Manipulatives are not only helpful for kinesthietic learners. Many students, in both mainstream and special educational settings, benefit from being able to ‘see’ the math and physically interact with it. Visual representations, particularly dynamic ones, can scaffold learning, reduce cognitive load and embed learning in the long term memory. Various math concepts ranging from fundamental arithmetic to higher order skills can elegantly be worked on using manipulatives.
Seeing the blocks helped me with problems that were written on a piece of paper. I would imagine the blocks in my head while solving problems on paper. This process helped tremendously.
Sally, former student