LITTLE BUD KIDSLITTLE BUD KIDS House of Number Buddies Math Game, a Number Bonds Math Toy with Number Rods and Addition & Subtraction Flash Cards, a Montessori Material for Kids 4-8 Years Old

This is a great way for pre-school kids to get an intuitive grasp of numbers--handling the cubes (single units), adding the rods to each other, and subtracting them from each other. Easy to visualize those arithmetic abstractions. Our 4-year old grand daughter is keen on numbers and was quickly fascinated by the set. I believe it's good for 4-5 year olds.

So impressed by the versatility of this wonderful learning toy.As a homeschool mom I always look for resources to enhance learning. My first graders are learning addition and subtraction. They struggled a bit with addition facts, memorizing and trying over and over helped some; but with these wonderful blocks they are now able to have a tactile experience and see addition patterns. This toy invites them to create family facts with the manipulatives in a written form, numerical and also kinesthetic form with the use of unit blocks. I am sure you can use this in multiple other ways: odd and even numbers, regrouping, shapes and abstract play etc.The blocks are of an amazing quality, I absolutely love the storage box and the instruction cards! Great quality overall.It is not my first item from this shop. I absolutely love the quality and versatility of all their items.Montessori way cannot be more beautiful and fun. Absolutely recommended this new product.

The quality of this learning toy is top notch. I love all the different ways my son can manipulate the blocks to reinforce his basic math skills. I work at a private school and will bring this in as an additional learning tool for my K-3rd grade classroom. Anything to get out of workbooks and hands on material is a plus! This will hold up well with multiple students using it. I’m excited to show them!

I would caution you to be aware that this set does contain small pieces. I'm thinking in particular of the number and operation cubes, but this is true also of the shortest rods. If a baby or toddler tried sticking these pieces in their mouth, it could be very dangerous, so you will definitely want to keep these materials away from the very young. However, when used as intended by children working on counting, addition and subtraction, and number families, this could be an outstanding item for your home, or as a classroom center.There's a lot to appreciate here. The rods are labeled with Arabic numerals, with the number word written out, and with a series of lines breaking them down visually into their constituent parts. Every five spaces, a bold line occurs, rather like in the concept of tally marks or a five-frame, so you can learn to see the total at a glance. For example, the seven rod would be delineated into five squares, then a bold line, and then two more squares. Depending on your skill set, you could count on from five, or you could add the two to the five, but either way is the same result, of course. The even numbers are differentiated from the odd by being a lighter color of wood or stain, which is a helpful visual clue. Well-thought out details like these occur throughout.The set seems very complete, as well, with two of every way to make 10, except that the pair of fives appears only once. In other words, there's 4 and 6, but also 6 and 4, so you can represent both with rods at the same time. No need to take one demonstration apart in order to rearrange the pieces to show another way. Besides the rods themselves, you also get cubes for 0 through 20, and relevant symbols (+,-,=). The rods and cubes can be used in conjunction with the sturdy, good-quality board printed with a grid extending to twenty squares long and ten deep. This is helpful for seeing how the aforementioned 7 rod appears against a ten count, for instance, and it also gives you a way of being sure that your rods are all lined up correctly with one another, which is vital when you're comparing numbers or number families. If not properly aligned, a 4 and 3 rod could look equal to an eight rod, but they're not and it's a simple mistake to avoid. If the rods always begin flush against the first vertical line on the board, and any subsequent rod or cube in that total is flush against the first piece, there shouldn't be any confusion just because something wasn't straight or got bumped. With the grid, you would see that right away.You also receive a deck of color-coded, double-sided cards with challenges of increasing levels of difficulty. These are referred to as quests, rather than problems, and feature concepts like 'Two buddies are visiting in the 4 house. One of the buddies is 2. Who is 2 visiting with?' In this example, your child could count on from two to find the difference, or subtract the two from the four. Though they may not need the set to answer, this is a simple example to familiarize them with how to use the materials to find a solution. The reverse of every card shows the answer to the question, so your child could theoretically check their own work, or you could take a glance to make sure you didn't forget one of the pairs that makes nine, or whatever. The quests are printed on cardstock, and laminated for durability.Also included are instructions to play a game, suggestions for other ways to interact with the materials, links to a couple of downloads, and a handy addition facts chart. All of this (the rods and cubes, the board, the cards, the papers, everything) fits into a sturdy, modestly sized wooden box, with a top that slides on and off from the side.The wooden components are all smooth, and without any visible flaws. I found no splinters, rough areas, or misprints. The rods, in particular, are sanded and polished to a silky finish. I did notice a slight odor upon opening the package, but this dissipated within moments, and was never serious to begin with. The quest cards probably wouldn't hold up well over time if they had to face the heavy use and repeated shuffling of playing cards, but they seem more than adequate to their purpose. In the end, I can't think of any serious issues or concerns, apart from the possible choking hazard if the pieces fell into the wrong hands. That would be a risk inherent to any similar product, though, so if you're looking for high quality, well-designed and -stocked set for visual and hands-on early math learning, I strongly recommend this one.

This product is marketed as a Montessori material designed for children aged 4-8 years old, intended to help them develop their mathematical skills. Here are the pros and cons I observed during my evaluation of this product:Pros:Educational Value:The House of Number Buddies is an excellent educational tool for teaching young children foundational math skills. It focuses on number bonds, which is a crucial concept for understanding addition and subtraction. The use of number rods and flash cards adds depth to the learning experience.Montessori Approach:The product follows Montessori principles, which emphasize hands-on, experiential learning. This approach encourages independent learning and problem-solving, making it suitable for a wide range of learning styles.High-Quality Materials:The number rods and flash cards are well-constructed and durable. They are made from non-toxic materials, ensuring the safety of young learners. The product's quality materials enhance its longevity.Visual and Tactile Learning:The colorful number rods and flash cards appeal to young children's visual senses. They also provide a tactile element to learning, which helps reinforce mathematical concepts.Progressive Learning:The House of Number Buddies offers a progressive learning path, with varying levels of difficulty to challenge and engage children as they advance in their math skills. This adaptability is a big advantage for teachers and parents.Versatile Learning:While designed for independent play, this product can also be integrated into classroom lessons or used in small group settings. The versatility allows teachers to tailor its use to their specific educational goals.Cons:Limited Age Range:The House of Number Buddies is designed for children aged 4-8. While it excels within this age range, it may not be suitable for older children or those who require more advanced math instruction.Limited Scope:This product primarily focuses on number bonds, addition, and subtraction. While it does an excellent job teaching these concepts, it doesn't cover a broader range of mathematical topics. This limited scope may not meet the needs of older or more advanced learners.In conclusion, the LITTLE BUD KIDS House of Number Buddies Math Game is a well-designed educational tool for teaching number bonds, addition, and subtraction to young children. Its Montessori approach, high-quality materials, and progressive learning path make it a valuable resource for parents and teachers. While the price may deter some, the educational value and versatility of this product make it a worthy investment in a child's mathematical development, especially for those within the recommended age range.

Bought it for my 4 years old grandson One of his favourite toys.

Love this little set, beautifully made.

This is a great tool for homeschooling, exploration or just supporting what your child is learning in math. This is a great resource for kids pre-k- gr. 2! You could even use it to support older students. It gets kids exploring different math concepts such as number recognition, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and so much more. I am very happy I purchased this product.

We had a lot of trouble finding a numbers game that would be fun for our very bright 3 year old great nephew and his mum thinks this will stretch his mind and won’t find it too easy.

I love this product! I have purchased other Little Buds items and like the rest they are all well made, thoughtful and helpful in the classroom. It has made doing small group instruction for numbers and addition very visual!