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What maths manipulatives are used in schools?
MUST HAVE ESSENTIAL CONCRETE MATHS RESOURCES TO SUPPORT CHILDREN LEARNING PLACE VALUE
There is a wide range of maths resources and equipment used in primary schools to help children to learn basic maths concepts.
Below is a list of ten of the most commonly used manipulatives in KS1 and KS2 to support place value. Some of the products below are our own plavalmat® range of maths place value resources whereas other manipulatives are readily available from other educational suppliers and online retailers.
Numicon and Number Frames
What are Numicon or Number Frames?
Numicon is the brand name for number frames by by Oxford University Press Ltd.
Numicon is made from durable plastic but number frames can be made from many different materials such as wood, card or foam.
Each flat number frame shape is has its own colour to represent a number from one to ten with the corresponding number of holes.
Maths equipment such as Numicon is commonly in EYFS and Year 1 to help children to have a visual representation of number and number bonds but it can still be used in KS2 and KS3 with pupils who may need additional support to bridge the gap.
The number frames can be tessellated / place together or on top of each other to physically demonstrate concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Oakfield Learning's teacher designed plavalmat® place value mats have been designed to be used in conjunction with Numicon and are colour matched to the White Rose Maths and Power Maths Schemes of Learning.
We do not sell our own range of numicon or number frames, however you may be interested in the following products available on Amazon:
Bag of 1-10 Numicon shapes by Oxford University Press: https://amzn.to/3zCA4Da (ad)
Box of 80 Numicon Shapes by Oxford University Press: https://amzn.to/3Qk9Ivu (ad)
Ten Frame Towers Game by Junior Learning: https://amzn.to/3tzyGx0 (ad)
Interlocking maths cubes (Unifix / Multilink)
What is Unifix and Multilink?
Unifix and multilink are interlocking maths cubes made of coloured plastic which are used to represent the value of one. These maths manipulatives are commonly used with younger children.
Unifix have only one face that connects. They both can be used to in EYFS and KS1 to represent basic maths concepts of number, number patterns and place value and the four operations but also can be used in KS2 and KS3 to support understanding of ratio, proportion and algebra.
You can buy Unifix sets from many educational suppliers website or this set is available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3tAdJlX (ad).
The BBC Numberblocks television series uses animated characters made from unifix-like blocks that each represent a number from 1-10. Learning Resources have a great range of Numberblocks resources available: https://amzn.to/3tAdJlXv (ad).
Multilink can join on multiple faces (see top right of picture) which makes multilink particularly useful in geometry and shape building.
Unifix and Multilink can also be used as alternatives to Cuisenaire rods. Such as these Cuisenaire rods by Learning Resources: https://amzn.to/3Odwfbr (ad).
Oakfield Learning's plavalmat® place value mats have been designed with integrated ten frames so interlocking cubes can be arranged in a clear way and reinforce subitising.
The multilink shown on our Year 3 plavalmat is by Learning Resources, available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xs2cGh (ad) another alternative is by EDX education: https://amzn.to/3HoLzQl (ad).
Unifix (top left) and Multilink (top right and on a Year 3 place value mat)
Rekenreks
What is a Rekenrek?
A rekenrek looks a little like an abacus but it is a counting frame. It has become a popular maths manipulative to use in schools, especially in KS1.
The word 'rekenrek' can be translated as 'counting rack' It works differently to an abacus as an abacus has columns that represent place values and it is used for calculations whereas a rekenrek is used mainly for counting number bonds. Children can see relationships between number. It encourages children to be observant and to use subitising.
A rekenrek has 20 beads separated in to two rows of ten. Each row has 5 red and 5 white beads making a total of ten.
The use of a rekenrek is central to the Mastering Number Programme by the NCETM which was brought in to develop good number sense for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.
Rekenreks are available from many educational suppliers or alternatively you can buy them on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QwAQYq (ad).
Bead Strings
What are Bead Strings?
Bead strings are maths resources that help children to count. They are also known as beaded number lines.
They are usually arranged in alternating colours to show groups of ten - most commonly red and white such as these 100 ball bead strings available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HlnSbA (ad). Other colours are available such as Wissner's 100 ball bead strings which are red and blue: https://amzn.to/3mKpRg2EDX (ad).
These bead strings from EDX education have 20 beads in red and white for helping children to count and recall number bonds to 20 https://amzn.to/3Huh2Rm (ad).
Like other maths equipment they can be useful in independent or adult led activities. Larger sizes are available which are easier for pupils to see when teachers are using them when modelling. Children's beadstrings are smaller to make it easier to use.
Bead strings can be used to support place value, number bonds, partitioning, adding and subtracting, counting in tens, recognise numbers by subitising, ordering and estimating numbers and with older children they can be used to teach ratio, proportion and percentages.
Five Frames and Ten Frames
What are Five Frames / Ten Frames?
Five frames are rectangular frames arranged with squares arranged in a 5 x 1 grids. They are commonly used with children in EYFS and Year 1 who are still working with numbers to 5.
Ten frames are a rectangular frames with squares arranged in a 5 x 2 grid. These are used with children in EYFS and Key Stage 1 working with numbers up to 10. Reception and Year 1 children will often use one ten frame to visually represent concepts such as number bonds, addition subtraction, more and less. Children in Year 2 may use two ten frames when adding and subtracting numbers that bridge 10.
There are a variety of Ten-Frames available, such as these made from foam by Learning Resources: https://amzn.to/3O99dCy (ad) and they also have a washable set that claims to cling to any smooth surface and is durable, reusable and washable: https://amzn.to/3OgLEro (ad). There are even Ten-Frames (including 5 Frames) that are magnetic such as these from SpriteGru: https://amzn.to/3Og0myY (ad).
Oakfield Learning's plavalmat® place value mats have integrated ten frames to reduce the need to have too many pieces of equipment out which can take time. As our plavalmat® range are made of durable material, these will last longer than ten frames made from paper or cardboard.
Hungarian Number Frames
What is a Hungarian Number Frame?
These work similarly to five and ten frames. Instead of representing 5 and 10 with rectangular frames, they look similar to two dice showing the number 5. They are useful concrete resources to use with EYFS children.
The 'dots' can be coloured or used with counters to reinforce working with numbers up to 5 and 10 including: subitising, adding and subtraction, more/less and number bonds.
blank hungarian number frame with ten blue counters and ten red counters to teach subitising
Double Sided / Two Sided Counters
What are Double sided / Two Sided Counters?
These are plastic disks where the two faces are different colours - often red and yellow. Two sided counters can be a quick and easy way to explore number by physical representations of more abstract number concepts such as place value, number bonds, addition, subtraction, multiplication and divison. They are commonly used with Hungarian Number Frames, Five and Ten Frames.
Oakfield Learning does not sell our own range of double sided maths counters as there are many available from other suppliers such as this set of 120 Two-Colour Counters by Learning Resources: https://amzn.to/3MOpHiA (ad) which are in red and yellow. They also have larger 200 counter set: https://amzn.to/3NR3cLf (ad).
There are suppliers who have counters with red on one side and blue on the other like these from EDX education: https://amzn.to/3NR3cLf (ad).
Two sided counters are used to make the process quicker and easier. but in order to support counting and number bonds, children do not need to use double sided counters, they could use all yellow and all red colour counters such as these from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QeAKEu (ad).
Oakfield Learning's plavalmat® place value mats for Year 2 and Year 2/3 have been designed with specific working areas with integrated ten frames to reduce the need to have too many pieces of equipment out which can take time. Children can use these independently or with adult support.
As our plavalmat® range are made of durable material, these will last longer than ten frames made from paper or cardboard. The rubber surface helps to prevent the counters from sliding around in use.
Base Ten / Dienes
What is Base Ten or Dienes?
Base Ten sets are an essential tool in the primary classroom to develop children's understanding of number and place value.
Also known as dienes, they are a visual representation of 4-digit numbers: ones, tens, hundreds and thousands which can be physically interacted with to solve problems.
There are many suppliers who sell Base Ten sets but our point of difference is that Oakfield Learning's plavalmat® base ten sets are colour matched to those used by White Rose Maths and Power Maths schemes. They are interlocking with proportionate sizes to help children understand concepts such as exchanging and regrouping.
The small red cubes represent one
The yellow rods represent ten
The green flats represent 100
The large blue cube represents 1000
It is also possible to buy Base Ten sets which are all one colour such as these blue plastic interlocking sets from Learning Resources: https://amzn.to/3HmB3ck (ad) or these more environmentally friendly dienes sets from Wisser made from Recycled Wood: https://amzn.to/3QgENjT (ad). Wissner also offer Base Ten made from recycled plastic (https://amzn.to/3QmgHnx), however the colours do not match the White Rose Maths schemes of learning.
Our range of plavalmat® place value mats have been designed to be used with our base ten sets and have columns wide enough to fit the rods, flats and cubes without needing to stick card or paper together. As they are made of durable and flexible rubber, our place value mats can be rolled away for easy storage.
Buy plavalmat® base ten on Amazon
plavalmat® Base Ten on a base 10 mat
Place Value Counters and Disks
What are Place Value Counters?
Place value counters are essential pieces of maths equipment used in primary schools to represent whole numbers numbers from millions to ones and decimals from 0.1 to 0.001.
By using them in conjunction with place value mats and charts, children develop a better understanding of the value of numbers.
Place value counters can be used to support mathematical concepts such as partitioning, exchanging and regrouping which are essential for addition and subtraction. They can also be used to teach multiplication, division, fractions, decimal and percentages, money and measurement.
Oakfield Learning's plavalmat® place value counters can be used with our plavalmat® place value mats which are also colour matched to the place value colour coding system used by White Rose and Power Maths schemes. Our place value counters are made from recycled plastic with embossed numbers available in different sets for children aged 6+.
There are a wide range of different place value counters and disks available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MPaOfY (ad) but ours are currently the only disks available in White Rose Maths colours that have whole numbers from ones to Millions and include decimals to thousandths with fraction and percentage equivalents.
Place Value Charts and Mats
What are place value charts, mats, grids and tables?
Place value charts are tables or grids that are used to explore what each digit in a number is worth.
When a digit is put in a different column it changes its value e.g. in the number 4,532 the 4 is worth a 4 thousand, whereas in this number 3,204 the 4 digit now has a value of 4 ones.
Oakfield Learning's plavalmat® range are longer lasting, multi-functional and more engaging alternatives to teacher-made place value charts, worksheets and resources. This unique place value mat is made from a flexible, lightweight, wipe-able and hard-wearing natural rubber that can be used time and time again.
All our plavalmat® range are colour matched to the place value coding used in White Rose Maths and Power Maths schemes of learning and can be used with a wide range of concrete resources such as: number frames, maths cubes, digit cards, dice, money and they have integrated ten frames. Oakfield Learning also has our own plavalmat® range of place value counters and base ten that are designed specifically for use with our plavalmat® place value mats.
plavalmat® range of maths place value charts
0-9 Digit Cards
What are digit cards?
Digit cards are simply single digit numbers from 0-9 printed on card or paper.
These can be used by teachers and pupils to for partitioning numbers in to place value columns in a quicker way that using other manipulatives such as counters and maths cubes.
Hope Education have a pack number cards that has ten sets of each number from 0-10. Whereas other suppliers, such as Scholastic have a set of 0-100 flashcards: https://amzn.to/3NPWfKr (ad).
Oakfield Learning's plavalmat Oakfield Learning's plavalmat® place value mats have a surface which helps to reduce the cards from sliding whilst in use.
Place Value Dice
What are Place Value Dice?
These are 10 sided dice with printed numbers to represent place values.
One dice has the digits 0-9 representing ones.
Another dice has tens from 00-90
A third dice has hundreds from 000-900
Finally, the thousands dice has 0000-9000.
They can be particularly useful to investigate place value and are a fun way of generating numbers needed in order to read and write whole numbers and decimals in digits and in words.
It is also possible to buy place value dice that go all the way up to Millions and even go down to decimals: https://amzn.to/3MQFGfR (ad).
We recommend to use a plavalmat® with place value dice as not only are they colour matched to the White Rose and Power Maths schemes, but the mats will also minimise the noise created when rolling dice on desks. The dice can then be placed onto the relevant place value column.
Place value dice on a plavalmat® place value mat
Cuisenaire Rods
What are Cuisenaire Rods?
These are rectangular rods of ten different colours than have proportionate sizes that correspond to a different length.
They are excellent to help pupils with number sense as each rod is a clear visual representation which can be compared to one another.
They can be used to support addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They are a concrete representation that can be used to support bar modelling and with older children they can be used to fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, proportion and algebra.
Learning Resources sell different Cuisenaire Rods sets. Their introductory set of 74 rods, is made of wood with a handy storage tray and teacher guide: https://amzn.to/3MQFGfR (ad).
Other sets, such as these from Learning Resources can be used as Cuisenaire rods and also as Unfix Cubes: https://amzn.to/3Odwfbr (ad) as they are interlocking.
Number Lines
What are Number Lines?
A number lines is a horizontal line that has been divided up in to a scale with even increments. They are used to help children identify where numbers are in relation to others and with ordering numbers. They also can be used to support counting and the four operations.
Children are first introduced to number lines with starting and ending points of 0 and 10, or 0 to 100 with a scale going up by one. As they get older and more experienced with number, the scale can start and end with different numbers and the increments can increase in 2s, 5s, 10s. Blank number lines are especially useful in creating customised scales.
Number lines can be long lengths of printed paper or card which can be plastic coated for longevity of use. They can also be hand drawn or printed.
Learn Well Set of 5 0-100 tabletop number lines: https://amzn.to/3HkzDzf (ad)
Inspirational Classrooms Giant 0-100 Number Line: https://amzn.to/3xPogfl (ad)
Learning Resources Number Line Floor Mat 0-30: https://amzn.to/3HkEwYW (ad)
