This is a very easy to prepare activity for little ones to learn subtraction.
What you need:
- Some rough paper cut into strips
- Markers (or colouring pencils) to draw
- Stapler
- Scissors
How to make it:
- Write out a simple subtraction problem for example, 4 – 1, on a strip of paper.
- Draw the corresponding number of items on the paper, for examples, draw 4 balls as shown in the picture below
- Make a few more problems
- Staple the paper together with a stapler.

How to play:
Read out the subtraction problem (for example “6-1”) and ask your kid to cut away 1 item from the paper. Then count how many left to find out the answer.
I always make a few of these and put them in my drawer. I give one out to my son to work on as his morning routine.
J loves this activity because he can use one of his favourite tools, the scissors. Sometimes I make up stories to go along with the pictures I drew or stamped, and he found them funny and would love to do more so he can listen to more stories.
Learning is fun and inexpensive.