sIX sUPER fUN sUBTRACTION gAMES TO pLAY oNLINE fREE

Sometimes learning math the traditional pen to paper way can feel a bit bleak. I remember the only time I felt motivated to do math was when it became a game. The gaming aspect encouraged me to keep practicing and persevering to the next level. With more practice I was able to recall answers faster and had a better understanding of the math question.  To save you time this week, this blog post provides six fun online games to practice subtraction; and they are all free to play! 

First, please note the following: 

• You will need to either use Google Chrome, which has a built in flash player, or have Adobe Flash installed onto your computer for these games to work.
• At the time of this blog post all of the external links worked and were fine to play on the websites referred. Overtime there is the possibility that some of these links might 'break,' if this happens, please let me know and I will fix.  
• The links for these games will take you to another website. I've linked the game to where I originally found the content. 
• Some games may take some time to load depending on your Internet speed. 

​1.    Ducky Race: 

This game is excellent for grades 1 and 2. The aim is to win the race based on how fast students answer the subtraction question. This activity particularly targets mental math skills and requires students to recall subtraction facts through to 12. The faster they can answer the subtraction questions the better chance their duck has at winning.  The game also allows students to opportunity to verse other players.

Click here to play

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2.    Ninja Fighters multiplayer – Subtraction 

​In this game students get to choose between three cool ninja avatars to defeat the monsters! Students have the opportunity to play solo or can verse another online player for a competitive edge. For each correct answer a point is earned. Points can be spent on three different powers to help defeat the monsters! I also like how there is an easy, medium and hard difficulty level which is useful for appropriately challenging the students who are at different stages of learning.  

Click to Play

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3.    Color Subtraction: 

​This game is excellent for any learner who loves color! Students need to color the spaces with the color that is associated with the correct subtraction equation. While simple, this game can help appeal to students who are much more visual in their learning. I found the colored dots on the bottom right corner quite useful in showing the students how they can visualize the answer in a different way. Although there is a timer included, this activity is still ideal for students who prefer to work at their own pace without pressure. 

Click to Play

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4.    Subtraction Blast 

Despite the very simple graphic style, this game was super addictive! A bit reminiscent of space invaders, students need to zero out the numbers falling from the sky by firing numbers 2 and 3. This is excellent for mental math because students need to think quickly on the spot before the ‘number’ invaders take over! The aim is to avoid a gray heap of left over numbers piling under you! Once your ray gun goes over the yellow dotted line, its game over!

Click to Play

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5.    Minus Mission: 

Another fun mental math game for subtraction! Minus mission requires you to blast the slime ball with the correct subtraction equation! The game provides the option to adjust speed level and to work with subtraction questions that range to 20. This makes it excellent for finding the correct difficulty level for different students.  

Click to Play

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​6.   Road rally Multiplayer: 

This super fun multiplayer game is a race with subtractions. Students have the opportunity to verse other players to see who the top mathematician is! 

Click to Play

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Looking for  a fun way to continue practicing subtraction skills in worksheet style?

You may be interested in this Math Mystery activity below. The Case of the Dream Snatcher requires students to use their subtraction skills to unlock clues. Your kids will be further challenged to apply critical thinking skills to narrow down a list of possibilities to solve this nightmare of a case!

It also comes with an optional video hook to add a bit of extra fun!

Available in different grade editions for you to choose a subtraction level of difficulty that suits your class. Click the grade buttons below to learn more about this fun subtraction mystery resource. 

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade