Take Some ... Counters
Before reading this article, you may like to read Manipulatives in the Primary Classroom which offers research-based guidance about using hands-on equipment in the teaching and learning of mathematics.
Counters are such a readily available and versatile resource. They can be used to represent a multitude of different things as well as often specifically featuring in mathematical problems and games in their own right. In this Counters Feature, we draw your attention to a range of activities which require (to differing degrees) the use of counters.
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In Biscuit Decorations, different coloured counters could be used to represent the different decorations although this is just one way of approaching the problem. It may be that children move a counter as they count along the biscuits, in which case this movement will help reinforce the idea of counting in twos/threes etc, or it may be that they use a finger to keep track and then place the counter once they have landed on the appropriate biscuit. In either case, once the counters have been placed, the resulting picture gives a helpful visual image of the concept of multiples.
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In two of the three upper primary tasks in this Counters Feature the manipulation of counters also helps concept development. In Bracelets, counters represent beads on a string and learners are challenged to investigate the shapes the bracelet could take. Using counters helps reinforce the properties of shapes and the meaning of 'regular'. Depending on the direction the pupils take, the counters may also help reveal connections between number patterns and shape, which could also extend to generalisation and a form of algebra. Being able to move counters around to tackle this task is much less laborious than drawing and can 'free up' those children who find it hard to commit ideas to paper.
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The last activity in this Counters Feature is a game, First Connect Three. Like many games, the use of counters in First Connect Three is to mark places on the board. In this instance, the counters are not directly playing a role in concept development. However, the aim of the game (to get three counters in a line), encourages players to consider likelihood and to tackle calculations involving negative numbers. The counters are part of the game set-up, offering a motivating way to engage in probabilty and calculation.
There are plenty more activities involving counters here and a list of games in particular here. You may also find it helpful to read the article Place Your Counters which was originally written for the Mathematical Association's journal, Equals.