Puzzles & Building
Learning Resources MathLink Cubes - Set of 100
One hundred snap-together cubes in ten colors — the classroom classic that quietly teaches the entire language of quantity and comparison. Towers, trains, patterns and 'who has more?' games give you natural reasons to say the words worksheets can't: more, less, most, fewest, taller, the same amount.
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How to Use This Toy for Talking
Let your child explore first — follow their lead. Watch what they look at, copy what they do, and add words to their ideas rather than directing the play. Then weave in the goals below for your child's level. A few minutes of shared, chatty play beats a long structured session every time.
Speech Goals by Level
Pick your child's level — not sure? Read the level guide. Each level shows goals for understanding (receptive language — what your child takes in) and using words (expressive language — what they say). Understanding usually comes first, so it's completely normal for the two to be at different levels. And every card has a step down and a step up — meet your child where they are on the day.
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Bronze · First Words
Understanding · receptive
- Follow 'Put it IN the tub' and 'Snap it ON'
- Find 'the red one' when you ask
- Understand 'up, up, up!' as the tower grows
Using words · expressive
- Say 'snap!' as cubes click together
- Say 'more!' to keep building
- Name colors as they snap on
- Say 'crash!' when the tower tumbles
Key concepts
- Colors
- In/out
- Up/down
- More
Finding it tricky? Drop all demands. Just play side by side and say the words for them — hearing words with zero pressure to speak is still powerful learning.
Too easy? If they copy words easily and use lots on their own, peek at Silver: take their word and add one of yours ('pop!' becomes 'big pop!').
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Silver · Phrases
Understanding · receptive
- Understand 'tall tower' vs 'short tower' when you build side by side
- Follow 'Put the red cube BETWEEN the two blue ones'
- Point to the TOP, MIDDLE and BOTTOM of the tower
- Understand 'Who has more? Who has just a few?'
Using words · expressive
- 'My tower is taller!'
- 'You have more, I have a little less!'
- 'Lots for you, a few for me!'
- 'One each — one for you, one for me!'
- 'Red, blue, red, blue... what comes next?'
Language structures
- Tall/short + comparatives -er (taller, longer)
- Quantity talk (many/few, more/less, one each)
- Position words (between, top/middle/bottom)
- Pattern prediction (what comes next?)
Finding it tricky? Step back to the Bronze single words. Say their word, then add just ONE more ('ball' → 'big ball') — no need for them to repeat it.
Too easy? If two-word phrases are flowing, start modelling the Gold sentences during play and leave a pause — many children will surprise you.
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Gold · Sentences & Stories
Sentences to model · expressive
- 'I have the most cubes and you have the fewest!'
- 'My train is as long as yours — they're exactly the same!'
- 'The red tower came first, blue was second and green was third!'
Higher language
- How many? questions: 'How many cubes tall is your tower? Let's count!'
- More/most/least comparisons across three towers
- Equal talk: 'We both have ten — the same amount!'
- Pairs and doubles: 'Two cubes make a pair — double it and you get four!'
- All/some/none: 'All the red ones are in my train, some blues are left, and there are none on the floor!'
Finding it tricky? Shrink your sentences back to the Silver phrases and slow right down — long sentences are harder to process in the middle of exciting play.
Too easy? Move into storytelling: ask 'what happened?' after play, retell it together, or explore the final bands of the Talking Journey.
Julia's Parent Tip
Play 'grab and compare': you each grab a handful, snap them into a tower, and stand them side by side. Ask 'Who has more? How do you KNOW?' Lining the towers up makes more, less, taller and the same visible — your child can see the answer before they can say it, which is exactly the right order.
Ready to turn this toy into talk time?
Grab it on Amazon, then come back to this page during play — the goals work best with the toy in hand.
