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Better math for
brighter thinkers.

The manipulative library

Tools for
thinking.

A small piece can open up a big idea. Find the right material, understand what it teaches, and start exploring.

Base-Ten Blocks

Units, rods, flats, and larger blocks that represent the grouping structure of base-ten numbers.

Blue unit cubes, a ten rod, and a hundred flatExplore

Cuisenaire Rods

Colored rods with lengths in a one-to-ten relationship for comparing numbers, operations, and fractions.

A staircase of colored rods in ten increasing lengthsExplore

Dice

Objects with numbered or dotted faces for generating values, playing number games, and collecting chance data.

Two six-sided dice showing different dot arrangementsExplore

Fraction Circles

Equal-sized circles divided into equal parts for comparing fractions of the same whole.

A circle assembled from colored equal fractional sectorsExplore

Fraction Tiles

Equal-length wholes partitioned into fraction strips for comparing, composing, and ordering fractions.

Aligned fraction strips showing a whole, halves, thirds, and quartersExplore

Geoboards

Peg boards and bands for making polygons and exploring their sides, area, and perimeter.

A square peg board with a band forming a triangleExplore

Geometric Shapes

Movable flat shapes for sorting attributes, composing pictures, and explaining how parts fit together.

A blue circle, red square, yellow right triangle, and green rectangleExplore

Hundred Charts

Ten-column number grids for exploring counting sequences and relationships between rows and columns.

A ten-by-ten number grid with highlighted number patternsExplore

Linking Cubes

Equal-sized cubes that connect into trains, groups, arrays, and three-dimensional builds.

Colored cubes connected into trains of different lengthsExplore

Math Bars

Length-based bars for showing quantities, comparing parts, and drawing attention to numerical relationships.

Rectangular bars aligned to compare whole lengths and their partsExplore

Number Lines

Lines with equal unit spacing for locating numbers, comparing distance, and representing operations.

A number line with evenly spaced marks and a highlighted intervalExplore

Pattern Blocks

Geometric pieces for building shapes, exploring symmetry, and comparing parts of a whole.

Six standard wooden pattern block shapes in yellow, red, blue, green, orange, and natural woodExplore

Play Money

Replica coins and notes for comparing values, making totals, and finding equivalent combinations.

Illustrated coins and notes used for a pretend shopExplore

Probability Spinners

Rotating pointers and marked sectors for exploring possible outcomes and recording chance experiments.

A circular spinner divided into colored sectors with a central pointerExplore

Rekenreks

Bead racks arranged in groups of five and ten for showing numbers and comparing addition strategies.

Two rows of ten beads, each row divided into five red and five white beadsExplore

Sketch Pad

An open drawing space for turning a math idea into a picture, revising it, and explaining your thinking.

A reusable drawing board showing twelve dots in four rows of three, with a blue markerExplore

Tangrams

A seven-piece dissection puzzle for composing shapes, comparing area, and reasoning about position.

Seven tangram pieces arranged as a squareExplore

Teaching Clocks

Moveable clock faces for connecting hand positions, elapsed time, and everyday schedules.

An analog teaching clock with an hour hand and minute handExplore

Ten Frames

Two rows of five spaces that organize counters around the benchmarks five and ten.

A two-by-five frame holding seven countersExplore

Thermometers

Temperature scales, including classroom models, for reading intervals and comparing changes.

A classroom thermometer scale with evenly spaced divisionsExplore

Two-Color Counters

Small disks with contrasting sides for sorting, counting, and representing two parts of a quantity.

Red and yellow counters arranged as two groupsExplore