Cuisenaire® Cardboard Materials.

‘Cuisenaire chose signs like these to represent all the factors less than 10 of the composite numbers up to 100. He also devised a wallchart containing them in an arrangement that makes it easy to see how they are linked together, and, in addition, he made a pack of cards with the symbols shown separately, with counters showing the appropriate number printed on them so that the central circle of each symbol can be given the number that belongs to it.’ (Page 25 Now Johnny can do Arithmetic)

If you already have Now Johnny Can do Arithmetic you will see that Gattegno writes in detail about the games that can be played with these products and the way in which they can be used by the students to thoroughly grasp products and factors. See pages 25 -29.

‘With the cardboard materials many games can be played, and children who play them do not need to ‘learn their tables’ because they rapidly come to know their products and factors individually.’ (Pg 25 Now Johnny can do Arithmetic)

We have now put the Product Playing Cards into a printable PDF format. They are presented on A4 sized sheets of paper.

The link to the PDF will be sent to you digitally with your order.

You can then print them yourself; we would recommend using 300 gsm card, and cutting them with a guillotine along the markers we have added on the back.

The counters are a little fiddly to cut up. We have tried to keep the cards as authentic to the original ones as possible.

The Product wall chart is still available to buy in its original form.

All of these materials can be used to consolidate the students’ understanding and conceptualisation of products and factors.

‘The Product Playing Cards

These provide a number of interesting games which can be played using only the products known, or with the whole pack.’ (Page 28 Now Johnny can do Arithmetic)

'With all these multiplication games – and there are others you can make up, using the rods and the cardboard materials – you soon find that you know all your products perfectly and you will also discover many interesting relations between them.' (Page 29 Now Johnny can do Arithmetic)