Number Path
Help Mathumo cross the stones by stepping on the numbers in order.
- Ages 4–6
- Number order to 20
- Reading numerals
Hop Back
Hop Back is one of our free subtraction games for ages 5 to 8. Start on the first number and hop back along the number line. Where you land is the answer.
How to play
Start on the first number and hop back along the number line. Where you land is the answer.
- These subtraction games have three modes: Within 10, Within 20 or Cross 10 (like 13 − 5, where the frog hops past 10).
- Read the take-away sum, for example 12 − 5. The frog sits on the first number.
- Tap the number on the line where you think the frog will land.
- Watch the frog hop back one step at a time. Count the hops with it: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
- The frog lands on the answer. If you guessed another number, no problem: you saw where it landed. Press Next for the next sum.
Not sure where the frog will land? Press Show the hops to watch first, then make your guess.
What children learn
- Counting back: taking away by hopping back along a number line, one step at a time.
- Subtraction within 10 and 20: finding what is left, including sums that go back past 10.
- Estimating: guessing first, then checking by watching the hops.
Guides for parents
Ideas for playing and talking about math away from the screen, related to Hop Back.
More games
Shape Pop
Pop the bubbles that hold the shape Mathumo asks for.
- Ages 3–6
- Naming 2-D shapes
- Sides and corners
Questions about Hop Back
What are good subtraction games for kids?
Good subtraction games let children see taking away, for example as hops back along a number line, before they work it out in their heads. Hop Back suits ages 5 to 8: Within 10 for beginners, then Within 20 and Cross 10. Taking objects away from a pile and counting what is left works well at home.
What is counting back?
Counting back means starting at the bigger number and counting down by the number you take away. For 12 − 5, start at 12 and count back five: 11, 10, 9, 8, 7. The last number you say, 7, is the answer. Counting back works best when you take away a small number.
How do I teach my child to subtract on a number line?
Draw a line with the numbers on it, put a finger or a counter on the starting number and hop back one step for each number taken away. Say the numbers out loud as you hop, and count the hops as well. Where you land is the answer. Let your child do the hopping.
How does a child subtract past 10, like 13 − 5?
Hop back to 10 first, then hop the rest. For 13 − 5, hop 3 back to land on 10, which leaves 2 more hops: 9, 8. The answer is 8. Stopping at 10 makes the sum easier because 10 is a number children know well.
Is subtraction harder than addition?
Many children find it harder at first, because the answer is smaller and counting backward is less familiar than counting up. Number lines and counters help. It also helps to link the two: if 7 + 5 = 12, then 12 − 5 = 7.