How to Play the Montessori Numbers and Quantities Matching Game

Large numbers, such as hundreds and thousands, can be hard for children to visualize. Holding a thousand cube in their hand can help them understand exactly what 1,000 means.

When children are first learning their numbers, they may have difficulty associating the actual quantities with the numerals. A good way to help them practice this skill and get a better idea of what the numbers actually "look" like is to play matching games that allow them to practice while using their skills in a group setting. This game works for numbers of any size, but it is particularly useful when you are teaching larger numbers that the children may not have seen physically represented before.

Things You'll Need

• 9 golden bead units
• 9 ten bars
• 9 hundred squares
• 9 thousand cubes
• Large number cards
• Felt-lined tray
• Mat

Instructions

1. Lay out the number cards on one side of a large green felt mat, and the golden beads on the other. The card hierarchies should be divided into columns, so that all of the ones are in a column, all of the tens in another, the hundreds in another and the thousands in another. The golden beads should be separated so that the units are together, as are the ten bars, hundred squares and thousand cubes.

2. Place a number of golden beads in the tray. You should start out with simple numbers that only use one hierarchy, such as 200, 4,000 or 30.

3. Ask the children how much the number is. Generally, you can simply let them answer, but if one child in particular is not participating, you can single him out with a "special" number just for him. Conversely, if one child responds repeatedly and this elicits complaints from other members of the group, say, in a positive fashion, "I know; Joey just loves numbers, doesn't he?" This will encourage the others to participate without punishing the child who is enjoying the game.

4. Have the children match the number of golden beads with the proper number cards. For example, if you placed three hundred squares in the tray, then they should place the 300 card below the beads.

5. Continue the game, using increasingly complicated numbers. Once the children are comfortable with simple numbers, you can start making the numbers more complex, such as 3,298. They should still build the number using the number cards after counting the golden beads.

6. Reverse the matching process. Once the children are clearly comfortable with matching the cards to the golden bead amounts, reverse the process so that you build the number with the cards; the children must then select the proper number of golden beads. You can do these variations on the same day or different days, depending on the children's comfort level with, and interest in, the material.

Tips & Warnings

• If you notice that one child in particular is having difficulty, you may wish to do the exercise with her individually at a different time, or go back and review some of the other number-reading and -building lessons together.