In this post, we've gathered many Montessori toys used in Montessori classrooms for kids from 1.5 to 3 years old. This unique, comprehensive list of toys will be helpful for anyone who wants to homeschool their children the Montessori way.
Toys in Montessori classrooms are usually very expensive; the smallest one-piece puzzle from a well-established Montessori toys manufacturer can easily cost 20 USD. These high-quality toys are certified by the International Montessori Association; they last forever and withstand generations of children playing with them. Nevertheless, these toys are not very useful for Montessori homeschooling because they are so expensive. Yes, these toys are durable, and your grandkids will be able to play with them eventually, but in a short-term perspective, they are not worth investing in for a small number of children in your household.
In this blog post, we have found budget-friendly but quality alternatives that will help you create a Montessori set up at your home without breaking the bank.
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In our blogpost, we divided the toys by function the same way many Montessori schools organize them: practical life skills, language development, art and music, manipulative skills (motor skills), sensory stimulation, conceptual development, and movement. There are also subcategories to further organize toys by specific skills they improve.
Moreover, there is an FAQ section under the list of toys where we answered some of the most popular questions people have about Montessori toys for toddlers.
In addition, we have excellent posts about the best Montessori toys for toddlers by age:
12 (+4) Must-Have Montessori Toys For 1 Year Olds
14 (+4) Montessori Toys for 2 Year Olds You Must Have At Home
Montessori Toys for 3 Year Olds: The Best of All Time + DIY Ideas
Montessori Toys For Toddlers: A Comprehensive List
Practical Life
Care of the Indoor Environment
Wiping & Drying a Table
Washing a Table
Dusting, Sweeping, Mopping
Cleaning Glass, Polishing a Mirror, Washing Plants, Dusting Leaves
Polishing Wood
Natural Unscented Beeswax Polish
Polishing Metal
Watering Plants
Flower Arranging
Vintage Ethnic Floral Coasters
Washing Cloths
Another option for Wooden Wash Board
Hanging with Clothespins
Carpet Brushing
Dish Washing and Dish Drying
Sponging and Scrubbing
Waffle Weave Kitchen Dish Cloths
All-in-One Table Scrubbing Set
Setting Table for Meals
Care of the Person
Brushing Hair
Changing shoes
Cleaning Shoes
Dress-up Activities
Dressing Frames: Velcro Frame, Zipper Frame, Large Button Frame, Snap Frame, Buckle Frame
Movement of Objects
Carrying a Chair and Using a Chair
Carrying a Stool
Rolling up a Work Mat
Carrying a Tray
Collecting and Carrying Water in a Container
Dry Pouring, Liquid Pouring
Fine Porcelain Creamer with Handle
Sieving or Sifting
Transferring with Hands, Transferring with Spoon, Transferring with Tongs
Opening and Closing Latches
Whisking
Care of the Outdoor Environment
Germinating Seeds, Gardening
Raking and Sweeping Outside
Food Preparation
Slicing Fruit and Vegetables
Spreading Sandwiches
Peeling and Preparing Bananas
Peeling and Slicing Eggs
Egg Slicer with Stainless Steel Wires
Cooking and Baking
Measuring Ingredients
Mixing and Stirring
Bread Making, Kneading and Shaping, Dry Pouring in Cooking
Silicone Mat With Measuring Function
Fine Porcelain Creamer with Handle
Peeling and Preparing Citrus Fruits and Juicing
Loading and Using Snack Trolley
Language
Vocabulary Building
Moreover, many classified cards you can download for free from AMI website here.
Language Objects and Language Objects with Matching Cards
Books
Montessori books for toddlers
Books about people and emotions
Making Faces: A First Book of Emotions
Baby Up, Baby Down: A First Book of Opposites
Animals and Nature Books
Animals: Animales (English and Spanish Edition)
Toddler Books About Vegetables
National Geographic Kids Look and Learn: Dogs
National Geographic Kids Look and Learn: Birds
National Geographic Kids Look and Learn: Baby Animals
Books about vehicles
Toddler Books About Fire Trucks
Books about everyday life
Going to the Dentist: A Toddler Prep Book
Going to the Doctor: A Toddler Prep Book
Going on an Airplane: A Toddler Prep Book
Art and Music
Painting
Painting and Watercolors, Painting at Easel
Non Toxic Watercolor Paint Set
Stockmar Opaque Colour Box Set
Sculpting
Slime. Here is a recipe for edible, non-toxic slime that you can make at home. We do not recommend chemical-ingredient slime for kids under 3.
Papier Mache. You only need a 1:1 ratio of water to flour to make homemade papier mache paste! With this completely non-toxic recipe, your toddler can create fun crafts out of paper. For inspiration, check out this example project from Kids Activities Blog.
Garden bugs and insects playdough wooden stampers
Double-sided forest animal tracks play dough stampers
Scribbling
Jumbo Crayons (suitable for scribbling on mirror activity)
Musical Instruments
Percussion Instruments Set with Storage Bag (bells and tambourines, shakers, maracas, bells, triangle, scrapers and rasps)
Manipulatives
Refinement of Movement
Using a Hole Puncher
Creating Pictures on Magnet Board
Making Bracelets:
Pipe cleaners instead of threads as a bracelet base;
Lock and Key (This fantastic activity for little kids improves their fine motor skills, but you must supervise it due to a choking hazard.)
Fine Motor Skills and Hand-Eye Coordination
Twisting and Screwing
Screwdriver Board Set (only under adult supervision)
Wooden Construction Building Set (suitable also for pretend play when a child is older)
Posting - Large Objects and Posting - Fine Objects
Balancing Games
Stacking Puzzles and Games
Threading on Vertical Dowels
Colored Discs on Colored Dowels
Threading on Horizontal Dowels
Horizontal Dowel Variation - Serpentine and Straight
Lacing
Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Activity Set
Lacing Wooden Shapes with Tray
Stringing Beads
Opening and Closing Containers
This is the easiest Montessori toy ever: collect small boxes and containers in your household and let your child explore the opening mechanism of each container.
Opening and Closing Clothespins
Here are small clothespins perfect for kids' hands. Mini Wooden Colored Clothespins
You'll also need a small bowl for this activity. Have your child clip clothespins on the bowl rim to practice pincer grasp and strengthen hand muscles.
Hammering
Blocks
Solid-Wood Building Blocks With Wooden Storage Tray
Natural Wood Building Block Set
Cascading Trackers and Ball Runs
Visual Discrimination
Puzzles - Singular
Puzzles - Composite
Shape Sorter
Simple 3 shapes for 1-year-olds
Advanced 12 shapes for 2-year-olds and up
Montessori Sorting and Stacking Toy
Matching and Sorting
Shadow Matching Cards (Autumn)
Shadow Matching Cards (Nature Objects)
Mazes
Nesting Toys
Small Wooden Rainbow Nesting Bowls
Sensory
Sensory Tray or Bowl
Sensory Bin Tools with Wooden Box
Finger Mazes
My Book of Easy Mazes Ages 2-4 (Kumon Workbooks)
Smelling Exercises
Stereognostic Activities
Stereognostic Bags
Mystery Bag (with elastic opening and blindfold)
Movement
Balance and Coordination
Pack of 4 Sports Balls (for kicking, rolling and throwing a ball activities)
Conceptual Development
Identifying Patterns
Patterning and Sequencing by Colour, Size or Shape
FAQ
What is a Montessori toy?
Montessori toys are designed to help children develop specific skills through self-directed learning and exploration. Montessori toys are often simple in design and made of natural materials. Below is a checklist of characteristics a toy should have to be considered a Montessori toy.
Montessori toys never include electronic components, blinking lights, or loud sounds. The purpose of this simplicity is to minimize the number of distractions that influence kids' learning and exploration. Little kids have an inner desire for order, which makes their understanding of the surrounding world easier.
When a toy has too many features, children quickly lose focus and become unable to concentrate on any one skill. They flit from activity to activity without developing a deep interest in anything. For example, a popular toy like a busy cube with various spinners, bead mazes, and animal puzzles on each side will not help a child to develop any particular skill like understanding cause and effect or hand-eye coordination. Instead, this toy will grab a child's attention for some time without any real benefits for their cognitive development. On the other hand, classic Montessori toys like shape sorters or pyramids help children learn about shapes and sizes, develop hand-eye coordination, and independently correct mistakes.
Maria Montessori discovered that children under six have difficulties distinguishing reality from imagination. Therefore, in the Montessori approach, all the toys are based on reality to help children make sense of the world around them and create secure connections to reality. Montessori toys are always in alignment with this philosophy and must represent reality. For example, books must have clear pictures, even real photos, when possible, and describe everyday real-life situations, like shopping, driving cars, going to a playground, etc. There should be no talking animals in books for toddlers. The same applies to toys: Montessori toys teach children the cause and effects of their actions; therefore, most Montessori tools are made of fragile materials so that children can see the consequences of their actions.
The Montessori approach is based on the principle that children learn best through their senses. Therefore, all Montessori materials are designed to stimulate as many senses as possible. In Montessori classrooms, natural materials such as wood, metal, glass, porcelain, etc., are always preferred for kids over plastic and other artificial materials. By using such natural materials, children gain a better understanding of the world around them. Natural materials stimulate kids' sensory systems more effectively than artificial alternatives and can demonstrate the cause-and-effect relationship to their actions. On the contrary, plastic materials usually have similar weights compared to their size, temperature, taste, texture, etc. Plastic toys are unbreakable, but they also have limited options for exploration and learning.
Most Montessori toys encourage exploration and problem-solving in little kids. When children manipulate Montessori toys, they learn about how the world works; they form a basic understanding of math and physics concepts. Kids also learn how objects interact with each other and what effect they cause. Kids who play with Montessori toys learn essential STEM skills, including how to form and test hypotheses and draw conclusions.
Building independence is at the core of the Montessori curriculum when children learn to take for themselves, their environment, and their learning. For example, Montessori tools for practical life are all child-sized and easily accessible to help children practice the skill independently. Also, most Montessori toys are designed in a way where a child can determine and correct their mistakes with no adult guidance while practicing their problem-solving skills. As a result, children who play with Montessori toys gain independence, confidence, and self-trust.
Would you like to know more about pros and cons of Montessori education? Check out our excellent blogpost "How to Raise Smart Kids? The Ultimate Guide You Must Read."
Why are Montessori toys good?
Montessori toys are designed to help children learn and grow at their own pace. These toys encourage learning through play and help children master valuable skills: fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, self-correction, deep focus, independence, etc. Montessori toys are also made of natural materials to stimulate children's senses and help them understand the cause-and-effect relationship. Please keep in mind that toys are most effective within the Montessori approach when they are introduced and used correctly. If you want your child to explore and love them, don't just buy the toys and put them on shelves for your kid. Toddlers must be taught how to use the toy properly and how to clean up afterward.
All in all, Montessori toys are excellent age-appropriate learning tools for children and help them develop physically, cognitively, and emotionally. If you are looking for toys that will benefit your child's overall development, Montessori toys are definitely worth considering!
RELATED:
The Complete Guide to the Best Toys for 2 Year Old Boys
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How often to rotate Montessori toys?
In his book "How To Raise An Amazing Child The Montessori Way," Tim Seldin gives very clear advice on toy rotation. He suggests dividing toys into three groups: favorites that stay on shelves continuously and two (or more) sets of toys that you rotate every month or so.
How do you present Montessori toys to toddlers?
All toys must have their place on a shelf.
In Montessori classrooms, every toy has a particular place on a shelf and usually stays on a tray that the child can pick up and carry themselves. The tray system was developed to show children the limits of their play. They can easily choose the toy, take it to a table or on a floormat, play with it and clean up easily by putting everything on a tray and the tray on its place on a shelf. Such a setup creates a sense of order and workflow in the child's mind. Also, carrying a tray and placing it on the right spot promotes gross motor and impulse control skills.
At home, please pick up a spot for the toy where it will always stay. You may or may not choose a tray system to keep toys. If not, show your kid how to carry a toy with both hands carefully.
Demonstrate how to use a toy with minimum words.
So, the most important thing to remember: you show (not tell) your toddler how to use a toy in silence.
When presenting a Montessori activity to your little one, try to minimize the verbal explanations to simple phrases, like "hold with both hands," "open here," and "clean up." Toddlers must see the activity to understand it; lengthy explanations may distract them from the toy. However, this doesn't mean that you must become a robot. Use body language, and show your excitement by making sounds like "Oh," "Wow," etc. Kinds need to see your engagement with the toy to become interested in this activity. Here is an excellent demonstration of how to present a Montessori toy.
The complete cycle of a toy introduction to a toddler will look like this:
- A parent takes a tray/toy with both hands from a shelf.
- Carries it to a designated place carefully
- Takes a toy from the tray if necessary.
- Slowly shows how the toy works (e.g., takes out a one-piece puzzle and puts it back, etc. )
- Demonstrates positive emotions about the outcome
- With body language invites her toddler to repeat after her
- Waits for the child to practice with the toy
- Asks if they need help; helps eventually
- Expresses joy after the child completes the task, stating, "You did it!"
- Shows the little one how to clean up the toy on a shelf after play
As you can see, positive emotions and minimized communication are both critical during toy introduction to little kids. If a child sees you engaged and excited about a toy, they will most likely want to try it too. Also, always use the same place for a particular activity to help your child understand where this toy belongs.