Get Yourself Some Unifix Cubes

… or something similar.

These simple blocks are perfect for an endless variety of activities, particularly for math. Kids love the bright colors, and they stack together and come apart easily enough for little fingers.   Left to his own devices, my three-year-old began making groups of three with them the other day (supplemented with a few cookies).  Here’s the result of about ten minutes of quiet concentration:

Unifix cubes are also excellent for teaching addition.  Here I was using them to help my son work on memorizing addition pairs that make ten.

How have you been using your Unifix cubes lately?  Do you have any similar product you recommend instead?