How to Teach Subtraction (The Part Everyone Skips)
The parent-friendly guide to teaching subtraction: why 'take away' isn't enough, how to teach counting back, and when to introduce borrowing.
Subtraction is harder than addition to teach for one reason: it has two meanings that don't look anything alike. "You had 7 sweets and ate 3, how many left?" feels like take-away. "John has 7 and Mary has 3, how many more does John have?" is the same sum but it feels like comparison. Kids who only learn it as take-away get stuck on word problems for years.
Teach both meanings from day one. Use counters for the take-away meaning, use a number line for the comparison meaning, and show the child that 7 - 3 = 4 covers both situations. That one move prevents about 80% of the subtraction confusion I see in tutoring.
The borrowing / regrouping step (47 - 28) is a separate beast and usually doesn't work until place value is rock solid. The worksheets and games below follow the sequence that actually works, not the one in the textbook.
Practise With These Free Games
Printable Worksheets to Go With This Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I teach addition and subtraction together?+
Teach addition first until the child is fluent, then introduce subtraction as the inverse. Teaching them simultaneously in the early stages tends to confuse younger learners.
What's the easiest way to teach borrowing?+
Use base-10 blocks or place-value counters. Physically 'break' a ten into ten ones so the child sees what's happening. Don't jump to the algorithm until the manipulatives make sense.
Why does my child count up instead of subtracting?+
Counting up is actually a valid and efficient mental strategy for subtraction — it's how most adults subtract change in their head. Let them use it.
When should subtraction facts be memorised?+
Subtraction facts to 20 should be fluent by the end of Year 2 or early Year 3 (age 7 to 8), after addition facts are secure.