Playdough is one of my favorite manipulatives. It can be used in so many ways in a preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten classroom. Today we are using it for Teaching Subtraction with a hands-on manipulative that will engage young learners. These Subtraction with Playdough Mats are a simple, fun way for kids to visualize subtracting in kindergarten math. Simply print subtraction printable pdf file and you are ready to play and learn with a subtraction activity.
Teaching Subtraction
You can make teaching subtraction to kindergarten extra fun and engaging subtraction playdough mats. This subtraction activity for kindergarten uses subtraction printable to make and subtract flowers with the playdough. On this particular day we were focused more on the subtraction aspect than making sure we had flowers. The yellow balls of playdough were perfect for what we were doing.
Subtraction with Playdough Mats
Start by scrolling to the bottom of the post, under the terms of use, and click on the text link that says >> _____ <<. The pdf file will open in a new window for you to save the freebie and print the template.
Subtraction activities
After we printed out the Spring Subtraction Playdough Mat, we slid it into a sheet protector. This is a fabulous alternative for laminating. There are also dry erase pockets that work well also.
One of these options is necessary because if the paper is not protected, the playdough will stick to the paper. It will become a mess very quickly. One of these options also allows you to use dry erase markers on the equation portion of the printable mat.
Subtraction activity for kindergarten
Once the mat is prepped, I wrote a subtraction equation that was challenging for my daughter. The minuend, subtrahend and difference are the three parts of a subtraction problem. For instance, in the problem 5 – 3 = 2, the number 5 is the minuend, the number 3 is the subtrahend and the number 2 is the difference. We created playdough balls and place the same number of the minuend on the mat. From here my daughter could pull away the number that is the subtrahend to find the difference.
Once the answer was figured out, the answer was written on the equation line. If we needed to discuss the equation, we did that then. When we were finished, we created a new equation and repeated the process.
Teaching subtraction to kindergarten
This was a fabulous way to practice subtraction with no pressure. The playdough helps children work through the answer in a visual and hands on way. While this is a spring theme because of the flowers, it can absolutely be used any time of the year.
Some other ideas is to use blue and white playdough to make clouds and one yellow for a sun. You could do pink, purple and blue that would represent butterflies.
Yellow and black to represent bees.
The options are endless, really. It is just added fun to help provide an engaging activity for kids while they are learning and practicing subtraction.
Subtraction Activities
Looking for more subtraction worksheets and subtraction games to make learning to subtract fun? Check out these subtraction math ideas and free resources:
- Sandcastle Subtraction Craft
- FUN Subtraction BINGO
- Goldfish subtraction games for Kindergarten
- Hungry Unicorn Subtraction – sensory math activities
- Patriotic Subtraction Mats
- Free Valentine’s day subtraction worksheets
- Toy Story Subtraction Flash Cards
Subtraction Printables
- Roll and Smash within 6 (great for strengthening hand muscles) – subtraction activities
- Subtraction Smash – FUN subtraction practice for kindergartners within 10
- Roll & Subtraction Smash printable activity for kids within 12 (with number sense)
- Fill-in-the-Wheel Free Math Subtraction Worksheets
- Fun and FREE Subtraction Worksheets with a deck of cards
- Math Aquarium – Free Subtraction File Folder Game
- Free Printable Subtraction worksheets pdf you turn into a mini book
- Pot of Gold Subtraction Math Craft
- Hibernating Animals Simple Subtraction Worksheets
- Lemon Free Subtraction Worksheets for Kindergarten
- Thanksgiving Math Worksheets – Cut and Paste Subtraction Turkeys
- Subtraction Playdough Mats
- Animal Crack the Code Worksheet – simple addition and subtraction
- Back to School Crack the Code Worksheet – simple addition and subtraction
- Christmas Fact Family Math
- Watermelon Fact Family Worksheets
- See even more FREE subtraction games worksheets!
Addition and Subtraction Worksheets
- Math Mystery subtraction printables
- Solve and Stamp Addition and Subtraction Worksheets
- Addition and Subtration Games Printable within 5
- Gumball Math Addition and subtraction worksheets
- Fluency within 5 addition and subtraction games
- Subtraction & Addition Candy Corn Math Puzzles
- Hot chocolate math – addition and subtraction fact family worksheets
- Snowman Math – build a snowman by solving addition and subtraction problems
- Christmas Fact Families – addition and subtraction worksheets
- Star Wars Math Activities: Addition and Subtraction to 20
- Butterfly Addition and Subtraction Kindergarten
- Kindergarten Free Summer Math Worksheets
- Math Cootie Catcher – addition, subtraction, numbers, dubbling
- Free Fact Family Worksheets – color or black & white
- Apple Kindergarten Math Worksheets
We have thousands more Free Kindergarten Worksheets and Kindergarten Math Worksheets to make learning fun and easy for kindergartners!
Playdough Mats
Don’t miss these other AMAZING free playdough mats!
- Monster Shape Playdough Mats
- Pencil Playdough Mats
- Winter Playdough Mats
- Spring Playdough Mats
- Fall Playdough Mats
- Summer Playdough Mats
- Musical Instruments Playdough Mats
- Human Body Playdough Mats
- Watermelon Counting Playdough Mats
Subtraction worksheets
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