Manipulatives have the power to make math come to life! They make math concepts tangible and accessible to students. Whenever we have the chance to make math lessons hands-on, they instantly become more engaging and meaningful.

In middle and high school, manipulatives are less common than elementary school. However, they are appropriate for all grade levels and all abilities. A common misconception is that manipulatives are only needed in early grades or for students who struggle. Let’s bust that myth! Manipulatives encourage deeper thinking and sense-making. Instead of following procedures without thinking, we can use manipulatives to help students reason and make sense of the math.