Linking Cubes for School Maths Lab

Quick Answer: Linking Cubes are cubes that connect to one another, so children can build trains, rods and solid shapes and pull them apart again. Maths classes use linking cubes for counting, number bonds, patterns, non-standard measurement, simple bar graphs and early volume.

What Joining Adds to a Cube

Loose cubes slide apart; linked ones stay together as one object. That is why joined cubes suit early number work. A child can make a train of eight, break it into five and three, then into six and two, and see each number bond as two parts of the same whole. Trains of different lengths laid side by side compare numbers directly, and the difference shows as the part that sticks out.

Patterns and data use the same property. A train of repeating colours shows the unit of repeat clearly, and trains built from a class survey, one cube per vote, stand up as a physical bar graph that students then draw on paper. Measuring a book or a pencil in cubes introduces measurement with a non-standard unit before rulers.

In later years the cubes support volume and spatial work. Students build a cuboid, count its cubes and compare cuboids with the same volume but different shapes, or make a structure from a fixed number of cubes and sketch it on isometric paper. Because the cube size depends on the set, volumes are counted in cube units rather than cubic centimetres unless the edge length is confirmed.

Specifications

Applications

• Building number trains to show number bonds and compare quantities
• Making repeating colour patterns and identifying the unit of repeat
• Creating physical bar graphs from class data
• Measuring lengths in non-standard cube units
• Building cuboids and structures to explore volume and isometric views

Care & Handling

• Pull linking cubes apart before storage; long trains left joined for weeks can strain the connectors.
• Keep sets in a lidded tub and count them back in by colour at the end of a lesson.
• Wash grubby cubes in lukewarm soapy water and let them dry before joining them again.

Why Choose LabEquip

Primary teachers usually want enough cubes for every child to build a train of at least ten, so sets are ordered per class rather than per teacher. LabEquip lists them in its Mathematics School Lab Products range; schools moving on to exact volume often add the fixed-edge 1 cm unit cubes, and the LabEquip contact page handles class quantities.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are these cubes different from plain unit cubes?

Interlocking cubes join together, so a train or structure can be picked up, compared and taken apart without falling over. Plain unit cubes simply sit side by side. Joining cubes suit number trains and building; fixed-size unit cubes suit exact volume in cubic centimetres.

How do the cubes teach number bonds?

A child builds a one-colour train for a number, such as 10, then snaps it into two parts in different ways: 7 and 3, 6 and 4, 5 and 5. Recording each split lists the number bonds for 10 and shows that the parts always recombine into the whole.

Can the cubes be used to make bar graphs?

Yes. Each student adds one cube to the train for their answer to a question, such as a favourite fruit. Standing the trains side by side gives a bar graph that can be read, compared and then drawn to scale on squared paper.

How are the cubes used for volume?

Students build cuboids and count the cubes to find the volume in cube units. Building several cuboids from the same number of cubes, such as 12, shows that shapes can look different yet hold the same volume.

Do the cubes help with 3D visualisation?

They do. Students build a model and draw it on isometric dot paper, or build a model from someone else’s drawing. Rotating the model and drawing it again shows how one solid can produce several different pictures.

How many cubes does a class need?

It depends on the activity. For number trains to 10 each child needs at least ten cubes of one colour and a few of another, while volume building works in groups sharing larger sets. Planning by activity gives a better guide than a fixed number.

Last Updated: September 2026