Learning subtraction can be tricky and take lots of practice to master. But working on subtraction can also be fun, and I love having super simple math games on hand to teach it! So let’s turn those toys into fun learning manipulatives with this creative, hands-on LEGO® Subtraction Game for Kindergarten! It is one your students will love and you will definitely want in your bag of tricks!
*Pair with our Subtraction Centers and Activities for Pre-K & Kindergarten!
LEGO® Subtraction Game for Kindergarten
Strengthen subtraction skills in a super fun way with this engaging and effective subtraction game for Kindergarten! LEGO® pieces can be used for so much more than just building (which is also an important and creative skill). I just knew that with the simple twist of adding plastic building blocks, my students would be thrilled to start subtracting. I love this game because of its simplicity!
The only supplies you need are:
How to Play
This subtraction game is best played with a partner, although you could play it with a small group of students too, as the object of the game is to see who can get rid of all of their blocks first!
Depending on the level of your child or students, you can use any number of blocks. With my Kindergarteners I started with 10 blocks each, as our focus is subtraction within 10.
First, stack up your tower of 10. Then, roll the dice. Take off that number of blocks, and then count how many you have left. I give each of my students a small basket to place their pieces when they have been removed to help us stay organized.
After each student’s turn, we practice saying the equation out loud. For example, “I had 10 bricks. I took off 2, and now I have 8.” You could even have them write equations for each roll to extend the learning!
Keep rolling and removing blocks until there are none left. The first person to unstack them all is the winner!
More LEGO® Learning Fun
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Summer Emergent Reader
LOVE simple games that are fun and educational!
Isn’t it amazing what fun you can have with some bricks and a dice!
What a simple but fun learning activity!
I love this activity! Quick question — When it gets to the end of the game, how do you handle it if they roll a bigger number than the amount of legos they have left? Ex. 3 legos left but the roll a 6 so they can’t take 6 away. Do they skip their turn?
Hi Jamie! So sorry for the slower response to this – That is a fabulous question!
Yes, if they roll a number bigger than what they have left, they skip their turn. This gives the game an interesting twist because the object is to lose all of your tower first, but it really make it tricky as you get less legos! 🙂 I like how that really solidifies the idea for them though that the beginning number must be larger in order to successfully make a subtraction equation.
Hope that makes sense and that your kids love the game!
I like that twist to the game so at the end there is they excitement of trying to get the right dice roll 🙂
What a great idea. I’m always looking for hands on activities for learning. I’ve gotten really good things from you. Thanks