Transform Math Learning at Home: 12 Montessori Materials You Can’t Miss!

As a parent, you know that fostering a strong mathematical foundation at home is essential for your child’s future success. In today's fast-paced world, equipping your little one with the skills and confidence to navigate the complexities of math can feel like a daunting task. Fortunately, the Montessori method offers a unique and engaging approach to learning. Dr. Maria Montessori wisely said, "The hands are the instruments of man's intelligence," highlighting the importance of hands-on experiences in your child’s cognitive development.

In my role as an elementary Montessori teacher, I’ve set up classrooms from scratch and invested over $15,000 in Montessori materials. Are you wondering if you’ll need to break the bank to create a Montessori nurturing learning environment at home? Don’t worry—you won’t.

After the COVID pandemic forced me to teach online, I discovered the power of online Montessori tutoring paired with my own set of ready-to-print materials. This approach allowed me to drastically reduce the materials needed for teaching mathematics while still adhering to the authentic Montessori curriculum. In today’s post, I’m excited to share my curated list of 12 essential Montessori math materials that can support your child through most of their elementary years.

And the best part? Thanks to Amazon, it’s easier than ever to have these amazing learning tools delivered right to your doorstep. As a bonus, I've included links in every picture to help you find the perfect materials without sorting through endless options or worrying about purchasing items that claim to be Montessori but don’t actually adhere to its basic principles. Let’s dive in and set your child on the path to mathematical success!

Mathematical Operations

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Golden Beads

Very affordable for the price, exactly what you need to play some of the Montessori place-value games! You will use this quite a bit if your child is in Kindergarten or the beginning of elementary.

Stamp Game

It is the most affordable version I’ve found. Doesn't have traditional white numbers but does the job for almost half the price. Doesn't include the bigger Skittles, but it's not a deal breaker for Montessori tutoring.

Children use this material throughout elementary. It is used to practice all the operations. A well-trained Montessori teacher can show you how to use this from the beginning of addition and all the way to square roots!

Fabric Checkerboard

The original Montessori material is made of wood. However, I have fallen in love with the fabric ones. Yes, they require washing. But the fabric removes the potential for frustration if the beads roll away from the smooth wooden surface in the middle of a long multiplication question! You can also fold it if you are starting with little questions.

This is the only one I could not find on Amazon, so I got it from Etsy. An extra benefit is that it is almost half the price of what you would pay for the wooden checkerboard in a Montessori specialized store.

Small Bead Frame

The next step from the Stamp Game. Not as versatile, but definitely a must-have.

Test Tube Division

Best division material ever. Children use this between grades 3 and 6. There are many different providers, but this is the only one with the shipping convenience of Amazon.

Fraction pieces

-Not strictly Montessori-

Disclaimer: I have to admit that all these colours bother me because the original Montessori material is only red. It is meant to symbolize that fractions are a unit, which is red in Montessori, broken into different pieces.

However, the original material is quite pricy, divided into two different fraction boxes, and can only be found in Montessori specialized stores, which usually don’t offer free shipping unless you have a big order. This totally makes sense when you use the material for years and years, like a Montessori school does. However, for my tutoring families, that is not the case. So… that is why I can be flexible with the colours. If you, like my tutoring students, want to set up a Montessori-like fraction box at home for a fraction of the price, you have to buy two or three sets of this material and some containers to store the round pieces only.

Operations and Memorization

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Bead Box

Very affordable. Before finding this jewel, my devoted clients spent hours doing DIY versions for their kids to have the sensorial experience of math practice. But now, it is hard to make a DIY version that costs less than this, and on top of this, you get the box! It is ideal if your child is in the early numeracy stages, but if your child needs multiplication, this may not be enough.

Decanomial Box

Higher investment upfront but it has all the beads necessary for all the presentations your child will ever need. This is one of those materials kids will use throughout all of elementary. From addition facts in Kindergarten to cubing polynomials in grade 6. It's totally worth the higher price tag, especially if your child is just starting the numeracy stages because you will get years of use out of it.

Memorization of Facts

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Strip Board

Perfect for addition and subtraction facts. Kids need it when they are working on their addition facts. If you are tutoring with me, I will guide your child through all the different ways of using this material, and you will have access to the ready-to-print booklets where your child will record their work.

Multiplication and Division boards

Great price for both boards and beads if your child is in the memorization stage of these operations. The more variation and the more frequent the practice, the better. If you are tutoring with me, I'll guide your child through all the different ways to use this and give you the ready-to-print booklets for your child to record their work.

Multiplication Game

-Not strictly Montessori-

Same layout of the Montessori Pythagoras board, which is like a puzzle. One of the only times I see great value in not sticking to the isolation of difficulty principle. When it comes to multiplication facts, as long as the child is enjoying and practicing it, whatever works!
It also has neat snakes and ladders in the back that could be used as a break after hard work on multiplication facts!

I give my tutoring and learning pod families different options to work with the Pythagoras board presentations, so this multiplication game seems like a good way to get more fun practice.

10 sided dice

-Not strictly Montessori-

Same as the previous game, nice way to spice up memorization practice.

Regardless of the money you save by choosing the materials on this list over purchasing from specialized Montessori stores, investing in Montessori resources for your child is invaluable. The magic of the Montessori method—and many of its success stories—lies in hands-on practice. This approach works because it allows children to engage with concepts through tactile experiences before they are asked to understand them abstractly. That's Montessori in a nutshell.

Just as you wouldn’t send your child to music lessons with a mere drawing of a musical instrument, it’s vital that your child has access to the right materials to gain a strong advantage in their mathematical journey. While homeschooling may require some compromises, hands-on practice should not be one of them.

If you’re looking for more personalized guidance and support, consider enrolling in my learning pods! Together, we can tailor a learning experience that meets your child’s unique needs and helps them shine in their mathematical quest. As you embark on this journey together, relish the process of discovery and play and watch your child flourish in their understanding of mathematics. Happy learning!