There are many ways to teach numbers and math to kids. Some can be fun and exciting and some can be just plain boring. Before they explore an AMC 8 online class, they need to have foundational skills. An abacus is a calculating tool that may be as old as 2700–2300 BC. It has been used for centuries and is still widely used by merchants, traders, and clerks in Asia, Africa, and elsewhere. It also happens to be a great tool to teach numbers and arithmetic to kids. It has colorful beads to make learning exciting and fun while reinforcing concepts through the child’s sense of touch.
The abacus is also great because it can be used to teach simple math—like counting, addition, and subtraction—as well as more complex operations like multiplication and division. It can even be used to work with fractions and to find square and cube roots. Below you will find various techniques to teach math with an abacus.