Adding and taking away
Grade 4 · Math
Explore numbers, spot patterns and explain how you worked it out.
Choose a game
Take your time, try a game and collect stars.
Column methods with 4 digits
Add and subtract 4-digit numbers with the column method.
Play Column methods with 4 digitsMissing numbers and inverse operations
Use the inverse to find the missing number in □ + 2,350 = 5,000.
Play Missing numbers and inverse operationsAdding and subtracting large numbers
Add and subtract 5- and 6-digit numbers with the column method.
Play Adding and subtracting large numbersMental addition and subtraction
99,999 + 1 = 100,000. Match big calculations to their answers, worked out in your head, in this
Play Mental addition and subtraction
Learning about adding and taking away
These Grade 4 Math games practice Column methods with 4 digits, Missing numbers and inverse operations, Adding and subtracting large numbers, Mental addition and subtraction. Choose a game above for a short activity, or explore the examples below before you play. The full guide for each game explains its controls, gives more examples and includes a free printable for practice away from the screen.
Talk it through
Use counters, a drawing or a number line before moving to a mental method. Ask your child to explain a choice, then change one number and try the method again.
Ask: “How could you show the same answer another way?” Give your child time to explain. Return to an example after playing and ask whether they would approach it differently.
Column methods with 4 digits
In this game children work out four-digit additions and subtractions, including subtractions across zeros, such as 3,040 − 2,156, that need several exchanges in a row.
Try an example: 5,641 + 2,641
Ones: 2. Tens: 8. Hundreds: 12, write 2, carry 1. Thousands: 5 + 2 + 1 = 8.
Show the answer
8,282
What to look out for
Getting stuck when the top digit is 0. Exchange from the next column that is not zero, then work back.
Missing numbers and inverse operations
In this game children match missing-number calculations, such as □ + 1,150 = 5,000, to the missing number. Using the inverse operation turns each puzzle into a calculation children already know how to do.
Try an example: □ + 1,150 = 5,000
5,000 − 1,150 = 3,850.
Show the answer
3,850
What to look out for
Adding the two numbers you can see, every time. Ask what the calculation means in words first.
Adding and subtracting large numbers
In this game children work out additions and subtractions with five- and six-digit numbers. The method is the same as for smaller numbers; the challenge is keeping every digit in the right column.
Try an example: 70,711 + 44,496
Estimate: 71,000 + 44,000 = 115,000. Add in columns from the ones.
Show the answer
115,207
What to look out for
Lining up a five-digit number under a six-digit number from the left. Line up from the ones. Use squared paper.
Mental addition and subtraction
In this game children match calculations such as 12,500 + 3,000 and 23,999 + 6,001 to their answers. They are chosen so that a mental method, not a written one, is the best choice.
Try an example: 12,500 + 3,000
Only the thousands change.
Show the answer
15,500
What to look out for
Reaching for a written method for every calculation. Look at the numbers first. Are any of them round?
Practice away from the screen
- Add the distances on a road sign or a map.
- Ask: I had some money and spent $1,150. I have $3,850 left. How much did I start with?
- Add the populations of two towns or cities.
- Ask quick mental questions in the car: 45,000 − 2,000?
Curriculum connections
Column methods with 4 digits
Supports part of Common Core 4.NBT.B.4: adding and subtracting multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm. This focused game does not cover the entire standard.
Common Core connection: 4.NBT.B.4. This is focused practice for part of the standard.
Missing numbers and inverse operations
Supports part of Common Core 4.NBT.B.4, using the inverse operation to find a missing number. This focused game does not cover the entire standard.
Common Core connection: 4.NBT.B.4. This is focused practice for part of the standard.
Adding and subtracting large numbers
Supports part of Common Core 4.NBT.B.4: the standard algorithm with multi-digit whole numbers, here up to six digits. This focused game does not cover the entire standard.
Common Core connection: 4.NBT.B.4. This is focused practice for part of the standard.
Mental addition and subtraction
Supports part of Common Core 4.NBT.B.4, practicing mental methods with large numbers alongside the standard algorithm. This focused game does not cover the entire standard.
Common Core connection: 4.NBT.B.4. This is focused practice for part of the standard.
Questions families ask
Where should we start with adding and taking away?
Start with Column methods with 4 digits. Look at the worked example together, then try a round. If the task feels unfamiliar, use the full game guide or its free printable before trying again.
Does this cover everything taught at this level?
No. These games provide focused practice. Grade suggestions do not replace your school’s curriculum, and any Common Core connection applies only to the skill described.