Make sure students understand the basic concepts of addition and subtraction. Understanding the idea of subtraction can be difficult for some children, according to Scholastic, and practicing basic facts can be difficult and confusing for students who don't fully understand the concepts.
Quiz students with flash cards to practice basic sums. If you don't have flash cards, use index cards or pieces of card stock and markers to create your own. Children can help decorate them, if desired. Don't spend too long on flash cards, since they can become boring. Mix it up by letting your students quiz you, or time students with a stopwatch and encourage them to beat their previous times.
Roll two or more dice and add the numbers together. Alternately, roll two dice and then subtract the smaller number from the larger number. Since dice only have six sides, they are ideal for learning doubles (combinations), such as 4+4 or 2+2.
Shuffle playing cards and have students draw two or more cards and add the numbers together. As in the dice game, students can also subtract the smaller number from the larger number. Advanced students can play Blackjack or make up their own number games.