Little Math Stories Addition and Subtraction Worksheet

Five-year-olds get bored fast when math feels like a page of plain numbers. This Little Math Stories page gives them three short picture stories instead: flowers in a vase, frogs by a pond, and apples in a basket. You read each story together, then answer the question about how many there are now or how many are left.

This page is a good fit when a child can count small groups and understands everyday words like more, adds, takes away, and left. The numbers stay close to early kindergarten work. Two stories ask children to join one item with eight more, and one story asks them to take five frogs away from six.

The practice works because each number is tied to an action. In the flower and apple stories, the child listens for more and combines the starting amount with the added amount. In the frog story, the child listens for jump away and subtracts to find what remains. If the answer does not come right away, have your child point, count out loud, or show the action with fingers.

Sit nearby and read slowly the first time through. Ask, “What happened first?” and “Did something get added or taken away?” before they answer. For a concrete follow-up, make ten with ten frames helps children see totals like nine in a clear layout. When they are ready for more mixed practice, addition and subtraction practice gives another chance to switch between adding and taking away.