Subtraction

A child is ready to learn subtraction when they can count to 10 and have had some practice with Addition.

See Activities:

• Subtraction

Is My Child Ready For This Activity?

Subtraction is the reverse of Addition: instead of putting groups together, a child sees a group and takes some away. Starting with real blocks to cross out makes "minus" something they can see.

Levels & Progress

This activity has 5 levels that progress through increasingly larger numbers:

Level	Problems	Answer Options
1	Up to 5 (4 − 1)	2 options
2	Up to 10 (9 − 3)	3 options
3	Up to 30 (23 − 7)	4 options
4	Two-digit numbers (62 − 35)	5 options
5	Three-digit numbers (423 − 187)	5 options

As your child advances, they'll work with larger numbers and more answer choices to pick from.

Gameplay Experience

1. See the Problem: Two numbers appear with a minus sign between them (e.g., 9 − 3 = ?)

2. Hear the Problem: The activity reads aloud "9 minus 3 equals?"

3. Take Away by Tapping: The first number appears as colored blocks, in rows of five:

   • 🟢 Green blocks for ones
   • 🔵 Blue blocks for tens
   • 🔴 Red blocks for hundreds

   Each tap crosses out one block and counts it: "1", "2", "3". The remaining blocks wiggle until everything has been taken away, and tapping again after that says how many are left ("6 left"). When a place runs out, a tap trades one bigger block for ten smaller ones ("One ten makes ten ones").

4. Pick the Answer: Tap the correct answer from the options at the bottom

5. Celebrate or Retry:

   • ✅ Correct: The picture finishes itself, with confetti, a cheerful sound, and spoken confirmation ("6 is correct!")
   • ❌ Incorrect: A gentle buzz and vibration—try again!

Tip: Tap on the equation at any time to hear the problem again.

Learning Objectives

• Subtraction: Understanding that taking away leaves a smaller group
• Counting: Counting each block as it's taken away, then hearing what's left
• Place Value: Seeing that one ten is the same as ten ones
• Regrouping: Trading blocks is what "borrowing" really means
• Number Recognition: Identifying written numerals

Progress Tracking

Each activity session is tracked with:

• The problem presented (operands and expected answer)
• The answer your child selected
• Whether they got it correct
• Number of attempts before moving on

This data helps identify patterns and areas where your child might need more practice.

Sound On?

Yes, sound is recommended! This activity uses:

• Voice narration to read each problem aloud
• Spoken feedback as your child taps through the picture
• Audio feedback for correct and incorrect answers

Children can play without sound, but they'll miss the auditory reinforcement that helps cement learning. The activity can also be controlled via keyboard (number keys to select answers, Space to repeat the problem).