Free printable worksheets · United Kingdom
Year 1 Subtraction Worksheets (Ages 5–6)
Year 1 subtraction worksheets are practice sheets for children aged 5–6 in Year 1 in the UK. 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.
Year 1 opens the National Curriculum proper: daily phonics moves through Phases 3 to 5, written number sentences replace counted objects, and the phonics screening check in June asks each child to read forty words, some of them invented, to confirm they can decode reliably. Between five and six the action moves onto paper. A child crosses out pictures, counts the survivors, and for the first time writes the result as a number sentence with a minus sign. Sheets at this age should stay within ten, show the objects for every problem, and introduce a number line so counting back becomes a strategy rather than a guess. Instant recall of subtraction facts is not expected; counting, out loud, still is.
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Year 1 Subtraction Worksheets to print
Browse all worksheets for ages 5–6
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.
Subtraction Fun: Candy and Treats Worksheet for Kids!
This worksheet gives children ages 4-6 concrete practice with subtraction by counting pictured candies and treats, then taking away a stated amount to find the difference. Using a visually appealing, countable context like candy makes the abstract idea of 'taking away' easier to grasp than numbers alone, helping children build the one-to-one counting and comparison skills that subtraction depends on.
Addition Worksheet: Count and Add Objects!
Counting two groups of pictured objects and writing their combined total introduces children ages 4-6 to addition as a concrete, visual process before they work with numbers alone. Because the objects are drawn out rather than represented only by digits, children can physically point and count to verify their answer, building confidence in early math reasoning. Repeated practice with this picture-based format helps children internalize what a plus sign means before they're expected to solve equations without visual support.
Missing Numbers Worksheet: Before, Between, and After
This worksheet asks children ages 4-6 to fill in missing numbers that come before, between, or after given numbers in a sequence, building a deeper understanding of number order than simple counting alone. Recognizing what number is missing from a sequence requires children to mentally hold the number line and reason about relative position, a skill that supports later addition and subtraction.
Sports Addition Worksheet for Kids
Featuring sports-themed pictures like balls, bats, and trophies, this worksheet gives children ages 4-6 engaging practice with simple addition, counting two separate sets of objects and combining them into a single total. Using a familiar, high-interest theme like sports can help maintain focus during repetitive counting practice, while still building the same foundational addition skills as any other worksheet.
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.
Froggy Skip Counting Worksheet: Practice Number Patterns!
This worksheet introduces children ages 4-6 to skip counting — counting forward by a number other than one, such as by 2s or 5s — using a playful frog theme to keep the repetitive number pattern engaging. Recognizing and continuing a skip-counting sequence builds early number pattern awareness, a skill that later supports multiplication, telling time, and counting money.
Addition Worksheet: Adding Numbers with Fun Pictures!
This worksheet gives children ages 4-6 practice with simple addition by having them combine two groups of pictured objects and write the resulting total, reinforcing the core idea that addition means putting groups together to find 'how many in all.' Working from pictures rather than numbers alone helps bridge concrete counting to the more abstract number sentences children will encounter as their math skills progress.
Subtraction Fun: Cut and Paste the Answers!
This worksheet grounds subtraction in something concrete for children ages 4-6 by having them count visual object groups, subtract, and then physically select and paste the correct numeral answer from a set of choices. Counting objects before subtracting keeps the math anchored in real quantities rather than abstract numerals alone, which is exactly the kind of support young learners need before they're ready for purely symbolic subtraction. The cut-and-paste answer selection also adds a layer of verification, since your child has to search through several numeral options to find the one that truly matches their calculated answer.
Before and After Numbers Worksheet for Preschoolers
Knowing which number comes immediately before or after another is a core piece of number sense for children ages 4-6, building the mental number line they'll rely on for addition, subtraction, and later mental math. This worksheet ties that skill to counting sets of objects first, which grounds the abstract number sequence in something concrete and countable. Practicing both directions — before and after — also strengthens flexible thinking about number order rather than only counting forward by rote.
Addition and Subtraction Sums Worksheet for Preschoolers
Practicing addition and subtraction problems within 10 together, rather than in separate worksheets, helps children see the two operations as related, that subtraction can undo addition, which builds more flexible number sense than drilling each skill in isolation. For ages four to six, working within small numbers keeps the focus on understanding the operations rather than on managing large quantities.
Fun Add & Subtract Worksheet for Preschoolers!
This worksheet introduces children ages 4-6 to the basics of addition and subtraction by having them count pictured objects, record the quantities, and then combine or take away groups to find a total. Working with visual objects rather than abstract numbers alone helps children build a concrete understanding of what addition and subtraction actually mean before they're expected to solve equations using numbers only.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Number Pattern Worksheet for Kids: Identify and Fill in the Blanks!
Identifying and continuing number patterns builds early algebraic thinking for children ages 4-6, teaching them to notice a repeated rule, like adding one or adding five, rather than treating each number as unrelated. This kind of pattern recognition strengthens number sense and lays groundwork for later skip-counting, multiplication, and even sequencing in non-math contexts.
Weight and Capacity Worksheet for Preschoolers
Comparing objects visually to judge which is heavier or holds more introduces children ages 4-6 to early measurement concepts, building the comparative reasoning that underlies later formal measurement with scales and measuring cups.
Subtraction Fun: Practice Problems for Early Learners
This worksheet gives children ages 4-6 repeated practice with basic subtraction, working through simple equations and word problems that build number sense before formal arithmetic instruction begins. Filling in missing numbers within equations also introduces the idea that subtraction is reversible and connected to addition, an early step toward flexible number thinking. Repeated, varied practice like this helps subtraction facts move from effortful counting to quick recall.
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.
Rolling Addition Worksheet for Preschoolers: Dice Game Fun!
Rolling two dice and adding the results teaches children ages 4-6 the core idea of addition as combining two quantities into one total, rather than just memorizing number facts. The physical act of rolling builds excitement around math while requiring them to recognize dice pips or numerals, transfer them to paper, and calculate a sum, connecting concrete play to abstract arithmetic.
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.
Counting Fun: Count by 5 or 10 Worksheet for Preschoolers!
Counting objects arranged in groups of five or ten teaches children ages 4-6 skip counting, a faster strategy for finding a total than counting every single object one by one. This early efficiency strategy builds a foundation for later multiplication and for quickly estimating larger quantities.
Fruit Addition Worksheet for Preschoolers
This worksheet practices basic addition by having children count two separate groups of fruit and combine the totals into one sum. For four- to six-year-olds, working with pictures of real, countable objects like apples and bananas makes the abstract idea of 'adding' concrete before they're asked to add using numbers alone.
What Year 1 subtraction worksheets cover
Between five and six the action moves onto paper. A child crosses out pictures, counts the survivors, and for the first time writes the result as a number sentence with a minus sign. Sheets at this age should stay within ten, show the objects for every problem, and introduce a number line so counting back becomes a strategy rather than a guess. Instant recall of subtraction facts is not expected; counting, out loud, still is.
- Cross out pictures and write the matching number sentence within 10
- Hop backward on a 0–10 number line to solve 9 − 4
- Fill subtraction bonds of 5 and 10 with one number missing
- Count down from 10 to 1 aloud before starting the sheet
- Solve a picture word problem: seven ducks, three swim away
How to use these worksheets at home or in class
A decodable passage or word list most days, plus a short number bonds sheet, keeps pace with a Year 1 classroom. Fifteen minutes is a reasonable ceiling, and reading the passage twice in one sitting builds the fluency the screening check rewards.
Start with the sheet that matches what your child can already do, then move one step up. Keep finished sheets in a folder: Year 1 teachers often ask for evidence of practice, and children like seeing their own progress.
Is your child ready for Year 1 subtraction work?
Entering this stage, a child should blend most Phase 3 sounds into words, write a few letters correctly formed, count reliably to twenty, and sit through a short table task without needing constant redirection.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my five-year-old add when the sheet says subtract?
Because adding is the habit and the sign is small. Children at five have spent a year joining groups, so when two numbers appear they combine them unless something stops them. Mixed sheets that alternate plus and minus force a look at the sign each time. Before each row, ask the child to point to the sign and say "take away" or "add" before touching the pencil. The habit usually corrects itself within a few sessions.
What should a Year 1 child be able to do in subtraction?
Between five and six the action moves onto paper. A child crosses out pictures, counts the survivors, and for the first time writes the result as a number sentence with a minus sign. Sheets at this age should stay within ten, show the objects for every problem, and introduce a number line so counting back becomes a strategy rather than a guess. Instant recall of subtraction facts is not expected; counting, out loud, still is. Entering this stage, a child should blend most Phase 3 sounds into words, write a few letters correctly formed, count reliably to twenty, and sit through a short table task without needing constant redirection.
Do these worksheets follow the Year 1 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 National Curriculum KS1 (Year 1); Letters and Sounds Phase 3–5 outcomes for Year 1. Kindergarten / 1st Grade (US), UKG (India) use the same skills at this age, so the sheets also fit families following those programmes.
Are these Year 1 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.
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