3 Fun Ways to Use Addition and Subtraction With Regrouping Worksheets (That Aren’t Boring!)

It’s time, teacher friend… time to talk about one of my least favorite things to teach with (that I understand are totally necessary in the classroom). Any guesses? I’m talking about… WORKSHEETS! While I am not a big worksheet fan and I do prefer to teach with hands-on approaches and manipulatives, I still see the need and benefit of worksheets. However, that doesn’t mean they have to be boring! Read on for 3 fun ways to practice using addition and subtraction with regrouping worksheets (that aren’t boring!).

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In my classroom, we follow a CPA approach when it comes to all of our math concepts. We move from concrete (hands-on) learning to pictorial (visual), and finally, abstract (standard algorithm). However, I do understand that worksheets are a necessary part of learning, managing a classroom, and lesson planning/prepping. 

We need to use them for graded work. 
We need to use them for homework or assessments. 
We need to use them for our own sanity sometimes.

But did you know that worksheets can be used for so much more than that?!

In this blog post, I’m sharing 3 ways that you can incorporate worksheets into your classroom that are more fun, exciting, and hands-on!  

Want to learn more about how I do this in my classroom? Check out my YouTube video below!

3 Fun Ways to Use Addition and Subtraction With Regrouping Worksheets

While worksheets might not be my favorite teaching tool on Earth, I do like to use them when I’m in a time crunch and need something quick and easy for my students to complete, that doesn’t take a lot of prep time. Right now in my classroom, we are working on addition and subtraction with regrouping, AKA, the hardest skill of the year (in my opinion!).  

Since this is such a tricky concept that requires a lot of practice and repetition, I’ve created an entire set of 2 and 3 Digit Addition and Subtraction With Regrouping Worksheets! These also come with worksheets for practicing without regrouping. 

Let me show you how you can take a traditional worksheet like these and spice it up a bit to make it more hands-on, engaging, and meaningful for your students!

Snowball

With this Comparing Differences subtraction with regrouping worksheet, students would typically solve each subtraction problem and write the difference on the picture. Then, they would compare the differences using <, >, and = symbols. 

To make this worksheet more fun and engaging for students, you can play a game called Snowball. To play, give each student a worksheet, but don’t tell them you’re going to play a game.

Tell them to crumple up their worksheet into a snowball. I love doing this with a super serious face and watch students look at me like, “For real, Mrs. Bernethy?!” They’ll likely think they are getting out of work and start cheering – it’s hilarious!

Once the giggles have subsided, have them gently toss their “snowball” across the room. They can’t throw the snowballs at other people or at their heads. Just gently toss it across the room or in the air. Once the chaos calms, have them find a snowball that they did NOT throw, open it up gently, and solve any problem on the worksheet OR they can solve the next problem, going in order.

Once they find both differences and compare them using symbols, they are going to carefully make another snowball and the game continues until all the problems have been solved on the worksheet. 

Now, with this activity, you definitely want to use your best judgment to decide if this is an activity your students can handle behavior-wise.

Find Someone Who

The next way that you can make a traditional worksheet more engaging (and encourage collaboration) is with an activity called Find Someone Who. Each student will have their own worksheet, such as these addition and subtraction with regrouping worksheets. This works with any worksheet for any skill. Give them a clipboard and have them write their name on their paper. They can pick and solve any problem on their paper. 

Then, have them pair up with a partner, switch clipboards, and choose any problem on their partner’s paper to solve. After each student solves a problem on the other partner’s paper, they’re going to write the answer and sign their name in the box before switching back.

When the teacher says “switch,” students will find a new partner and continue on until all the problems are solved. I like to have all of my students go back to their desk and review the answers in a whole group. This is a fun way to see who got the answers right. I love that this activity gets kids up and moving around the room while collaborating together.

Jenga

The third game that I’ll show you is my personal favorite… Jenga! I use this game at my small group table using a traditional worksheet and the game, Jenga. I love this Jenga set because it already has different colored blocks. However, you can totally do this with a regular wooden Jenga set and either paint the blocks or label them with colored tape or stickers. I also like that this set comes with a die that is different colors. 

This game works with any traditional worksheet, like this Brewing Up The Differences subtraction with regrouping worksheet. Take colored markers and put colored dots on each problem. The colors will match the colors of the Jenga blocks. 

Students will roll the die and choose any problem on their worksheet that has that color on it. If they solve it correctly, they get to pick a Jenga block with the corresponding color. Play continues around the table until either all of the problems are solved or the tower is knocked down. This is such a fun way for students to practice addition and subtraction with regrouping problems (or any other skill you might want to work on!).

Teaching Addition and Subtraction With Regrouping 

I hope these 3 ideas for incorporating worksheets into your day in a fun, low-prep, yet highly engaging way inspire you to try something new with your students!

If you’re looking for more resources and ideas for teaching addition and subtraction with regrouping, check out these resources and blog posts.

• Teaching 3 Digit Addition Strategies
• Teaching 3 Digit Subtraction Strategies
• 6 Fun Addition with Regrouping Activities That Follow the CPA Approach 
• Math Manipulatives and Tools for Teaching Regrouping

You can also grab a FREE Sample Addition with Regrouping Lesson Plan from my guided math unit by filling out the form below. 

Leave me a comment below and let me know which of these 3 ideas you’re going to try to spice up your worksheet game!