Pattern Blocks, EVA Foam (10mm thick) for School Maths Lab

Quick Answer: Pattern Blocks, EVA Foam (10 mm thick) are soft geometric shapes cut from ethylene-vinyl acetate foam, used for shape recognition, pattern building and early fraction work in primary maths. These 10 mm EVA foam pattern blocks are light and quiet on a desk, which suits younger classes and floor activities.

Why Foam Blocks Suit Younger Classes

Pattern blocks are traditionally a set of six shapes: a hexagon, a trapezium, two rhombuses with different angles, a square and an equilateral triangle, each usually in its own colour. Most of them share the same edge length, so they fit together edge to edge. Children copy picture cards, invent their own designs and discover that some shapes can be built from others. Confirm that this foam set follows the standard six shapes and colours when you order.

EVA foam changes how the blocks behave in the classroom. It is soft, light and quiet when dropped, it grips the table so designs do not slide apart, and its corners are gentle in small hands. The 10 mm thickness named in the title gives pieces that children can pick up easily and trace around with a pencil.

Foam is less precise than moulded plastic: edges compress slightly, so tight tessellations and angle measurements come out more accurately with plastic pattern blocks. For shape talk, symmetry and first fraction ideas with the youngest learners, foam is the more comfortable choice.

Applications

• Naming and sorting shapes by the number of sides and corners
• Copying and extending repeating patterns, then creating new ones
• Finding how many triangles, rhombuses or trapeziums cover one hexagon, as a first look at halves, thirds and sixths
• Making designs with a line of symmetry and checking them with a mirror

Care & Handling

• Wash the foam blocks in lukewarm soapy water and let them air-dry flat; very hot water can distort foam.
• Keep them away from sharp objects and pens, since foam dents and marks more easily than plastic.
• Store in a closed tub out of direct sun to prevent fading and crumbling edges.

Specifications

Why Choose LabEquip

Pre-primary and early primary teachers who want a quiet, soft manipulative for carpet time tend to pick this foam version, while some schools keep a rigid set for older classes. LabEquip lists both in its Mathematics School Lab Products range, and the contact page handles class-set quantities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between EVA foam and plastic pattern blocks?

The shapes and uses are the same. Foam blocks are soft, light and quiet, and they grip the table, which suits young children and floor work. Plastic blocks are harder and more precise, so they fit tightly for tessellations and angle measurement, and they stand up better to heavy use.

Is EVA foam suitable for young children?

EVA foam is widely used for children’s play mats and craft materials because it is soft and light. As with any small pieces, supervise children who still put objects in their mouths, and check that the piece size suits the age group.

What does 10 mm thick mean in class?

Each piece is 10 millimetres deep. That gives a firm grip for small fingers, keeps pieces from curling, and lets children trace around them easily. Thin foam sheets, by contrast, bend and lift at the corners.

How do pattern blocks teach fractions?

If the hexagon counts as one whole, two trapeziums, three wide rhombuses or six triangles cover it exactly, so each is a half, a third or a sixth. Children then combine pieces, for example a trapezium and a triangle, to see that one half and one sixth together make two thirds.

How are foam pattern blocks cleaned?

Wipe them, or wash them in lukewarm soapy water, rinse, and leave them to dry flat before storing. Avoid hot water, undiluted bleach and drying on a radiator, all of which can warp the foam.

Which age group are foam pattern blocks for?

They suit pre-primary and early primary classes for shape recognition and patterns, and they remain useful in upper primary for fractions and symmetry. Secondary classes working on angles and tessellation usually prefer rigid plastic pieces.

Last Updated: September 2026