Material name: Small Bead Frame – Montessori Small Bead Frame
Area: Mathematics
Purpose & developmental benefits:
The Small Bead Frame is a Montessori abacus that helps children practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division while developing a clear understanding of place value (units, tens, hundreds, thousands). By sliding beads along the rods, children gradually transition from working with larger, more concrete materials (such as the Golden Beads, Stamp Game, and Dot Game) to more abstract, efficient, and accurate calculation.
Skills children develop:
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Understand and apply place value in computation
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Practice the four basic operations
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Develop mental calculation skills and accuracy
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Strengthen logical thinking, orderly work, and error control
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Prepare for written arithmetic at the elementary level
Recommended age: 6–9 years old (after experience with the Decimal System, Stamp Game, and Dot Game)
Materials & components:
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Compact wooden frame
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Bead rods representing units, tens, hundreds, and thousands
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Round beads in Montessori-standard colors
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Sturdy design for easy handling, storage, and transport
Use in the classroom / at home:
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Practice addition and subtraction with larger numbers by sliding beads
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Perform multiplication and division at a more abstract level
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Practice exchanging and regrouping across place values
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Individual work that supports independence and sustained concentration
