All wrapped up

Kids can really get to grips with their times tables following the launch of the Maths Wrap, from Zoobookoo. This little device (it’s about the size of an iPod) works on the principle of ‘kinaesthetic education’ (learning by doing something physical) to offer a hands-on method for mastering multiplication.

Each times table is represented by a card that slots into the unit (shown is the card for the 6x table). Children then use the attached cord to map out the table using the notches down each side, before flipping the unit over to see if the pattern they have created matches that on the back of the card. If it does, they got the times table right.

The Maths Wrap was invented by maths tutor Simon Deacon. “Some children struggle to learn times tables from books,” he explains. “I wanted to give them something they could actually hold and play with.

“By using their hands, children are better able to process information and see patterns of numbers in the tables they’re learning. This ‘doing and seeing approach’ works far better for many children.”

The Maths Wrap comes in two versions. The Classic version is priced around £6.35, while the Deluxe version (which adds cards for fractions, decimals, percentages, addition and subtraction) is priced around £9.99. Both versions are aimed at children between five and 12, with particular relevance for key stage two children.