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If you’re using the 5-Day Focus Math Intervention curriculum, you already know that strong instruction doesn’t come from flashy games or one-off activities—it comes from consistency, conversation, and carefully chosen support tools.
The manipulatives in this post aren’t just random math gadgets you’ll use once and forget. This is a small, intentional collection of tools that you’ll reach for again and again. They’ll become part of your teaching rhythm—helping your students move from concrete to representational to abstract with confidence. Once you get comfortable with these tools, you’ll know exactly when to grab each one to support the skill you’re targeting.
No clutter. No gimmicks. Just a solid, practical toolkit for hands-on math intervention.
🖊️ Essential Tools for Every Lesson
- Dry Erase Boards & Markers – Your daily go-to. Whether you’re modeling thinking, recording student ideas, or encouraging quick checks for understanding, these are absolutely essential.
🔢 Numbers & Counting
- Counting Bears – A favorite for early counting, comparing, and sorting
- Red and Yellow Disks – Double-sided chips perfect for modeling one-to-one counting, comparison, and basic number relationships
- Mini Erasers or Craft Stones – Engaging alternatives to traditional counters
- Ten Frame Template – A visual anchor for building number sense up to 10 and 20
- String & Clothespins – Use to build a number flag number line — a powerful visual tool for counting, ordering numbers, and developing number sense (read more here)
➕ Operations (Add/Subtract/Multiply/Divide)
- Dominoes – Great for composing and decomposing numbers, fact families, and strategic games
- Playing Cards – Easily adapted into partner games for all four operations. Plus, the icons on playing cards lend visual support as well!
- Dice & Spinners – Essential for randomized practice, used frequently in your fact fluency games
- Counting Bears – Use to model story problems!
- Red and Yellow Disks – Show the part-whole relationship when solving story problems.
- Mini Erasers or Craft Stones – Engaging alternatives to traditional counters
- Square Tiles – Perfect for modeling arrays
- Linking Cubes – The default manipulative!
🧲 Place Value
- Linking Cubes – A go-to groupable model for building numbers, modeling addition/subtraction, and exploring place value concepts
- Base Ten Blocks – Pre-grouped, proportional model ideal for modeling place value and regrouping
- Place Value Disks – Pre-grouped, non-proportional tools great for larger numbers and decimals
- Straws + Small Paper Cups – Budget-friendly groupable models for bundling tens and hundreds
- Dry Beans + Small Paper Cups – Another low-cost groupable model with clear bundling potential
- Play Money (Coins & Dollars) – Helps students connect place value and financial literacy
**Be really intentional about which tool you use with your students! I have a blog post that talks about the three types of place value manipulatives and when to use each!
🔄 Fact Fluency
- Dice – Use for quick games targeting all four operations
- Spinners – Great for controlled randomness in partner and small group games
- Dominoes – Double-duty for fact fluency and number decomposition
- Playing Cards – Ideal for games that reinforce number comparisons, sums, and multiplication facts
I have a collection of fact fluency games that use ONLY these 4 manipulatives. Your students will get a ton of practice in a low-stakes and fun way!
🔀 Fractions
- Fraction Circles – Best for understanding part-whole relationships and comparing fractional parts
- Fraction Bars – Helpful for visualizing fraction equivalence, addition, and subtraction
- Cuisenaire Rods – Versatile manipulatives to support linear models of fractions and ratios
- Pattern Blocks – Great for exploring unit fractions and building composite shapes
📏 Measurement & Geometry
- Square Tiles – Perfect for modeling area, perimeter, and arrays
- Rulers and Inch Cubes – Support lessons on length, units, and measurement comparison
- Yardsticks – Reinforce measurement in real-world, large-scale contexts
Looking to build your classroom toolkit? Start with a few essentials and build as you go. These tools are the perfect match for your 5-Day Focus units—they’ll help you model math concepts clearly, spark meaningful discussions, and keep your intervention time focused and effective.
