How do I teach my child subtraction?

When teaching your child subtraction, begin with simple facts that may be easier for them to understand, such as the 0’s and 1’s. In subtraction, any number minus zero equals that number, and any number minus itself equals zero. Subtracting by 1’s can be easy equations for your child to memorize once they know they are counting back by one. Such as 10 – 1 = 9, 9 – 1 = 8, 8 – 1 = 7. Use flashcards to practice each day. Warm-up with the subtraction facts that your child knows well and then work on problems that may be more difficult. You can also show your child how addition is related to subtraction. 

Once they learn that 10 – 1 = 9 they can see that 1 + 9 = 10. Understanding this relationship will help your child gain math fluency as they move to more advanced math concepts.