1. LOW-COST TEACHING AIDS This Slide Show of examples is intended to inspire and stimulate ideas for the local production of low-cost teaching aids. If you have ideas and examples that you would like to add, please write to David Smawfield:

2. Examples of “home made” Primary mathematics teaching aids

5. A 1-meter circumference wheel for measuring distances, marked at 10-cm intervals (home-made version)

6. A clinometer, for measuring the height of buildings, trees, etc
(A 45 degree clinometer is a simpler version)

7. Number
and Letter
Fans
For example, if a fan has nine blades, and each blade has one of the following letters:
s, t, e, a, i, m, p, r, c
Here are twenty spellings that could be tested:
cat mat pat rat
tear meat cast seat
steam peas pair pear
praise price tease mist

8. “Signal Response” cards: mathematics

9. Examples of the technique being used in classrooms

10. Example “Literacy Dominoes”
(incomplete set)
The “secret” of designing successful dominoes sets is to ensure that the right-hand side of the last domino matches the left-hand side of the first domino!
What ideas could these inspire?

11. Maths Dominoes! This example, available for purchase, is from:
It shows “Addition Dominoes”
However, dominoes can be designed for almost any level of mathematics and for almost any type of mathematical operation.
This example should NOT be copied, for copyright reasons, but it may inspire creative ideas!
What ideas do you have!?

12. This example, available for purchase, is from:
Place value game!
This example, available for purchase, is from:
This example should NOT be copied, for copyright reasons, but it may inspire creative ideas!
What ideas do you have!?

13. Compound Word Dominoes!
This example, available for purchase, is from I
Could you design a set of compound word dominoes!?
What is the key educational principle these dominoes build upon?

14. Maths Dice! These examples are from www.taskmasteronline.co.uk
For further ideas on “Educational Games” using Maths Dice. See:
What ideas do you have!?

15. An example of a maths dice game
Roll three dice. Arrange to choose a score.
Play, say, five rounds. Add scores.
Highest total score could be the winner
Variation: lowest total score could be the winner, etc.
What ideas do you have!?
For more ideas, see:

16. A word-making game This example, available for purchase, is from:
The idea is to make three-letter words. Incomplete words on the base board comprise two blanks and a vowel. The game cards are consonants.
This example should not be copied, for copyright reasons.
However, what game and game rules could you devise based on these materials?
What other ideas could this game inspire?

17. Word Game The “Board” is made up of different nouns
The playing cards are made up of different adjectives
The idea is to match appropriate adjectives to different nouns
What might be the rules for this game, and how could it be played?
(For example, it could involve “Connect 4”: There might be two sets of cards in different colours, for each player.)
What other variations can you think of?

18. Educational “Snakes and Ladders”
This can be used for any subject, at any level.
Make an appropriate pack of question cards.
Question cards are placed in a pile face down. Move by throwing a dice.
Land on a snake: Answer a question. Wrong answer = slide down the snake. Correct answer = stay put!
Land on a ladder : Answer a question. Wrong answer = stay put! Correct answer = climb the ladder!

19. Home-made wooden toys for creative play

20. Musical Instrument Making

21. Full instructions for making chime bars can be found at: www
Full instructions for making chime bars can be found at:

23. Plastic Bottle Pan-Pipes

24. Pizza Box Story Board

25. Flannelboard
Arguably one of the best teachings aids ever – but one that largely seems forgotten about! This is all the more unfortunate as images from magazines and the Internet are more available than ever!

26. Flannelboard
A small square of course glass-paper or “Velcro” (the spikey side) is glued on the back of images to create the “magnetic” effect.
Use a background cloth with a strong, dark, colour. The cloth should have a woolly texture to help the images to stick.

27. Pop-up Picture Books
An excellent resource book, illustrating different techniques, and with teaching ideas, can be downloaded for free at:

28. Puppets
An excellent resource book, illustrating different techniques, and with teaching ideas, can be downloaded for free at:

29. Mathematical and other models with Pipe cleaners and straws

30. What ideas can they inspire?
Whole School Grounds
The above illustrations are taken from WERNER, David (1996 edition) Disabled Village Children: a guide for community health workers, rehabilitation workers, and families (Palo Alto, Hesperian Foundation)
What ideas can they inspire?

31. Skipping Ropes: often popular with girls!
Low-cost “ping pong” table
Skipping Ropes: often popular with girls!
(Examples from China:
“The Gansu Basic Education Project”)

32. Playground Markings

33. Playground Markings

34. Low-Cost Weather Station

35. A “Noise Meter” For managing noise levels in the classroom and for promoting effective group and pair work

36. For further information: http://www. davidsmawfield