Year 2 Single Digit Subtraction Worksheets

Subtraction is simply taking away or removing some items from a group to see how many are left, such as eating 3 biscuits from a packet of 10 and counting what remains. It's the opposite of addition, where instead of putting more things together, we are finding out what's left after some have been removed.

We have packed quite a lot into these basic subtraction worksheets! Students start with concrete subtraction using pictures and objects, then progress to number lines and mental strategies. The worksheets include crossing-out activities, missing number problems, and real-world subtraction scenarios. Each sheet builds systematically from simple take-away problems to more complex subtraction within 20.

Your young pupils are already subtraction experts without realising it! Watch any playground at break time and you'll see subtraction everywhere: working out how many turns are left on the climbing frame, figuring out who still needs a go with the football, or counting down the minutes until they have to line up. The best part? That moment when they suddenly connect their worksheet learning with real life – pure magic.

• Pocket money adventures – working out how much they've got left after buying sweets (always the most popular example!)

• Bedtime negotiations – "If it's 7 o'clock now, how many more minutes until 7:30?"

• Sharing snacks fairly – dividing up biscuits and calculating what's left over

• Cooking with grown-ups – taking ingredients out of the cupboard and seeing what remains

• Craft activities – counting stickers used and figuring out how many are left in the pack

• Garden games – keeping track of points scored and how many more are needed to win