Okay, real talk for a minute: adding and subtracting sound like math words, but they're really just fancy words for things kids already do with toys, snacks, and LEGOs.

Adding means putting things together. Subtracting means taking things away.

Before we talk about 5 + 3 = 8, we need to know what that plus sign even means. And before we do any subtraction facts, we need to understand that minus means take away, not make smaller or make disappear.

This lesson makes the words concrete so the abstract numbers make sense later.

What You Will Need

• A pile of small things: pennies, beans, cheerios, LEGO bricks, buttons, anything your kid can pick up and move
• Paper and pencil
• A quiet table

What To Do

Step 1: The Add Word

Say to your child: Add is a word for when we put things together.

1. Put 3 LEGO bricks on the table. Count them together: one, two, three.
2. Say: Now let us add two more. Put two more bricks next to the first three.
3. Count all the bricks together: one, two, three... four, five.
4. Say: We started with three, we added two, and now we have five!

Do this three or four times. Each time, say add or added slowly and clearly. Have them repeat the words back to you.

Step 2: The Subtract Word

Now switch to the other word. Say: Subtract is a word for when we take things away.

1. Put 6 beans on the table. Count them together: one, two, three, four, five, six.
2. Say: Now we subtract two. Move two beans to a different spot or put them in a cup.
3. Count what is left: one, two, three, four.
4. Say: We started with six, we subtracted two, and now we have four!

Again, do this three or four times. Say subtract and subtracted clearly.

Step 3: Match the Word to the Action

Now test it. Put 4 buttons on the table. Say:

• Add one (they add one button)
• Subtract two (they move two away)
• Add two (they add two more)
• Subtract three (they move three away)

Each time, have them say what they are doing: I am adding or I am subtracting.

Step 4: The Words on Paper

Write these on a piece of paper:

ADD = PUT TOGETHER SUBTRACT = TAKE AWAY

Have them draw a picture for each word. For add, they might draw two little piles becoming one big pile. For subtract, they might draw a pile with some being taken away.

Why This Works

Kids learn math through movement and touch first. When you say 5 + 3, they need to know that plus means combine these piles not pick a magic number from a list. When you say 8 - 2, they need to know minus means remove these items not pick a number that makes the answer smaller.

This kind of understanding is what makes later facts stick. Because when they memorize 5 + 3 = 8, they remember: Oh right, five and three put together is eight. The number makes sense because they have already lived the concept.

Pro Tips

• Use snacks if you want them super engaged. Add three more crackers, then eat them all. Subtract two and see how many are left.
• Let them be the teacher sometimes. You say add two and they do it. Then switch roles.
• Do not rush. This lesson can take 15-20 minutes. Kids need time to hear the words, do the actions, and say the words back.

Connection to Standards

This lesson matches Kindergarten Common Core standard K.OA.A.1: Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings, sounds, acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations. It also matches 1.OA.A.1: Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems.