Did you know that you can start incorporating Montessori concepts into your home from the day you bring your baby home? You don’t have to wait for preschool! A simple way to start is to be mindful of the toys you surround your little one with.
I’ve compiled a list of the best Montessori toys for each age group. babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Let’s dive in!
The 21 Best Montessori Toys
What is Montessori?
The Montessori Method is an educational program designed by Dr. Maria Montessori. The core mission of the program is to develop competent, responsible, knowledgeable students with a strong sense of self that they will need to thrive in the real world. The key difference in Montessori is that education is student-led and self-regulated, but teacher-directed and assessed.
The Montessori Method believes that development and basic education begins from birth to age 6 and is a critical time to lay a strong foundation for a child’s future. To learn more, you can visit the American Montessori Society web page.
Montessori toys are simple toys that are often made from natural materials such as wood, cotton, metal or maybe even stones. It does not move or make a sound unless physically manipulated by a child. They are rooted in reality (no tigers, unicorns or beep-boop sounds). But most importantly, Montessori toys teach children a skill or simple task with real consequences. Check out our list of the best Montessori toys for kids below!
The best Montessori toys for babies
Object Persistence Framework
A box with a hole, ramp and ball, this toy is a great addition to any family and fun for babies. This simple game allows babies to practice hand-eye coordination and exercise their thinking skills as they watch the ball drop into the box and unfold.
Carrot Harvest Wooden Puzzle
This fun toy is a simple way to help babies develop their motor skills by practicing putting carrots into wholes and pulling them out again.
Skwish Classic Rattle and Teether Grasping Activity Game
What looks like a geometric strand of DNA or something from Dr. Seuss, this toy is fun for babies to chew and just play with. High score for children on the autism spectrum.
Twisty Caterpillar
This adorable caterpillar will move any way your baby can shape it. It’s also a great piece for tummy time as your baby can look it in the face. Your baby will develop hand-eye coordination along with fine motor skills. Comes in a pack of two.
The best Montessori toys for toddlers
Magnolia 7-in-1 Playset
This is the part I designed my Montessori playroom! The Magnolia Playset includes a range of activities including a monkey bar, a mini rock climbing wall, a wooden ladder, a Swedish slide, a swing rope, a rope ladder and a swing. Each element is designed to promote muscle development, coordination, critical thinking and spatial awareness in a fun and engaging way.
This play set will not only provide your toddler with hours of entertainment but also help in their developmental journey. All while aligning with Montessori principles of self-directed, hands-on learning and discovery.
Match & Roll Shape Sorter
This shape classifier from Melissa & Doug helps teach multiple skills such as color and shape recognition, sorting skills, problem solving skills and manual dexterity. It’s great for ages 12 months and up and is designed to spark the imagination.
Race of Wooden Car Ramps
This natural, wooden car set tells toddlers to experience focus and curiosity while developing fine motor skills and learning about the action and reaction of physics.
Rainbow Wooden Ball Tray
This game will stimulate your child visually, mentally and creatively. Easy to hold and light, your child will spend hours matching the balls to their colors.
Pop-up fire engine
Your toddler will love zooming this fire truck around the house. The fire goes up and down as it rolls but can also go out completely. Ideal for encouraging color recognition and counting.
Wooden magnetic fishing toy
This simple magnetic fishing toy comes with two poles and is hours of fun. It’s great for hand-eye coordination as well as fine motor skills. This selection of Coogam it also promotes letter learning.
The best Montessori toys for preschoolers
Wooden block stacking number game
A great toy for all preschoolers, this wooden block stacking number set is educational and fun. You can also find ones that include the alphabet. Great for learning shapes, colors, numbers and letters (if you have the extended board).
Wood Balancing Cactus
Another fan favorite in our house, this balance cactus helps your child develop critical thinking. Kids have hours of endless fun stacking the different cactus pieces to make sure the cactus doesn’t fall.
Set of building blocks
Building blocks are the ultimate toys, kids learn concepts like math, physics and engineering while playing. We love this 70-piece set that encourages your child’s imagination while developing their spatial awareness and motor skills.
Lovevery makes great sets too!
Screwdriver board
This basic screwdriver board is perfect for older preschoolers. It teaches practical life skills such as how to hold various tools while developing fine motor skills.
Balance Sheet
Definitely for the older toddler, this balance board offers hours of endless fun. It can be used in endless ways, it’s great for open-minded learning and imagination. It also grows with your child as it can hold up to 485kg!
Busy table
For your little NASCAR fan, this driver set is a sensory board that allows your toddler to use their imagination and develop fine motor skills. What’s also great is how compact it is, which makes transporting it to the car a breeze!
As you can see, bringing Montessori toys into your home is not that difficult! There are plenty of options and they will keep your little one entertained and entertained while learning.
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Amber is the CEO and mom in charge at Rookie Moms! She is raising six amazing people and has been through a lot as a mom, including a high-risk pregnancy (pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome), adoption, navigating special needs, working from home, and more. Now she’s on a mission to pass on the knowledge she’s learned… from one mom to another!
