This mat is designed to engage children in learning about the concept of subtraction. It serves as a bridge between physically counting objects and writing mathematical equations.

How to use…

• Adult to write numbers in the green and red squares.

• Then child to count out the number of items (e.g. buttons, playdough balls, cotton reels, building blocks) representing the number in the green box (to be placed in the oval).

• Child to take-away the red number of items from the board.

• Child to write the number of items left in the oval as the answer in the golden box.

This completes the grid with a subtraction number sentence, e.g. “8 take away 6 is equal to 2”.

(Buttons are shown as an example – be sure to use risk assessed age-appropriate loose parts as you see fit.)

Original artwork drawn by Sara Murphy and final digital resources created by Stuart Murphy. COPYRIGHT ON ALL OF THE RESOURCES HOUSED ON THIS WEBSITE IS HELD BY ‘LITTLE OWLS RESOURCES’. OUR RESOURCES (INCLUDING THE IMAGES WITHIN THEM), CANNOT BE SHARED OR SOLD COMMERCIALLY.

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