Place Value Building Blocks

Teach place value with place value building blocks! A hands-on maths activity that is effective and fun too!

Our Grade 2’s are learning about place value at the moment. For some of them, the concept is quite hard. This hands-on approach with building blocks helps to make the concept “stick” and it is fun too!

You only need big building blocks and a dry-erase marker. Each block represents a place: ones(units), tens, hundreds or thousands.

Simply write the numbers on the blocks with the dry-erase/whiteboard marker. The ones go on the smallest block, then work your way up to the 4 blocks (thousands).

Use the blocks to explain how the biggest number must be at the bottom of the stack, building up to the smallest unit, otherwise your “tower” will be unstable.

Explain how to expand a number using the stacking method. Also, use the blocks to show the break-up/split method to reinforce the concept.

“Playing” with blocks helps a student to physically see and experience place value. This is an important step before one can expect them to understand the concept on paper. Hands-on learning at its best!

After playing with blocks(3D),  go on to 2D number cards(Get printables here). Do the same activity with the cards now.

When the students are comfortable with the cards, then only one could move on to paperwork.

Make learning concrete(hands-on) to help students to understand a concept easier. It makes learning fun too!

Have fun teaching place value using building blocks!

Some more hands-on learning ideas:

Word Family Learning with Magnetic ABC’s

Plant-a-Word Spelling Activity
Ordering Numbers Fishing Game
If you like this activity you have to check out this awesome book called ABC’s and 123’s with 40+ hands-on activities to work on letter, number and shape skills!