Table of Contents
Begin the introduction of teen numbers by focusing on quantity, which is essential. In Montessori education, golden ten-bead bars and Short Bead Stair are used to introduce quantity. When children are already familiar with number words through rote counting, they can readily associate the words with their respective quantities. You can also use alternatives like Lego, blocks, or any other connectors as well. Once the child grasps the concept of quantity for teen numbers, proceed to introduce the symbols. In Montessori, the Seguin Board/Teen Board apparatus is utilized for this purpose.”
I use a blend of Montessori materials and DIY materials to introduce and practice teen numbers. If you do not have real Montessori materials, the following DIY materials work just as fine.
Printable DIY Teen Number Activities
Teen Number Activity for Circle Time
This is the easy DIY version of the Montessori Teen Board. All you have to do is Print, Cut and Laminate. The bead bars are also printable. You can use sticky tac, velcro or agents to post this activity on the blackboard. When my children are ready for teen numbers, I post them on the blackboard. and build the teen numbers(quantity and symbol) and build the teen number with the children during circle time.
Teen Number Self Activity with Velcro
This is a great addition to your math centers when your children are ready for teen numbers. The colours of the beads are the same as real Montessori beads. Golden ten-bead bars and the coloured Short Bead Stair. Print, cut and laminate the quantity cards and the number cards separately. Use velcro dots for children to match the team number quantities to the correct number.
Teen Number cards for the wall
Print, cut and laminate these Teen Number symbols with their quantities. Post them on the wall. You can go through them with the children during circle time. The children also can use these wall cards as a reference when they do their teen number worksheets.
Related Resources
⭐ 1-100 Number Tracing and Writing Worksheets
⭐ 1-19 Teen Number Tracing with Short Bead Stair Worksheets
⭐ 1-20 Number Sense – Sequence & Skip Counting
⭐ 1-10 Subtraction – Static
⭐ 1-10 Quantity with Short Bead Stair Worksheets –
Montessori way to teach Teen Numbers
Teen Numbers – Quantity
The children must be familiar with the golden bead bar. They should already know that the golden bead bar represents 10. Because it is 10 golden beads attached to each other.
The Short Bead Stair has 9 beads, each representing a number from 1-9. Each bead bar has a unique colour. Before you introduce teen numbers, the child should be familiar with the colour of each bead bar. This will help the child to pick the right number without counting them over and over again. One is always red. Two bar is green, three is pink, four is yellow, five is sky blue, six is purple, seven is white, eight is brown and nine is dark blue.
When introducing the quantity, review about ten bead bars. Then show them how to take one bead bar at a time from the Short Bead Stair, add to a ten bar and count them altogether.
Teen Numbers – Symbols
The Montessori Sguin Board or the Teen Board is a wooden box with nine 10s printed below each other. There are 9 separate wooden cards numbers 1-9.
First, ask the child to make a number line with the unit cards. Then show them how to take one unit card at a time and place them over the zero of each 10. Do this in order. Unlike in language, it is crucial to follow the 1, 2, 3 order than to take it randomly. Start by taking the 1 unit card and placing it over the zero of the first 10. Then tell the child that it is eleven. Continue until you complete till 19.
Teen Numbers – Combination of Quantity & Symbols
At this stage, the child should be well familiar with the quantities and symbols of teen numbers separately. Now it’s time to match them.
First, ask the child to lay all the materials on the carpet, build the Short Bead Stair, and make the number line with the unit cards. Now ask the child to build 11 with the beads and place them next to the first 10 of the Teen Board. Then ask the child to make 11 with the symbols by placing 1 over the zero. continue until you reach up to 19 with beads and number symbols.