Help build your child's addition and subtraction skills with these hands on activities:

Helping children develop strong addition and subtraction skills can be fun and interactive. Here are 10 hands-on activities parents can do at home to support their child’s learning.

1. Counting with Household Objects

Use everyday items like buttons, coins, or cereal pieces to practice simple addition and subtraction problems. Ask your child to add or take away items and count the total.

2. Roll and Add (or Subtract)

Roll two dice and have your child add or subtract the numbers. Use a number line to help visualize the operation.

3. Card Game Math

Use a deck of playing cards to practice addition and subtraction. Draw two cards and add or subtract their values.

4. Building with Blocks

Use LEGO bricks or building blocks to create math problems. Stack blocks together to add or remove some to subtract.

5. Grocery Store Math

While shopping, have your child add up the cost of items or subtract discounts to see how much they save.

6. Snack Time Equations

Use small snacks like pretzels or grapes to create math problems. For example, “You have 5 grapes. If you eat 2, how many are left?”

7. Hopscotch Math

Create a hopscotch board with numbers. Have your child hop to numbers that add up to a specific sum or solve subtraction problems as they play.

8. Story Problems with Toys

Use dolls, action figures, or stuffed animals to act out word problems. Example: “If 3 bears go to the park and 2 more join, how many are there in total?”

9. Egg Carton Math

Write numbers inside an empty egg carton. Drop two small objects inside, then add or subtract the numbers they land on.

10. Popsicle Stick Equations

Write numbers and math symbols on popsicle sticks. Have your child randomly pick sticks to create and solve equations.

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By incorporating addition and subtraction into daily activities, children can develop strong math skills in a fun and engaging way. Try these simple activities and watch your child's confidence with numbers grow!