The 'Bug Box', as I call it, is a very useful math tool for Kindergarten children.  The box is filled with shredded newspaper and some rubber creatures.  The students have a great time playing with the little beetles and frogs that are inside. They cannot see the creatures when they are running their hands through this box so it is good for motor-skill development.  In addition, I encourage them to count the creatures as they take them out.  When they have counted 8 beetles and 4 frogs, they know the box is empty!  I firmly believe that manipulatives are essential in all grades. I will most certainly use the experience I gained in Kindergarten to design or discover useful and fun manipulatives for any grade that I teach. Learning should be done with your fingers, and it has to be fun.