Free printable worksheets · United States
1st Grade Subtraction Worksheets (Ages 6–7)
1st Grade subtraction worksheets are practice sheets for children aged 6–7 in First Grade in the US. Subtraction is taking a smaller group away from a larger one, or comparing two groups, to find how many or how much remain. The sheets on this page cover taking away from a group, counting back from a number, finding the difference between two numbers and fact families linked to addition.
First grade pushes reading toward fluency and math toward larger numbers: consonant digraphs, long vowels and silent e appear in decodable passages, while place value work extends to 120 and addition and subtraction move from within 10 to within 20. A six-year-old subtracts within 20 and starts to do it without objects. The useful worksheet at this age links each subtraction to an addition the child already knows, so 13 − 5 is answered by thinking "5 and what makes 13" rather than by eight backward hops. Fact-family boxes, missing-number sentences and finding the difference between two rows of pictures all belong here. Do not expect speed yet; expect a chosen strategy.
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1st Grade Subtraction Worksheets to print
Browse all worksheets for ages 6–7
3-Digit Addition Worksheet for Kids
Adding two three-digit numbers requires children to work through the ones, tens, and hundreds columns in order and understand how a sum in one column can carry over into the next, a significant step up from single-digit addition. For ages six to eight, mastering this column-based process builds the procedural fluency needed for all future multi-digit arithmetic.
Time Telling Worksheet: Circle the Correct Time!
Reading an analog clock face and choosing the matching time from three written options builds clock-reading fluency for children ages 5-7, requiring them to interpret both the hour and minute hands together rather than guessing from a single hand.
3-Digit Subtraction Worksheet for Kids
Subtracting three-digit numbers introduces children to borrowing, or regrouping, across place value columns, a more demanding skill than simple subtraction since it requires understanding that a ten can be 'broken' into ones when a column doesn't have enough to subtract from. For ages five to seven, this worksheet builds the procedural foundation for confident multi-digit subtraction going forward.
Subtraction Fun: Counting and Subtracting Worksheet for Kids
This worksheet teaches children ages 4-6 the concept of subtraction by having them count a group of stars, cross out a specified number, and write how many remain — making the abstract idea of 'taking away' visible and countable rather than purely symbolic. Physically crossing out objects before writing the answer helps children understand subtraction as an action, which is more intuitive at this age than memorizing subtraction facts.
Subtraction Worksheet: Count and Subtract for Preschoolers
This worksheet introduces children ages 4-6 to subtraction by having them count a group of objects, take away the indicated amount, and write the resulting difference. Grounding subtraction in physical counting rather than abstract number facts helps children build real number sense, understanding subtraction as 'taking away' rather than just memorizing symbols and answers.
Subtraction Worksheet: Find the Row with Matching Answers!
This worksheet pushes subtraction practice a step further for children ages 4-6 by having them solve several subtraction problems and then compare the answers across different rows to find matches, adding a layer of number-sense reasoning on top of basic calculation. Recognizing that two different subtraction problems can produce the same answer helps children understand that numbers can be reached in more than one way, which is an important early step toward flexible mathematical thinking. This kind of comparison task also builds attention to detail, since a child has to solve every problem accurately before the matching rows can be found.
Sheep's Barnyard Adventure: A Fun Counting and Movement Worksheet
This board-game-style worksheet helps children ages 4-6 practice counting and number recognition by rolling a die and moving a sheep piece along a numbered path, following simple instructions at each stop. Turning counting practice into a game with chance and movement keeps children engaged far longer than a static worksheet, while still reinforcing accurate counting and number sequence recognition along the path.
Word Problem Fun: Balloon and Mango Math Worksheet for Kids
Solving addition word problems featuring balloons and mangoes teaches children ages 4-6 to translate a short story into a number sentence, practicing both reading comprehension and basic addition in a playful, visual context.
Subtraction Worksheet: Practice Subtracting with Fun Pictures!
Children ages 4-6 practice subtraction by looking at a set of pictured objects, crossing out or removing the indicated amount, and writing the resulting total. Seeing subtraction visually, rather than only as abstract numbers, helps children genuinely understand what 'taking away' means before relying on memorized facts. This visual approach builds a strong foundation for mental math strategies used in later grades.
Word Problems Worksheet: Solving for Addition and Subtraction
This worksheet builds the ability to translate real-world scenarios into number sentences, teaching children ages 4-6 to spot clue words like 'gave away' or 'found more' that signal whether to add or subtract. It also practices reading comprehension applied to math, a key step as children move from rote counting toward applied reasoning.
Let's Solve Word Problems! - Addition Worksheet for Kids
This word problem worksheet moves children ages 4-6 beyond bare number addition into applied math, asking them to read a short story-style problem, count the objects described, and add the quantities together. Translating words into numbers and then into an equation is a key early step toward algebraic thinking, since it requires children to identify what's being asked before they can solve it. Counting the pictured objects first also keeps the addition grounded in something concrete rather than abstract digits alone.
Measurement Worksheet: Matching and Measuring Objects!
This worksheet moves children from an intuitive sense of size toward the more formal skill of using a ruler to measure length in units, bridging estimation with actual measurement. For ages four to six, matching objects to an approximate number of units first, then confirming with a ruler, helps them see measurement as something they can predict and then verify rather than an arbitrary number.
Word Problems Worksheet: Practice Subtraction with Fun Pictures!
This subtraction word problem worksheet gives children ages 4-6 practice translating a short story into a math equation, using pictures of objects being taken away to make the abstract idea of subtraction concrete. Reading, counting, and subtracting in sequence builds the same problem-solving pathway children will rely on for more advanced word problems later in school. Visual supports, like crossed-out or removed objects in the pictures, help children see subtraction as an action rather than just a symbol.
Word Problems Worksheet: Solving Addition and Subtraction
Solving a mix of addition and subtraction word problems trains children ages 4-6 to decide which operation a story calls for, based on whether it describes combining groups or taking something away, a key reasoning skill before formal equation writing.
Addition Concepts Worksheet for Preschoolers
Preschoolers ages 4-6 build early number sense by visually combining two small groups into one total, the concrete foundation every later addition fact depends on. Seeing objects physically joined together, rather than just numbers on a page, helps children grasp that addition means 'putting together' before they ever memorize a sum.
Above and Below Worksheet: Counting and Spatial Reasoning for Kids
This worksheet combines spatial reasoning and counting for children ages 4-6, asking them to identify whether objects are positioned above or below a reference point and then use that understanding to answer counting questions. Understanding relative position words like 'above' and 'below' supports later skills in reading diagrams, maps, and graphs. Pairing the concept with counting also reinforces that spatial language can describe quantities, not just single objects.
Tens and Ones Worksheet: Counting Fruits and Matching Numbers!
Counting groups of fruit and organizing them into tens and ones builds early place value understanding for children ages 4-6, a foundational concept for reading and writing two-digit numbers correctly.
Word Problems Worksheet for Early Learners
Word problems ask 4-6 year olds to do something harder than a bare equation: read a short story, figure out what operation it's describing, and only then do the addition or subtraction. That translation step — turning 'Sam had 3 apples and ate 1' into a subtraction fact — is the real skill this worksheet builds, and it's the foundation for all later math word problems your child will encounter in school. Because the numbers here stay small, the challenge is almost entirely about comprehension rather than calculation.
Height and Distance Worksheet for Kids
Children ages 4-6 practice comparing height and distance using visual examples, building early measurement and comparison skills that form the basis for later lessons in math involving length and size. Learning to compare 'taller,' 'shorter,' 'closer,' and 'farther' helps children describe the physical world with more precise language.
Counting Tens Worksheet: Group and Count!
Grouping objects into sets of ten and counting the groups introduces the foundation of place value, the idea that a 'ten' is both ten individual ones and a single unit worth counting on its own. This worksheet gives ages four to six early, hands-on exposure to that concept well before they encounter formal place-value charts in school.
Navaratri Dance Count: A Fun Counting Worksheet for Kids!
This worksheet builds counting accuracy in children ages 4-6 as they count dancers in Garba or Navaratri dance scenes and record the totals. Counting figures arranged in a lively, non-linear scene is slightly more challenging than counting objects in a row, which pushes children to track what they've already counted more carefully.
Festive Math Fun: Counting and Addition Worksheet for Kids
Children ages 4-6 sharpen counting accuracy and practice basic addition using festive Christmas visuals, including a snowman scene where sums are recorded directly on its body. This worksheet also introduces subtraction-style thinking by having children count what remains after some objects are 'struck out,' giving an early, concrete preview of take-away math.
Festive Math: Count and Add Objects Worksheet
Children ages 4-6 practice counting groups of festival-themed objects and combining them through simple addition, building early number sense and the concept that addition means putting two groups together. Counting festive imagery keeps the math concrete and visual, which is especially important before children can add using abstract numerals alone.
Froggy Fun: Word Problems Worksheet for Early Learners
This worksheet introduces basic addition word problems using a frog theme, teaching children to translate a short story into a math equation they can solve. For four- to six-year-olds, this is a critical bridge skill — moving from simply adding numbers on a page to understanding what a real-world situation like '3 frogs on a lily pad, 2 more hop on' is actually asking them to find.
What 1st Grade subtraction worksheets cover
A six-year-old subtracts within 20 and starts to do it without objects. The useful worksheet at this age links each subtraction to an addition the child already knows, so 13 − 5 is answered by thinking "5 and what makes 13" rather than by eight backward hops. Fact-family boxes, missing-number sentences and finding the difference between two rows of pictures all belong here. Do not expect speed yet; expect a chosen strategy.
- Write all four facts in a family from 8, 6 and 14
- Find the missing number in 15 − ? = 9
- Subtract through ten in two steps, taking 4 then 2 from 14
- Compare two rows of pictures and say how many more
- Recall subtraction facts within 10 without counting
How to use these worksheets at home or in class
Fifteen to twenty minutes on most school days, split between a decodable passage with questions and a math page, matches what many first grade teachers assign. Keep base-ten blocks or bundled straws nearby so place value stays physical before it becomes purely written.
Start with the sheet that matches what your child can already do, then move one step up. Keep finished sheets in a folder: 1st Grade teachers often ask for evidence of practice, and children like seeing their own progress.
Is your child ready for 1st Grade subtraction work?
A child ready for this stage decodes CVC words automatically, writes a simple sentence with a capital letter and end punctuation, adds and subtracts fluently within 10, and counts and writes numerals confidently to 20.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop my six-year-old counting back on fingers for every sum?
Fingers are not the problem; using them for facts the child could already know is. Sort the sheet into two piles: facts within 10, which should be recalled, and facts within 20, worked out with a strategy. For the first pile, drill the matching addition until it is automatic, then show that 10 − 7 is 7 + 3 read backward. For the second, teach subtracting to 10 first. Finger use fades once facts are known.
What should a 1st Grade child be able to do in subtraction?
A six-year-old subtracts within 20 and starts to do it without objects. The useful worksheet at this age links each subtraction to an addition the child already knows, so 13 − 5 is answered by thinking "5 and what makes 13" rather than by eight backward hops. Fact-family boxes, missing-number sentences and finding the difference between two rows of pictures all belong here. Do not expect speed yet; expect a chosen strategy. A child ready for this stage decodes CVC words automatically, writes a simple sentence with a capital letter and end punctuation, adds and subtracts fluently within 10, and counts and writes numerals confidently to 20.
Do these worksheets follow the 1st Grade curriculum?
The sheets cover taking away from a group, counting back from a number, finding the difference between two numbers and fact families linked to addition, which sit inside the Common Core Grade 1 (1.OA, 1.NBT, RF.1.3) outcomes for 1st Grade. Year 1 / Year 2 (UK), Class 1 (India) use the same skills at this age, so the sheets also fit families following those programmes.
Are these 1st Grade subtraction worksheets free?
Yes. Each worksheet downloads free as a watermarked PDF once you create an account, with a limit of five a day. An annual membership ($20) removes the watermark and the limit for the whole library of over 1,000 worksheets and every printable pack.
Written by
Hemsweta Jain · Teacher Cheena
MBA and Early Childhood Educator, teaching since 2014 · Founder of RaisoActive, Mumbai
Written and reviewed by Hemsweta Jain (Teacher Cheena), who designs every RaisoActive worksheet.
Last reviewed
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