I recently purchased this kit for use at home. We have a nearly seven year old who seems fascinated with number and learning his multiplication tables presently so I thought I would make good on this interest!
The Numicon model is used in many classrooms in Ireland. It is primarily used in the Infant classes but can be used at any age or setting. Numicon aims to give children a positive experience with early number, number ideas and number relationships. My boy really enjoyed simply playing and interacting with the numicon shapes and building different structures with them. For that alone, they are great play tool! But, they are also based on pedagogy of learning maths and work really well with helping children visualise what a number looks like in objects which in turn impacts on future use with number sense and mental maths.
What I really liked about this kit is that all the resources come in a draw-string material bag and a Book of activities which are essential for parents that are not teachers. It also comes with the basic set of 32 Numicon Shapes, 32 Numicon Pegs, Feely Bag, Numicon Zig Zag Book, 3 Threading Laces, Baseboard, 2 Picture Baseboard Overlays and 0-10 Numeral Cards.
I really liked the Numicon at home kit. It does what it says and will be a great investment for your home or SET setting.
Numicon At Home kit retails for €69.99 and is available from all good educational stockists. I purchased this product myself. This is not an advertisement.