Subtraction Skills Take Flight: Bat and Leaf Math Game for Kindergarten

Batty for Subtraction: Building Number Sense with Dot Leaf and Bat 10 Cards

Hello teacher friends! 🦇🍂 Get ready to take your subtraction lessons to the next level with this hands-on, brain-boosting activity using the Bat 10 Cards and Dot Leaf Cards from our Math Kit Bundle. This game will encourage students to think about “taking away” in a meaningful way while developing their mental math strategies, all with the fun of counting down from 20 to zero.

In this activity, students won’t just be removing cubes—they’ll be thinking critically about the numbers and the combinations that get them closer to that perfect 10 and ultimately, zero. Let’s dive in!

How to Play: Batty Subtraction with a Twist

Materials Needed:

• Bat 10 Cards (2 per student)
• Dot Leaf Cards (1–6 dots per card)
• 20 cubes or counters (per student)

Game Steps:

Set Up the Bats: 

• Each student receives 2 Bat 10 Cards and 20 cubes. 
• Place 10 cubes on each bat, covering each dot.

Draw a Leaf Card: 

• The Dot Leaf Cards are placed in a face-down pile. 
• Students take turns drawing one card from the pile.

Remove Cubes:

• The number on the drawn leaf card tells them how many cubes to remove from their first bat. For example, if they draw a 3-leaf card, they remove 3 cubes.

Perfect Ten Challenge: 

• Students continue removing cubes based on each card drawn. The twist is that they must clear all 10 cubes from the first bat before moving to the second. 
• The last removal on the first bat must make it exactly 10. If they cannot reach exactly 10, they must put all cubes back on and start again from 20!
• Example: If a student draws cards with 5, 3, and 2, they reach exactly 10 on their first bat and can begin removing cubes from the second bat.

The Goal: 

• The game continues until a student has removed all 20 cubes, reaching zero with a perfect 10 halfway.

Encouraging Mental Math Strategies

This activity isn’t just about subtracting cubes. It’s designed to get students thinking about number combinations and strategies for taking away, rather than mindlessly removing counters. By aiming to clear exactly 10 from the first bat, students are challenged to consider:

• How many more they need to reach 10
• Different combinations that add up to a specific total
• Planning their moves by recognizing which numbers work together to make 10

This type of strategic thinking builds number sense and encourages students to see subtraction as a meaningful process rather than just a series of random removals.

Enjoy exploring subtraction and helping your students build those all-important mental math skills! Games like this add a playful twist to math practice, making learning both engaging and meaningful. Remember, I’m here to support you with ideas for hands-on math play—don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any tips or have questions. Happy teaching, and have fun with those Bat 10 cards! 🦇🍂

Quick Play: Bat 10 Subtraction

• Set up 2 Bat 10 Cards with 10 cubes on each bat.
• Draw a Dot Leaf Card: Remove that number of cubes from the first bat.
• Make it to 10! The first bat must reach exactly 10 before moving to the second.
• Reset if needed: If you can’t reach 10, put all cubes back on and start again from 20.
• Goal: Be the first to remove all 20 cubes and reach zero with a perfect 10 halfway.
• Get the Math Kit Bundle here.
• Get the Bat 10 Cards here.
• Get the Dot Leaf Cards here.