Montessori counting beads

To help with math "reading," and to physically manifest all the numbers we've been writing and playing with, we created ten sets of ten Montessori counting beads (100!). It took my little two days to count out and string the beads, because... pre-schoolers. But now we have a set to use.

I don't know how many people will have wire hanging around so feel free to use string, pipe cleaners, strips of cloth, anything that you can tie or block on one end. After the ten beads have been added, tie off the second end. I don't know that they have to be the same color for each ten, but it is a lot less crazy. I was hoping for every color of the rainbow, but I lost that battle.

If the counting gets old your little can run a pencil across them and they become a noise-maker. Who knew?