I was talking about "virtual manipulatives" with teachers from Willow Creek Academy and some of them brought up the fact that younger students really need the concrete experience with real objects. I certainly agree since there's nothing like "hands 
on" experiences. But the digital versions of traditional manipulatives, like these online pattern blocks, are still great for those who are moving from concrete to abstract, and for children who might like to play online at home with parents when the real thing isn't available. It's also the case that online you can change the color of the blocks, you can have as many blocks as you like - no shortage, and you don't have to worry about bumping your pattern and messing it up. Plus students can grab a screen, put the design in a word processor and write about it, which is a wonderful way to get students to articulate ideas about patterns and other mathematical relationships.For those who want the real thing you can find nice wooden pattern blocks online, or even Giant foam pattern blocks for the floor from Learning Resources
