Sandpaper Numbers

There are ten small wooden boards, about the size of a piece of A5 paper. On the front of each board is a number made from sandpaper from 0-9, for example, one board has a ‘0’ on it, the next board has a ‘1’ on it, and so on.

How do Sandpaper Numbers help children to recognize numbers?

Sandpaper Numbers is a wonderful activity combining the Montessori Sensorial area with maths and number recognition. Children use their tactile sense of touch in order to feel the rough sandpaper on each board, tracing out the numbers. The directress begins this activity by asking the child to sensitise his fingers as they will be working with tactile materials.

How the Sandpaper Numbers lesson is presented

A three-period lesson is done to test the child’s ability to name each number correctly. The directress tests one known number i.e. ‘two’ and two unknown numbers i.e ‘four’ and ‘five’.

First period: the directress introduces each Sandpaper Number one at a time to the child, tracing the number made in rough sandpaper with her right hand, using both her middle and index fingers together. As well as names each number after feeling it, she asks the child to trace each number and name it after her.

Second period: the directress spends a lot of time in this period, by asking the child to show her the different numbers she calls out. She may muddle the numbers up and ask him again.

Third period: the directress asks the child to trace each board in the correct way, as well as name each one, she isolates each board by placing it to one side.

The directress consolidates the lesson if the child has grasped the concept.

What the child learns by doing a three-period lesson with the Sandpaper Numbers

This activity is indirect preparation for writing as children will learn to trace and write the numbers in the correct way. This activity is a wonderful tactile experience for children to fully grasp and visually recognize numbers, as well as giving the teacher a better understanding of what the child does and does not know.

Looking for more Montessori activities?

Here is a list of all the Montessori Maths activities including Early Maths, Introduction to the Decimal System, Seguin Boards, The Hundred Board, The Short Bead Stair, Bead Chains, The Snake Game, Group Operations, The Large Number Rods, Recording with the Small Number Rods, The Short Bead Stair, The Strip Boards, The Boards, The Stamp Game, The Abacus, The Dot Game, and Fractions. Just click on the page you want to learn about to go there.