As Kindergarteners move forward in the school year, we are getting stronger in our number sense and understanding that sets combine to make a new total (addition). Subtraction, however, can be a little trickier! These snowman subtraction mats are the perfect hands-on math center for any aged child who is working on subtraction up to 6 with the use of manipulatives.
Snowman Subtraction Mats
Prepping these snowman mats was a breeze – I just printed them out, laminated, and cut in half (there are two mats per sheet).
I then added some colorful buttons and dry erase markers to a basket, and I had a fun new math center ready to go!
I first introduce activities like this in a small group setting so that kids can really see me use the manipulatives, though if you use a document camera in the classroom (or sit in a circle to demonstrate too) this works great.
We know in subtraction that we have to start with the first number, so if our snowman first had 4 buttons, we placed 4 buttons on the snowman.
Uh-oh! He lost 2! I physically removed the 2 buttons off of the snowman so that the kids see this represented. 2 buttons are leaving.
How many buttons are left? 2! So we wrote the number 2 in the box. 4-2=2
We kept pulling cards and playing until we had solved all of the equations (there are 10 mats total for your math center).
Grab Your Set
Ready to work on those early subtraction skills? Grab some buttons, then download your copy of the snowman subtraction mats by clicking the yellow button at the very end of the post.
Then, for more snow-themed fun, including addition mats, counting mats and more, hop over and grab our Snow Math and Literacy Centers
Be sure to check out these fabulous snowman learning ideas from some awesome kid bloggers, too!
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
Exploding Snowman Baggie: Winter Snow Science for Kids // Science Kiddo
Snowman Number Match Printable // A Dab of Glue Will Do
Preschool Snowman Activity Pack // Schooling a Monkey
Snowball Shooter // The STEM Laboratory
Snowman Teen Number and Ten Frame Match // Recipe for Teaching
Snowman Subtraction Mats // The Kindergarten Connection
Snowman Alphabet Activity // Mom Inspired Life
Snowman Writing Paper with Prompts // Liz’s Early Learning Spot
Snowman Printable Fact Family Activity // DIY Farm Wife
Snowman Pattern Block Mats // Playdough to Plato
Snowman Sequencing Fun // Sara J Creations
Snowman Sight Word Search // Adventures of Adam
Winter Snowman Ten Frame Printable // Fun with Mama
Snowman Rhyming Puzzles // Fairy Poppins
Snowman CVC Word Match // Letters of Literacy
Two Digit Number Snowmen // Play & Learn Everyday
Download Snowman Subtraction Mats Below
Latest posts by Alex (see all)
- Fun Groundhog Day Activities for Kids - January 22, 2017
- 100th Day of School Cut and Paste Sentence Printable - January 22, 2017
- 27 Valentine’s Day Centers Kids Will Love - January 21, 2017