Beginning Subtraction Activity

I went to Montessori schools from preschool through 3rd grade.  I love how Montessori incorporates a lot of hands-on activities while allowing children to learn a lot through "play."  Earlier this week I told Collin that I'm going to reintroduce the tray system that I used to use in Germany.  In addition to our homeschool curriculums, I'm going to have a few additional educational activities for Caden to work on each day.  Some of them will be new and I'll have to teach him how to use them.  Others he will already know how to work them.  He finishes his work so quickly and sometimes needs a little direction with choices.  He's so smart and busy that if I leave things too unstructured my house will literally be taken apart as he creates his own fun.  Or he'd want to watch cartoons all day, which if you know me, I really try and limit TV time.

This beginning subtraction activity is a great way to introduce subtraction once your child knows their numbers, at least 0-10.  Being able to add is a plus but necessarily necessary for this activity.  This is a Montessori activity that I got from a YouTube channel I subscribe to.

I bought the materials from the $1 store.  I bought 10 salt/pepper jars, they came 2 for $1.  I bought a bag of stones, and a pack of plastic bowls.  I created a sheet with all of the equations I want him to learn, 1-10.  I printed it on card stock and laminated it.  I also bought a $1 container to store this activity in.  I'm realizing it's best to have a storage plan for anything you're going to teach your child so it doesn't end up all over the house.  The total project cost me less than $8.  You could do this much cheaper, even free, by using cups to store the equations in and materials you already have on hand.



My supplies

First I cut out and pasted the negative numbers 1-10 on each spice jar. I let Caden fill them with the number of stones needed. This was great counting practice and he had fun helping.

Counting and filling the jars with stones.

Then I cut all of the equations out and filled each jar with the matching equations. I also checked Caden's work to make sure he had the correct number of stones in each container.  He scored a 100!



Here's how I filled each jar

I let him choose one jar because we only do one jar at a time

You lay out the equations on one side and the answers on the other.  For example, you are working on 2s.  You'll have him count the stones, two stones.  Put them in the left bowl.  Then read an equation.  2-1= he'll take one away from the left bowl and put it in the middle bowl.  Then what is left he puts in the right bowl after the equals sign.  He'll count how many stones are in the last bowl and he'll see there is 1.  So he'll find numeral 1.  Then he'll put it together, 2-1=1.  He'll go through all of these problems and eventually be able to do this himself and have me come check his work.

I realized later I didn't get a picture of him doing his work but only this goofy one once he was done



If your child is older, you can have them write the problems and answers down on a piece of paper.  I hope your child enjoys this fun Montessori Beginning Subtraction Activity.