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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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