About seven years ago I printed out Fraction Manipulatives from donnayoung.org. They were printed on cardstock, then colored, then laminated.
These are so wonderful to use. I start with the 1/2 and how it makes a whole. Then work our way down to the smaller fractions. Each one is placed on the whole, to show how many pieces make a whole.
With Pea #2, we worked on the 1/2 and 1/4 sizes. She got the idea right away. After the lesson, she wanted to play with the manipulatives, so I let her. Later she came up to me and said, “MOM! Each piece can be made into a whole pie!” lol
We are missing one slice she told me. Personally, I think someone ate it.
This is our last year of using these manipulatives. It makes me sad.
APPLIE'S PLACE 
Why did you mourn for the pieces…because they were all cut up??
I didn’t mourn the pieces. I don’t have anymore children to teach after Pea #2. They’re all growing up. **sniff**
I was teasing you because you said you “lamented” the pieces instead of “laminated.” LOL!
LOL I fixed it.
Now, see, I’m the opposite. I think, “Yay! They’re growing up! Soon I’ll be able to curse freely and walk around in my underwear!” LOL
That’s a cute picture of your Pea. 🙂
She is so cute! Thank you for writing about the fraction manipulatives.
I understand how you feel. Mine are grown and I missed the younger versions of them for the longest.
don’t you just love it when the light bulb goes on in their brain? It gets even better when they are teens/young adults when that happens!
Found your site while searching for easy methods to help my daughter learn fractions. THANK YOU! She loves to cook — fresh produce from our organic garden — and understands fractions are integral to the process — but she just doesn’t LOVE them.
I think this will go a long way toward making fractions fun!
Thank you. I hope she likes them. 🙂