Originally Posted by 22B
Originally Posted by amylou
Can we add Cuisenaire rods to the list? You know, those colorful, fun, wooden sticks of different lengths? I am sure they do help many kids understand fractions, but for my boy, they were a. total. distraction. An invitation to play instead of learn. Paper instructional materials in black and white were much more effective/efficient for teaching him fractions.
I don't think of Cuisenaire rods as being gratuitously colorful. The colors are just a way of telling them apart and recognizing them.

But if you are inclined to see them as a building toy rather than a learning tool, color is a bonus!