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What does taking away mean?
Taking away means removing some things from a group. Children see a set of toys or sweets. When we take some away, fewer remain. We use the word 'left' to show how many are still there. This idea is the start of subtraction. Teachers show real objects and ask children to remove some. Children count what is left. They say sentences like 'There were 5 apples. I took away 2 apples. 3 apples are left.' Using words and objects helps children understand that subtraction answers tell us what remains after removal.
How we talk about it
We use short sentences: 'take away', 'left', 'less', 'minus'. We also start to show the action with the minus sign (−) and equals sign (=) later. First focus is on doing and seeing. Children learn by touching and moving items. They also practise saying how many are left in full sentences to build language and number skills.
Use fingers and small objects
Children can use their fingers and everyday objects to understand taking away in a hands-on way. Show a small group of items—blocks, beads, buttons or fruit—and count them together. Then ask the child to remove the number you say. For example, place seven counters on the table, ask to take away three and then count the remaining four. Using fingers is useful when objects are not available: hold up five fingers, fold down two and count the fingers still up. This makes subtraction quick and visible.
Teaching steps and variations
Begin with small numbers (1–5) so children see the whole group at once. Use clear language: name the total, say how many to take away, then ask 'How many are left?' Encourage children to say the subtraction sentence such as '5 − 2 = 3'. Vary the activity by hiding some items under a cloth and asking the child to show how many remain, or by lining counters and removing from one end. Make short timed games: who can remove and count correctly fastest? Praise correct answers and gently correct errors by re-counting together. Repetition builds confidence and helps move from objects to imagining the action mentally.
Pictures show taking away
Pictures are a gentle bridge between using objects and writing numbers. Draw simple items like apples, stars, balloons or boxes that children recognise. Ask the child to cross out a certain number of drawings and then count what remains. For example, draw six apples, tell the child to cross out two, and then count the uncrossed apples to find four. Drawing and crossing out turns the idea of taking away into a clear, visible action that children can repeat on paper.
Using drawing activities in class
Start with teacher-made worksheets showing rows of objects. Later, ask children to draw their own pictures to show subtraction stories: 'Draw 7 candies. Give 3 to your friend. Show how many you have left.' Encourage colouring the remaining objects and crossing out the removed ones, so the result stands out. Use picture cards for matching games: one card shows a picture with crossed-out items, another shows the number left. Talk through each step: count first, remove next, then count the remainder and write the subtraction sentence. These steps make the link between real objects and abstract numbers, helping children progress to mental subtraction over time.
What is a number line?
A number line is a straight line with numbers in order, usually starting from 0 and going up. It helps children see subtraction as 'moving left' from a larger number to a smaller one. When we subtract, we start at the first number and make jumps to the left equal to the number we take away. This tells us the number that remains. Number lines are good for teaching counting backward and the idea of distance between numbers.
How to teach and practise
Draw a clear horizontal number line on the board or on paper with marks for 0 to 10. For 7 − 3, place a finger or a marker at 7, then count and jump left three steps: 6, 5, 4. Land on 4 and say 'seven minus three equals four'. Ask children to draw their own number lines and show the jumps with arrows. Use different start numbers and different jump lengths. Encourage them to say each number as they jump to strengthen backward counting. For early learners, allow them to mark each jump; later they can make larger jumps like 'jump 2 then jump 1' to reach the same place. Number line practice helps children move from concrete objects to quick mental subtraction.
Learn small subtraction facts
Subtraction facts within 10 are the basic answers children should know quickly. These include results such as 5 − 1, 5 − 2, 7 − 3, and 10 − 4. Teaching these facts helps children work faster and with confidence. Use short, regular practice times and make the learning playful with songs, flashcards, and matching games. Keep the numbers small and repeat them often.
Ways to practise and remember
Begin by grouping facts by the first number: practice all subtractions from 5 (5 − 1, 5 − 2, 5 − 3, 5 − 4). Use physical counters for each fact, then move to showing fingers and finally to saying answers mentally. Encourage children to say the fact aloud and show it with objects: for 6 − 2, put out six counters, take two away and count four remaining. Create quick oral drills and pair work where children ask each other facts. Use simple stories too: 'I had 8 sweets, I gave 3 to my sister, how many left?' Provide praise for quick recall. Over time, memorised subtraction facts free up attention for solving longer problems and improve accuracy in classwork and tests.
Special cases: subtracting zero and the whole group
Two important, simple rules help children understand subtraction better. First, when we take away zero, nothing changes: the total stays the same. For example, if you have seven candies and take away none, you still have seven. Second, when we take away the whole group, nothing is left: if you take away all items, the result is zero. For example, 4 − 4 = 0. Teaching these rules early builds confidence and reduces confusion.
How to show and practice these rules
Use real items and images: put five blocks on the table and tell the child to 'take away zero'—they keep five. Then ask them to take away all five so they see zero left. Use language like 'none left' and 'zero' to link vocabulary and number. Give many small examples across different totals so children see the rule always works. Ask them to write the subtraction sentence and say it aloud. These simple cases also help later when solving problems quickly: recognising that subtracting zero leaves a number unchanged and subtracting a number from itself gives zero will be useful in larger arithmetic later on.
Use short stories to practice
Story problems help children use subtraction in real life and build reading and thinking skills. Keep the stories short and familiar: toys, fruits, children, birds or classroom items. Read the story together and ask the child to find the total, to find how many are taken away, and then to act out the removal using counters, fingers or drawings. Acting the story helps the child connect the words to the math action.
Steps and classroom ideas
Teach a simple sequence: read the story, underline the important numbers, choose objects or draw pictures, perform the take away, count what remains and write the subtraction sentence. Encourage children to answer in a full sentence such as ‘Ria has 3 crayons left’. Use partner work where one child tells a story and the other solves it. Vary contexts: sharing sweets, birds flying away, giving toys to friends. Keep numbers small (under 10) and repeat different examples so children learn to translate words into subtraction. Praise explanations to reinforce both language and number understanding.
How to check your answer
Checking work is an important habit. After a subtraction, children can add the result to the number taken away. If the sum equals the original total, the subtraction is correct. This reinforces the link between addition and subtraction and helps catch mistakes. For example, if the child finds 7 − 2 = 5, they check by adding 5 + 2 and seeing if it equals 7.
Teaching checking as routine
Show checking with objects and on paper: when using counters, set aside the remaining counters and the taken-away counters, then combine them and count all to see the original total. Make checking a normal part of every problem-solving step so children learn to self-correct. Use simple phrases like 'add back to check' and make it playful: turn checking into a small detective task where the child proves the answer. Practice several examples so children become quick at both subtraction and the matching addition check. This habit reduces errors and builds confidence with numbers.