Elementary education is the building block of your kid’s schooling, on which the later years of education are directly dependent. Thus, it is crucial to pay attention to it; whether colorful you are teaching your kid at home or school, it is essential to show them what is going on practically. We present our picks for the 15 must-have math manipulatives for upper elementary students.
15 Must-Have Math Manipulatives for Upper Elementary Students – Our List
#1 Pretend and Play Money
Everyone wants money, whether it is a kid or an adult. Why don’t to use money as a way of teaching elementary mathematics to your kids? It is going to be an ideal way to let them learn with fun.
Pretend and play money works on the above ideology to teach your kids new skills using money. All the coins and paper money are made up of durable material, with an imprint on both sides, providing a look similar to actual money.
The set includes 30 pennies, 90 plastic coins, 20 quarters, 20 dimes, and 20 nickels, along with 60 pretend playbills, ranging between $1 to $20.
Along with necessary additions and subtractions, it teaches the working of banks and ATMs to kids additionally.
#2 Math Link Cubes
If you want to teach elementary counting, necessary additions, and subtractions to your kids, then Math Link Cubes is one of the best ways to learn with fun. With a complete set of 100 colorful cubes, your kids can count them, sort them, join them, or make patterns out of them.
It has a unique design, with which one can join it with either of its six faces. Because of its small size, it is ideal for the little hands of kids. They will learn about different shapes, colors, numbers, addition, and subtraction as well.
Ideal for kids aged more than five years, you can increase learning difficulty as your kid grows.
#3 Proof! Math Game
The teachers approved the award-winning game for your kid’s Math Link cubes’ mental exercise is an exciting way to teach basic math tricks and tips to your kids while playing.
Not just the necessary additions and subtractions, it also teaches multiplication, division, squares, and square roots to kids. It contains cards with a number between 1 to 100 printed on it. But it doesn’t include some large numbers and prime numbers like 85 or 97.
It does not just teach skills but let kids brainstorm and become creative and fast. To play with Proof cards, place nine cards on the table, form equations using the number on the cards, shout the equation, show the proof, and keep the cards aside. The toddler who made the largest number of equations wins the game.
#4 Base Ten Blocks
If you are looking for a toy that is not limited to elementary mathematics but teaches advanced concepts like logarithms, decimals, measurements, and operations along with essential addition and subtraction, then Base Ten Blocks can be the perfect toy.
Suitable for 8 to 12 years old kids, a single Base Ten Block unit is sufficient for 5 to 6 kids at a time. It contains base ten companies representing number one; base 10 rods represent the number 10 itself, flat base 10 rods represent the number 100, while the cubes of base 10 represent the number 1000.
Overall, it includes 161 units, which sums up to 100 base ten companies, 50 rods off base 10, 10 flats of base ten, and one cube of base 10. Apart from this, kids can perform a total of 36 activities with the complete unit.
#5 Wrap-Ups Keys for Division and Multiplication
If you know keys only to unlock doors, you will be amazed after knowing that keys can be perfect for learning with your kid’s fun partner. It contains 12 different keys with numbers 1 to 10 written on one side and its multiplicative results reported on the other with a multiplication sign between them.
You only need to wrap the thread from left to right on the correct answer. It is a powerful tool to help your kids learn necessary multiplications and tables.
Apart from this, it is beneficial for kids of all class groups. To check the answer, you only need to turn over and match the string with the correct answers.
#6 Colorful Fridge Math Tools
It is hard to teach maths to kids on paper. A more convenient approach is to teach them to use a toy with fun. With Colorful Fridge, you can teach basic maths to your kids while they are planning.
This tool is thoughtfully designed to enhance the pace and mental mathematics of kids from an early age. Each set contains ten numbers from 0 to 9 and five mathematical symbols printed on them. Your kid can rotate the numbers and symbols to form correct equations.
It is a magnetic toy, with a size ideal for small hands of kids. Apart from this, it is safe for the health of little kids.
#7 Colorful Square Blocks for Math
Next on our list is a colorful dice set that is perfect for cheering the kids up and enhancing their interest in maths.
Overall, the set contains 24 different dice of varying colors with numbers from 1 to 6 printed on them. Each die has a height of 1.5 inches, ideal for small hands of kids. Your kid can count, add, subtract, and enhance his mental ability using these colorful dice.
Not just this, you and your kid can also play various games like stacking them up using these dice. It can be a wonderful present for toddlers on the occasion of their birthday or Christmas.
#8 SumBlox Basic Set of 47 Math Building Blocks
No doubt, there are unique ways in which you can teach maths to toddlers, and one such way includes the Sumblox Building blocks. The box contains 47 different blocks of size, increasing in increasing order of the numbers.
With these stacked-up blocks, your kids enjoy playing with them, learning something new each day. Apart from improving hand-eye coordination among kids, toddlers can use this set to play infinite new games.
You can teach kids with the help of Sum Blox by creating new rules and letting kids explore some new equations, following that rules.
#9 Edx Education Four Color Plastic Base Ten Set
Colors are the best way to teach kids some new skills. Since kids don’t find it hard to recognize colors, they will tend to learn at a faster pace with colorful blocks.
Edx Education Plastic set contains 100 yellow cubic units, ten green cuboidal rods, ten blue cuboidal flats, and a cube representing tens, hundreds, and thousandth place. It is an easier way to teach, not just entry-level maths but advanced maths to kids.
You can teach essential addition, and subtraction to higher-level concepts like decimals, number system, squares, and even logarithm to kids. It can be an ideal classroom toy for kids to let them build interest in elementary-level maths.
#10 Edx Education Math Cubes
A cube is the simplest 3d object that can fit in the small hands of kids. Apart from this, kids learn to build and break blockhouses. Why don’t we use kids as a way of learning?
Edx Education Math cubes are a special toy that helps kids learn about the basics of color, but elementary maths. Each of the cube faces contains different figures like triangle, circle, square, pentagon, and hexagon shape on it.
Also, kids can learn counting, addition, and subtraction while playing with the blocks. It also enhances the mental ability, algebra, and sorting skills among kids. Thus, it is an all-around toy that will make it easier to teach toddlers.
#11 166 PCS Magnetic Fraction Tiles & Circles
A fraction is a topic that puts every kid in trouble. Kids find it hard to understand the concept behind fractions and later struggle with it at a younger age. 166 PCS Magnetic fraction tile and the circle is a fantastic way to teach fractions and parts to kids while playing.
All the 166 tiles contain fractions between 0 to 1 (1, ½, 1/3, ¼, 1/5, 1/6, 1/7, 1/8, 1/9, 1/10, 1/11, and 1/12) written over them. It also contains extra tiles, in case your kid lost some of these.
It also contains 12 circles, with each circle having one of the 12 fractions mentioned above. Your kids can detach the tiles and circles and attach them in such a way to form new equations.
#12 Counting Bears for Math Manipulatives
A bear is the one stuffed toy that every kid loves. But what about small bears, that will become the playtime partner of your kid?
The set of counting bears includes 100 handy bears, available in 10 different colors. It is a perfect toy for your pre-schooler if you want to teach the basics of counting, sorting, and comparison to them.
Apart from this, it provides information about colors to kids as well. You can also teach addition and subtraction to kids using these bears. The most impressive thing about these bears is that they are relatively small to fit in your toddler’s hand.
#13 Counting Stick Math Toy
A counting stick math toy is a set of numbers blocks (1 to 9), some colorful sticks, and symbols. Among sticks, you can find green, red, blue, and yellow colors.
You can hand a few colorful sticks to your kids and a symbol. You can then ask them to count the sticks first and then apply the mathematical signs to calculate the answer to the equation.
Thus, not just your kid will get information about colors, but counting and elementary calculations as well.
#14 Place Value Disks for Early Math Skills
Another Fun yet educative toy on our list is the Place Value Disks for Kids. The set contains 280 different easy-to-hold disks 1 inch in diameter. A power of 10, starting from one is printed, on each stack of 40 disks. Your kid can learn the number system, decimal, and place values using this disk.
The colorful disks will also increase the understanding of colors and large numbers for kids. This toy is ideal even for older kids, who want to understand numbers better.
#15 Time Activity Analog Clock Set
Time is another issue that kids face while learning it for the first time. Many students find it harder to understand the concept of clock and time even after growing up. Thus, it is better to teach them the idea of time is so that they don’t forget it ever.
This time activity set contains a set of problems, where your kid can fill time on a clock, fill time in the digital clock and even roll the dice and understand and fill the time on the clock.
Thus, it is the ultimate toy that helps your kid learn everything about clocks and time with the fun activity available in the set.
15 Must-Have Math Manipulatives for Upper Elementary Students – Wrapping Up
Maths can be horrible if not taught properly but can be really fun if learned with fun. Thus, building an understanding of maths concepts and basics is pretty prominent, right from your toddler’s elementary education.
Even playschools follow this practice to build mental abilities and understand basics among kids at a faster pace. A study shows that kids learn fast when they are enjoying themselves in the classroom.
Even, it becomes a permanent lesson for them if they understand something while having fun. Building competition among kids is another tactic that teachers use while teaching.
With all the above toys, math will become simpler for kids to grasp and, most crucially, understand.