Teen Boards
Teen boards are two wooden boards printed with 10 nine times, and nine cards marked 1 to 9 that slide over the zeros to make 11 to 19. Children use them from about 4. Sets cost $45.00 to $87.00 at the two US sellers we checked on October 2, 2026; the bead bars are extra. Card versions are easy to make.
The first lesson with it is Teen Boards (Seguin Board A). 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 to 6 years |
| Make it | Easy to make at home |
| Buy it | About $45 to $87 (noted ) |
What the teen boards are for
A card slid over the zero of 10 turns it into a teen, and a ten bar beside a colored bead bar shows what the two digits mean. Albums call the boards Seguin board A; Seguin board B, the ten boards, carries the same idea from 10 to 99.
Montessori's 1912 version was printed cards: squares marked 10 and half-size cards 1 to 9. The wooden boards with slots are the later form.
| Part | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Boards | Two, each with five panels; nine printed 10 and one blank. Alison's are 19 by 4 inches |
| Number cards | Nine, marked 1 to 9, the width of a zero |
| Box | Nienhuis and The Montessori Room sell the set in a wooden box |
| Beads | Nine golden ten bars and colored bars 1 to 9 (a teen bead box), sold separately |
The lessons that use the teen boards
Teen Boards (Seguin Board A)
4 to 6 yearsSliding number cards 1 to 9 over the zero of a printed 10 to make and read 11 to 19, with a ten bar and a colored bead bar beside each.
Buying one: 4 listings checked October 2, 2026
| Seller and set | Made of | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Alison's MontessoriTeen Boards (M11)Sale price; regular $50.00. Two boards and nine number cards; ten boards and beads not included. Boards 19 by 4 inches. Made in Thailand. | Wood | $45.00 |
| NienhuisTeen Boards: US VersionTwo boards and nine cards in a wooden box with lid. | Birch plywood, beech | $84.75 |
| Alison's MontessoriTeen Boards, Premium Quality (PM08.1)Two boards and nine number cards. Made in Sri Lanka. | Wood | $87.00 |
| The Montessori RoomTeens and Tens BoardsCanadian store. Teen boards and ten boards together, each with nine number tablets; sold as a budget version. A GAM teen board set alone is $149.99 CAD. | Beechwood | $99.99 CAD |
- Every set here is the boards and cards only. Budget for the beads too: nine golden ten bars and a teen bead box of colored bars 1 to 9.
- The Montessori Room's teens and tens set, $99.99 CAD, covers both Seguin boards for less than most single sets. In the US we found the boards only as separate sets.
- Montessori Outlet sells the teen bead box and the ten boards but not the teen boards, Montessori Services had none, and Amazon's search page wouldn't load.
- Card works well here. Montessori's own first version was printed cards, and the build below takes half an hour.
Making the teen boards at home
What to gather
- Stiff card or poster board
- A ruler, a pencil and a thick black marker
- A craft knife or scissors
- Clear tape or laminating sheets, if the set has to last
| Piece | Size and marking | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Ten cards | 8 by 8 cm, each printed 10 large | 9 |
| Unit cards | 4 by 8 cm, half a ten card, printed 1 to 9 | 9 |
- 1Draw the 10 on each square card so the 0 fills the right half exactly.
- 2Write 1 to 9 on the half-size cards in the same size and style.
- 3Check that each unit card covers the 0 completely when laid over it.
- 4Laminate or tape over the cards.
- 5Lay the nine 10 cards in a column, as the boards would hold them.
Keeping a full set on the shelf
- Keep the nine number cards in the box with the boards; a lost 7 stops the lesson.
- Wipe wooden boards dry. Damp swells the slots and the cards stick.
Questions parents ask about the teen boards
Are teen boards the same as Seguin boards?
The teen boards are Seguin board A. Seguin board B is the ten boards, 10 to 90. Sets are sold separately or together.
Do the teen boards come with beads?
None of the sets in our table includes them. The lesson uses nine golden ten bars and a colored bar for each of 1 to 9, usually sold as a teen bead box.
Can I make teen boards?
Yes. Montessori's 1912 version was printed cards: squares marked 10 and half-size cards 1 to 9. The build above makes the same thing in card.
Before the teen boards, make sure the work before it is solid. The golden beads lesson lists the signs that a child is ready to move on.