One Bag of Counters, Six Years of Maths: 15 Practical Ideas from Year 1 to Year 6

Most of us reach for counters when a child is first learning to count - but then put them away far too soon.

In fact, the same simple resource can help children understand everything from number bonds and multiplication to fractions, ratio, probability and even algebra. The key is knowing how to move beyond simply counting objects and use counters to make mathematical relationships visible.

In my new video, I demonstrate 15 practical ways to use coloured counters across Years 1–6. I’ve also created a free downloadable guide containing every activity, complete with questions to ask, teaching points and ideas for extending children’s thinking.
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Whether you’re a teacher, tutor, parent or home educator, all you need is a handful of counters—and you may be surprised by just how much maths you can unlock.