomplish. The more you talk with him or her about his or her learning, the easier it will be to help him or her set and reach his or her goals.
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