If you've been following me for a while you will know how much I love Numicon from my days of teaching in school and now for learning through play at home.
Numicon is a fantastic resource I highly recommend every child has the opportunity to handle and explore freely. Surprisingly this is not a paid advertisement, this is just sharing my love for a quality product that I would suggest you invest in. I have worked with Numicon in the past and have plans to work with them again in the future, but I hope you know me well enough by know that I only work and promote resources
So....I've told you to get some, now what?!
Well like all resources or teaching, always start with free exploration. Let the kids explore it, play with it, feel it and see what they come up with by themselves. The beauty of Numicon is that even when children believe they are 'playing' they are doing so much more. The shapes and design of the pieces support children to see the value of number, start to notice pattern in numbers and test mathematical theories for themselves. And Numicon is not just for pre-school children, it is also a very effective tool for teaching older children such as multiplication, division and even algebra!
Numicon is also very tactile, it invites children to want to touch and handle it, put their fingers in it and play with it. And the best bit, because it is made from plastic it can be adding to water trays, bath time and even play dough without getting ruined!
Other companies have jumped onto the popularity of Numicon and have created their own version of Number frames in other materials so do have a search online if you would prefer a plastic alternative.
One thing I do suggest is that Numicon is available to your children, have it displayed where they play in a basket for box so that they can freely access it. Use it in play but also have it to hand when completing tasks for homework or learning times tables. By making the learning visual, it will help children to absorb these new and often abstract
So if I have persuaded you to invest in Numicon, please click the link here to purchase Numicon on Amazon (affiliated) Personally I would recommend a larger pack that contains more than one of each piece. I have the box of 80 and it is very well loved and regularly played with.
And, if you are looking for support to teach your child to become confident with numbers so that they can begin early calculations, click here to read more about the More Than Counting Online Course. The course shares strategies for teaching number to your child, guidance for when to start and give you the confidence to continually enhance their learning both in preparation and once they've started school.
Finally, if you are looking for other creative ways to explore your Numicon, click the picture below to download and print out your free ideas sheet.
Happy Playing!
Claire
