Bead Chains (Short Chains and the Hundred Chain)
Bead chains are bead bars joined end to end: the hundred chain is ten golden ten bars, and the short chains are one chain for the square of each number. Children count them from about 4.5. The hundred chain alone costs $22.40, and short chain sets $35.10 to $146.45, at the US sellers we checked on October 2, 2026.
The first lesson with it is Short Bead Chains (Squaring Chains). Not sure your child is ready for it? Two minutes of questions place your child on the sequence.
| Area | Math |
|---|---|
| Used in | |
| From age | 4.5 to 6.5 years |
| Make it | Possible to make with some effort |
| Buy it | About $22 to $146 (noted ) |
What the bead chains (short chains and the hundred chain) is for
A chain lays a quantity out in a line the child can count along, labeling every ten or every bar. Folded at each bar, a short chain becomes a square of the same beads, so the 5 chain's 25 beads match the five-by-five bead square.
Montessori's 1917 book has both: the hundred and thousand chains of orange ten bars, and square chains and bead squares for 2 to 10 in their own colors. Gold ten bars and printed arrows are later.
| Part | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Hundred chain | Ten golden ten bars, about 70 cm long |
| Short chains | One per number: the 2 chain is two bars of two, the 10 chain ten bars of ten |
| Bead squares | One per number, the same beads wired side by side |
| Labels | Cards or arrows with the running count; included in The Montessori Room's GAM set |
| Frame | A hanging frame for the short chains, included in Alison's sets |
The lessons that use the bead chains (short chains and the hundred chain)
Short Bead Chains (Squaring Chains)
4.5 to 6.5 yearsCounting the hundred chain bead by bead with a label at every ten and folding it into a square, then counting the shorter squaring chains of 2 to 9.
Buying one: 5 listings checked October 2, 2026
| Seller and set | Made of | Price |
|---|---|---|
| NienhuisGolden Bead Chain of 100, Individual Beads (Nylon)The hundred chain alone: ten golden ten bars linked together. | Copper, polymer | $22.40 |
| Alison's MontessoriShort Bead Chains with Squares and Frame, 7 mm (M36)Sale price; regular $39.00. Small 7 mm beads; the squares and a frame come with it. Made in Thailand. | Not stated | $35.10 |
| Alison's MontessoriShort Bead Chains with Square and Frame, Premium Quality (PM28)Short chains, bead squares and a frame to hang them. Made in Sri Lanka. | Colored beads; Baltic birch frame | $87.00 |
| NienhuisShort Bead Chains, Individual Beads (Nylon)Chains for the squares of 1 to 10, with a bead square for each number. | Copper and polymer | $146.45 |
| The Montessori RoomGAM Bead Material (Cubes, Squares and Chains) with Printed ArrowsCanadian store. The lowest of several options on the page (up to $1,799.98 CAD). Chains, squares and cubes for 1 to 10, with printed arrows. | Nylon beads | $199.99 CAD |
- For the first lesson, the hundred chain is all you need: $22.40 at Nienhuis. The short chains can wait until the hundred chain is counted easily.
- Alison's $35.10 set has small 7 mm beads and a frame. Nienhuis's $146.45 set, AMI approved, has individually strung nylon beads.
- Labels are rarely included in the US sets. Card labels marked with the running count are easy to make.
- Montessori Outlet's complete bead set was sold out when we checked, Montessori Services sells only accessories, and Amazon's search page wouldn't load.
Making the bead chains (short chains and the hundred chain) at home
What to gather
- Pony beads: 100 for the hundred chain, in two colors that alternate every ten
- Strong cord or bead wire
- A darning needle or bead needle
- Card for labels and a marker
| Piece | Size and marking | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Hundred chain | 100 beads, color changed every ten | 1 |
| Labels for the hundred chain | Small cards marked 10, 20 up to 100 | 10 |
- 1Tie a large knot at one end of a 1 m cord.
- 2Thread ten beads of one color, then ten of the other, and so on to 100.
- 3Tie off tightly and trim. Test the knots with a firm pull.
- 4Write the labels 10 to 100 on small cards.
- 5For a short chain, thread the number squared in one color, with a tiny knot after every group: the 4 chain is four groups of four.
Keeping a full set on the shelf
- Hang the chains or lay each in its own box. Tangled chains get abandoned.
- Check homemade chains for worn cord before each use; loose beads are a choking hazard.
Questions parents ask about the bead chains (short chains and the hundred chain)
What's the difference between short and long bead chains?
Short chains are the squares of 1 to 10; the 4 chain has 16 beads. Long chains are the cubes; the 4 chain has 64. The short chains come first.
Do I need the whole bead cabinet?
No. For the lesson on this site, the hundred chain and a set of short chains are enough. The cabinet holds the long chains and cubes, used later.
Can I make bead chains?
The hundred chain, easily: 100 pony beads on strong cord, the color changing every ten. The full set of short chains is hundreds of beads in nine colors, which takes several evenings.
Before the bead chains (short chains and the hundred chain), make sure the work before it is solid. The teen boards (seguin board a) lesson lists the signs that a child is ready to move on.