Pegs on a board perfectly aligned — perfect for making geo-shapes with rubber bands or string. A “Math + More” multi-curricular plaything for astute little problem solvers.
Let’s see what joy in learning the Montessori Geoboard can bring into your home.
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Best Montessori Geoboard You Can Buy
- (01) Coogam Wooden Geoboard Manipulative Material
- (02) From Jennifer Walnut / Maple Natural Math Geoboard
- (03) Woodinout “String-First” Advanced Pattern Geoboard (Round, Triangle, Square)
- (04) Learning Resources Double-Sided Geoboard Classroom Shapes
- (05) TreeSounds Premium Walnut / Oak / Birch Solid Wood Geoboard
- (06) Funny Puzzle “Personalized Name Board” Numbered Geoboard
- (07) Bonus: Geoboard Patterns + Activity Printables
(01) Coogam Wooden Geoboard Manipulative Material
This geoboard is the best seller in the amazon platform, it is the classic geoboard resource to offer children the practice of geometry.
It is made on a wooden board base measuring 8×8 inches, 64 nails to make the drawings and 35 cards to show children different shapes and geometric figures. 5 of those cards come blank so that the child can use his imagination and create his own figures.
Also included is a pack of rubber bands to create the shapes.
This version is suitable for children from 1 year old under adult supervision.
(02) From Jennifer Walnut / Maple Natural Math Geoboard
I think this geoboard is an incredible option for learning mathematical operations. A beautiful maple wood design made entirely by hand with 100 nails on the board and the printing of the numbers from 1 to 10 on the left side and the bottom of the board. It can be used to learn the multiplication table by placing a rubber band over the nails to represent the result of the particular operation. It can also be used to add, subtract, divide, or as a bar or line graph to show percentages.
Also, as an art resource for children to create their own rubber band figures. The board measures 14 inches and includes a bag of colorful rubber bands.
(03) Woodinout “String-First” Advanced Pattern Geoboard (Round, Triangle, Square)
Geoboards are not only presented in square boards, this brand Woodinout manufactures them in a circular version, being even more interesting.
With these boards, which have a circular peg layout, you can practice with your children the construction of regular polygons such as octagons and pentagons, among others.
There are two models of boards that can be purchased with circular peg distribution:
- Handmade natural wood board with 25 pegs distributed in the shape of a circumference, covering the entire interior with holes. Includes the wooden pegs and 3 rolls of wool to form the geometric figures.
- Natural wood board with 25 pegs distributed in the form of circumference, only the diameter and a central hole is delimited. Includes 3 rolls of wool and wooden pegs. It can be included as an extra in this model, wooden cards with a guide of geometric figures to represent them on the board.
Like the square geoboards, they can be used to practice geometry at different scales, practice mathematical concepts, or use them to make your own creations. This type of resource can be presented from the age of 3, and will accompany the child at least until the age of 9, practicing the concepts of geometry and the resolution of more complex mathematical problems.
(04) Learning Resources Double-Sided Geoboard Classroom Shapes (6 Pieces)
This model of rubber geoboard is a very good resource if we do not want to use the classic one with metal nails. The kit comes with 6 rubber geoboards that can be used double sided.
On one side you have a 5 x 5 pin matrix, and on the reverse side, a 12 pin circular matrix. Guaranteed to create almost unlimited shapes.
The colors are vibrant and with the assorted colored rubber bands included in the package, you can see the shapes that children create very striking.
(05) TreeSounds Premium Walnut / Oak / Birch Solid Wood Geoboard
Wooden boards are my weakness in the Montessori trend, and this handmade geoboard made with birch wood and natural finishes spares no detail. The entire composition including the nails are made of wood with a rounded edge to allow the rubber bands to stay in place.
This version measures 12.5×12.5 inches. It is a large format, which allows for larger figures to be made. As the geoplanes board evolves with the children, this option is highly recommended from the age of 3 years old. The durability of this type of product is long. The board includes a package with 30 colored rubber bands.
(06) Funny Puzzle “Personalized Name Board” Numbered Geoboard
If you like to personalize your children’s learning elements, this option is ideal. A geoboard with your little one’s name and numbers printed on the side to practice mathematical operations. The price includes name personalization and the boards can be ordered in three sizes: 5×5, 7×7 and 10×10 inches.
The entire resource is handmade from birch wood, including the pegs. A variety pack of rubber bands is included. This resource is suitable for children from 2 years old, because in a sensory and visual way, we can introduce them to the numbers and the representation in quantities through the union of the pegs with the rubber bands.
(07) Bonus: Geoboard Patterns + Activity Printables
Fun Themed Geoboard Printable Pattern → Printables4Learning on Etsy
If you can’t afford the wooden option, the downloadable paper ones are the ideal resource for children. Instead of using rubber bands, markers will be used to connect the dots and create the figures.
The geoboard printable cards are available in three areas: summer, clothing and the arctic. Depending on the category, it comes with a downloadable set of 22 activity cards plus 10 cards with fine motor skills patterns. This kit includes activities to practice writing, counting, and small math operations.
Recognition + Pattern Matching Geoboard Printable Flashcards → Teacher Jeanell on Etsy
This proposal from teacher Jeanell is a great resource for children to replicate the uppercase letters of the alphabet on the geoplanes board. The printable download comes with 26 cards plus a worksheet as a guide to facilitate the assembly on the board. To make use of these cards, you must have the board in physical format.
On the other hand, there is a kit containing cards with the geoplanes board shapes of dolphin, seaweed, lifeguard, fish, whale, clam, anchor, lighthouse, shark. Besides being interesting figures, each card comes with the name of the animal so that the child can read or identify letters and geometric shapes that can be visualized in each figure for the child to identify and count them.
What is the Geoboard?
It is a concrete and manipulative tool that allows the child to experiment by himself with concepts and flat geometric shapes. The child’s mind is concrete, so all the tangible resources that we offer to the child will allow him to build simple mental connections until reaching more abstract geometric and mathematical reasoning.
The geoplane can be used to work on symmetries. They allow to understand, by manipulating, some basic geometric concepts such as what is a vertex, an angle or a side.
It encourages creativity through the configuration of geometric shapes, superposition and movement of them.
Even at a higher level, it is a resource for understanding and deciphering certain mathematical problems.
Is the Geoboard really “Montessori”?
The geoboard as an educational resource was created in 1961 by the Italian mathematician Gattegno. Initially they were wooden boards with nails. The geoboard were manipulated with rubber bands. Now they are marketed in both wood and plastic and the figures can be created with rubber bands as well as with strings of different colors and thickness.
It is not a proper Montessori resource, but because of its characteristics, it has been adapted to the Montessori methodology as part of the sensory area, to work fine motor skills, concentration, hand-eye coordination and logical reasoning in children.
In fact, many materials of this current are not Montessori, but are identified at first glance as such, because it has been Maria Montessori who has channeled them for the teaching of the little ones.
“Rubber Bands vs Strings” – What’s the best way for kids to use the Geoboard?
The choice between using the geoboard with rubber bands or with strings depends on the child’s manipulative ability and age. The rubber bands are very comfortable to stretch to fit them on the nails and create the figures, the only drawback is that if they slip out of the child’s hands, they will fly away or hit some part of the child’s body, which is a minor thing.
The use of the strings should have more control in the manipulation because the child must be able to tighten the string between the nails to form the figure, and also that it does not get tangled while the image is being formed. Particularly I am of the team rubber bands, it is easier to fit and to teach the child to place them.
Since the geoboard has a multipurpose use, it offers many benefits to children from 3 to 7 years old. It will allow to build geometric figures, to discover the properties of polygons, to perform mathematical operations and even to solve complex mathematical problems. It covers several evolutionary phases in children.
