The thing I like about the game in this free math video is that you can get in a lot of number bonds practice in a very small amount of time. When a child is first learning the Cuisenaire Rods, there is no need to mention any number names or the word “subtraction.” Just seeing the color combinations is enough. Once the child knows the number names of the rods you can start using those in your conversation as you play. Notice the many ways I talk about the number bond combinations in the video. Sometimes I say something like, “Three and what make seven?” or, “What goes with three to make seven,” and sometimes I say, “Seven minus what is three?”
Don’t forget to have fun! My 4-year-old loves that she “beats me” every time we play this game! Doing this for 10 minutes per day for a week has proven great results!
This free math video shows an excellent activity to do with children who are first being introduced to Cuisenaire Rods – even older kids! It is so simple but develops intuitive understanding of so many things – addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts; the commutative property of addition and multiplication, division with remainders, the associative property of addition – all this without needing to mention any of those terms! Once the terms are presented, children will actually understand them instead of letting them go in one ear and out the other.
It’s fun to play this math game with two or more children. They can compete to see who can come up with the most individual combinations in a specified amount of time.
This free math video gives ideas for introducing Cuisenaire Rods. These ideas will work for older children, too, not only preschoolers. These should be done after much time spent in unstructured play with the rods.
The rod numbers are based on length and prepare the child to learn about addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and fractions/decimals/percents (as well as negatives and algebra with a few cosmetic changes to the rods).
