How to Teach Mental Addition and Subtraction to Kids (Ages 3-8)

Moving from Finger Counting to Mental Math

Finger counting can be useful. For mental addition across tens (e.g. $7 + 5$), visual patterns and number decomposition offer further strategies to explore.

4 Ideas for Practising Mental Math:

1. Making Tens (Ten Frame Method): Splitting numbers to complete a 10 first.
2. Interactive Number Line: Jumping right to add, jumping left to subtract.
3. Number Decomposition: Understanding 7 as $5+2$ or $4+3$.
4. Supportive Environment: Strong stress can make focusing and completing tasks harder. Allow time for attempts and respond calmly to mistakes.

If you are introducing plus for the first time, start with first addition examples with objects.

The different meanings of minus are explained in subtraction for children.