Multiplication pebbles are a very simple resource. I have put 10 pebbles in one bag to represent the 3 times table. As illustrated above, each pebbles has the number 3 painted on it with acrylic deco pens. Each pebble is a different colour.
For some children, learning to count in threes (or fours, or fives, or sixes, etc.) is a challenge. They need lots of experience of putting objects into groups of 3. They need repetition of counting in threes whilst understanding what this means.
On the back of each pebbles are three coloured dots. I have stuck to the same colour as the digit on the front. I feel this makes the “clumping” of dots easier to count. A child can count each dot separately but then move onto counting each trio on each stone as 3, 6, 9, etc.
A child can also learn about the commutative properties of multiplication and how addition and multiplication are linked – that multiplying quantities is simply an efficient way of adding or counting large quantities with more accuracy than estimating allows for.
It is also possible to illustrate other quantities too as illustrated above. I think the stones have a multitude of uses… and would love to know your thoughts, advice and ideas.
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