Large Fraction Skittles
Made by Nienhuis Montessori · shipped by Heutink International (Netherlands) About the maker
Skittles standing for a whole, a half, a third and a quarter, made to be used alongside the Fraction Circles so that division by a fraction becomes something a child sets up on the mat. Dividing by a half is the moment arithmetic stops behaving intuitively, because the answer gets bigger, and no amount of explaining fixes that. Doing it with objects does: the child lays out the quantity, shares it among halves, and counts what each one got. Natural hardwood with coloured inlay, for ages 6 to 12.
“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”
The Large Fraction Skittles transform abstract fractional concepts into concrete, manipulable wooden forms that children can hold, compare, and arrange.
- Understanding fractions as parts of a whole through physical manipulation
- Comparing and ordering fractions by size using visual and tactile cues
- Discovering equivalent fractions through hands-on arrangement
- Building concrete foundation for fraction operations
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Each skittle's vertical colored sections make visible the mathematical relationships between parts and wholes, addressing the elementary child's need to understand how numbers can be divided and recombined. Through handling these three-dimensional wooden pieces, students discover that fractions represent real quantities, not merely symbols on paper. The skittles' size and weight provide sensorial feedback that reinforces mathematical understanding, a half-skittle feels lighter than a whole, making the concept tangible. By arranging different fraction skittles side by side, children independently discover equivalent fractions and build intuitive understanding of proportional relationships. The vertical format of each skittle allows immediate visual comparison, essential for the concrete operational thinker who needs to see mathematical relationships before abstracting them.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Place the fraction skittles on a work mat, arranged from whole to smallest fraction. Ensure adequate space for the child to manipulate and compare pieces.
- 1
Introduce the whole skittle, then show how the half-skittle represents one part when the whole is divided into two equal parts
Allow the child to hold both pieces to feel the weight difference - 2
Present each fraction skittle systematically, naming the fraction and counting the colored sections
Use consistent language: 'This is one-third. The whole is divided into three equal parts' - 3
Invite the child to arrange skittles from largest to smallest fraction
Let them self-correct by visually comparing heights - 4
Demonstrate finding equivalent fractions by aligning skittles of the same height
Use a ruler or straight edge to verify matching heights
Every Child Is a Little Creator
Heritage
Since 1929
In classrooms
Around the world
European brands
Nienhuis, GAM, Educo
AMI approved
To the association standard
Large Fraction Skittles
