Teaching maths can be challenging, especially when your students perceive the subject as difficult or too abstract to understand. The idea behind bubble boards is to help form an association between something that young children love (popping bubbles/bubble wraps) and something they don’t love as much (maths).
Of course, they won’t simply be popping bubbles here. They’ll also be learning that, for example, if they multiply the number ‘4’ in a row with the number ‘5’ in the corresponding column, they’ll get ‘20’ - and that they’ll get the same product if the numbers were reversed.
Activity Ideas:
- Tap that number. This activity is suitable for children who are just starting to learn their numbers. Give each of the students their own bubble board, call out a number, and ask the students to pop that number on the bubble board.
- Multiplication mayhem. Using our multiplication bubble boards, call out a multiplicand and multiplier, and ask the students to find and pop the product on the board as quickly as they can.
- Number those rods. This one uses our Number Rod Bubble Boards. The beauty of this activity is that you can modify it according to the specific operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) you’re teaching. Demonstrate how to use the bubble boards to perform these operations first, then let your students do it for themselves.