Sandpaper Numbers & Numeral Cards

The Sandpaper Numbers are a foundational Montessori mathematics material that introduce children to the numerals 0 to 9. The direct purpose of the Sandpaper Numbers is to teach children the symbols that represent the quantity of each number.

Home Lesson One: Introducing the Numeral Cards

1. Print and laminate the numeral cards
2. Prepare you work space
3. Invite your child to work: “I have something to share with you”
4. Lay out the first three card (1-3)
5. Point to each card saying: “This is one, this is two, this is three”
6. Repeat the above
7. Play games with the cards i.e. invite your child to take 3 and place 3 on their head until they recognise all of the numbers
8. Once your child recognises the first three cards, proceed to the next three cards, until your child can recognise all of the numerals from 0 – 9.

Home Lesson Two: Numeral Formation

1. Watch the video on how to instruct your child on numeral formation
2. Invite your child to work: “I have something to share with you”
3. Show your child the correct numeral formation by tracing the numbers on the numeral cards
4. Invite your child to continue with the activity

Home Lesson Three: Practice Numeral Formation

1. Fill a tray with sand, salt, or semolina
2. Prepare your work space
3. Invite your child to work: “I have something to share with you”
4. Create a pile of the numeral cards and place them to your left
5. Take one card and place it to your right
6. Draw the number using the correct formation (watch the video) in the sand
7. Repeat for each numeral
8. Invite your child to complete the activity
9. Pack away