Did you know 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 by paying attention to the toys you surround your little one with.
I gathered up a list of the best Montessori toys for every age group; babies, toddlers, and preschool-aged children. 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 program’s core mission is to develop students who are capable, accountable, knowledgeable people with a strong sense of self they will need to thrive in the real world. The key difference in Montessori is that the education is student-led and self-paced but guided and assessed by teachers.
The Montessori Method believes that growth and key education starts from birth through age 6 and it is a critical time to set a strong foundation for a child’s future. To learn more, you can visit the American Montessori Society webpage.
Montessori toys are simple toys often made from natural materials like wood, cotton, metal, or maybe even rocks. It doesn’t move or make a sound unless physically manipulated by a child. They are rooted in reality (no talking tigers, unicorns, or beep-boop sounds). But most importantly, Montessori toys teach children a skill or a simple task with real consequences. Check out our list of the best Montessori toys for kids below!
Best Montessori Toys for Babies
Object Permanence Box
A box with a hole, ramp, and ball, this toy is a great addition for any family and fun for babies. This simple toy lets babies practice their hand-eye coordination and exercise their thinking abilities as they watch the ball drop in the box and roll out.
Carrot Harvest Wooden Puzzle
This fun toy is a simply way to help babies develop find motor skills by practicing placing the carrots in the wholes and pulling them out again.
Skwish Classic Rattle and Teether Grasping Activity Toy
What Looks like a geometric DNA strand or something out of Dr. Seuss, this toy is fun for babies to chew and just play around with. Highly rated for children on the autism spectrum.
Twisty Caterpillar
This adorable caterpillar will move any way your baby can shape it. It is also a great piece to tummy time playtime as your baby can look it in the face. Your baby will develop hand-eye coordination along with fine motor skills. It comes in a two-pack.
Best Montessori Toys for Toddlers
Magnolia 7-in-1 Playset
This is the piece I designed my Montessori playroom around! The Magnolia Playset features a range of activities, including monkey bars, a mini rock-climbing wall, a wood 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 manner.
This playset will not only provide your toddler with hours of entertainment but also aid in their developmental journey. All while aligning with the Montessori principles of self-directed, hands-on learning and discovery.
Match & Roll Shape Sorter
This shape sorter from Melissa & Doug helps teach multiple skills including color and shape recognition, sorting skills, problem-solving abilities, and manual dexterity. It’s great for ages 12 months and up and is designed to spark the imagination.
Wooden Car Ramps Race
This natural, wooden car set tells toddlers to experience focus and curiosity while developing fine motor skills and learning about physics action and reaction.
Rainbow Wooden Balls Tray
This toy will stimulate your child visually, mentally, and creatively. Easy to hold and light, your toddler will spend hours matching the balls to their colors.
Pop Up Fire Truck
Your toddler will love zooming this fire truck around the house. The fire fights bob up and down as it rolls but also can come completely out. Great for encouraging color recognition and counting.
Wooden Magnetic Fishing Game
This simple magnetic fishing game comes with two poles and is hours of fun. It’s great for hand-eye coordination as well as fine motor skills. This option from Coogam also promotes learning letters.
Best Montessori Toys for Preschoolers
Stacking Wood Blocks Number Toy
A great toy for all preschool-age children, this stacking woodblock numbers set is educational and fun. You can also find ones that include the alphabet. Great for learning shapes, colors, numbers, and letters (if you get the expanded board).
Wooden Balancing Cactus
Another fan favorite in our house, this balancing cactus helps your child develop critical thinking. Children have hours of endless fun stacking the various cactus pieces in order to make sure the cactus doesn’t fall over.
Building Block Set
Building blocks are the ultimate toys, children learn concepts like math, physics, and engineering all while playing. We love this 70 piece set that encourages your child’s imagination while also developing their spatial awareness and motor skills.
Lovevery also makes some great sets!
Screw Driver Board
This basic screwdriver board is great for older-age preschoolers. It teaches practical life skills like how to hold various tools while developing fine motor skills.
Balance Board
Definitely for the older toddler, this balance board provides hours of endless fun. Able to 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 485 lbs!
Busy Board
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 taking it in the car a breeze!
As you can see, bringing Montessori toys into your home isn’t so hard! There are tons of options and they’ll keep your little one entertained and having fun while learning.
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Amber is the CEO and mama in charge at Rookie Moms! She is raising six amazing humans and has been through a lot as a mom including high-risk pregnancy (preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome), adoption, navigating special needs, working from home, and more. Now she’s on a mission to pass along the knowledge she’s learned… from one mama to another!