The Teen Boards Activity Set is a Educational Materials Montessori material designed for children aged 3-6, crafted by Nienhuis Montessori to AMI standards.
This Teen Boards Activity Set introduces children to the decimal system through the formation of numbers 11-19. The wooden storage box contains sliding number cards (1-9) that overlay the '10' tile, demonstrating how teen numbers are constructed. The included colored bead chain with a green marker provides concrete counting practice, reinforcing the abstract numerical concepts through hands-on manipulation.
“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”— Maria MontessoriEducation and Peace
“The hands are the instruments of man's intelligence.”
— Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind
The Teen Boards Activity Set bridges the critical gap between understanding single digits and comprehending the decimal system. By physically sliding number cards 1-9 over the fixed '10' tile, children witness how teen numbers are literally built from ten plus a unit. This wooden storage box with its precise sliding mechanism transforms an abstract mathematical concept into a tangible experience. The Teen Boards specifically address the developmental need for understanding place value through movement and visual clarity. The colored bead chain with green marker provides essential verification - children count concrete beads to confirm the abstract numbers they've formed on the boards. This dual approach of the Teen Boards, combining numeral construction with quantity counting, respects how young minds grasp mathematical relationships through repeated sensorial experiences. The wooden box's organized compartments ensure each sliding card remains accessible, enabling independent practice as children internalize the pattern of teen number formation.
Each order includes everything needed for proper presentation and long-term use.
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Demonstrate sliding the '1' card over the zero of the first '10' tile to form 11
Count out 11 beads on the chain, placing the green marker after the eleventh bead
Continue with 12, sliding the '2' card and counting 12 beads
Invite the child to form 13, first with cards then counting beads
Each material supports multiple areas of child development simultaneously.
Children discover how teen numbers are formed by combining ten with units, building foundational place value concepts.
The bead chain provides tangible counting practice that connects to the abstract number symbols on the boards.
Working through numbers 11-19 in order develops logical progression and pattern recognition skills.
Sliding the number cards precisely over the tiles strengthens finger control and hand-eye coordination.
Designed for child-sized hands
Professional tips from AMI-trained guides to maximize the educational value of this material.
“Present the Teen Boards only after solid understanding of quantities 1-10 and numeral recognition”
Always pair numeral formation with bead counting to maintain concrete-abstract connection
'ten and one makes eleven' to reinforce decimal structure
Store the boards with '10' tiles visible to reinforce the base-ten foundation
Everything you need to know about this material.
This set is designed for children ages 3-6 years old who are ready to explore numbers beyond 10. Children should already be familiar with numbers 1-10 before beginning work with the teen boards.
The set uses sliding number cards (1-9) that overlay a '10' tile, visually demonstrating how teen numbers are formed by combining 10 with single digits. This concrete representation helps children understand the decimal system and place value.
The set includes a wooden storage box, a '10' tile, sliding number cards numbered 1-9, and a colored bead chain with a green marker for counting practice and verification of quantities.
After an initial presentation by an adult, children can work independently with the Teen Boards. The self-correcting nature of the materials and the concrete bead chain allow children to verify their work on their own.
The Teen Boards introduce place value and the decimal system, which are foundational for understanding larger numbers, addition with regrouping, and the base-10 number system used in all advanced mathematics.
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