If you are following a Montessori path, you will want to choose the best open-ended toys that fit the Montessori guidelines.
In this gift guide we have pulled together the best Montessori gift ideas for kids.
Scroll down to find the perfect gifts for any family adopting the Montessori philosophy.
There is a common misconception that Montessori materials are very expensive but this simply is not the case!
There are plenty of great Montessori toys you can purchase at a really affordable price to set kids up before they head off to school.
Colour Tablets
This colour tablet box is an extremely well known Montessori material that is seen in many Montessori pre-schools.
Colour Tablets
This colour tablet box is an extremely well known Montessori material that is seen in many Montessori pre-schools.
The slides are organised into nine colours and then each colour has slightly different shades from light to dark.
They are a great tool for getting pre-schoolers who already know their colours, to recognise the wide range of different shades one colour can have.
Small locks and keys are a very fiddly thing to master, they require good fine motor control and are the perfect gift for a pre-schooler who already has a great pincer grip and just needs to refine it a little further.
Colour Matching Lock Set
Math Games Toy Blocks
This maths material is a fantastic tactile way of getting young children to understand the concept of 3D shapes and how they relate to 2D shapes. Young kids love counting the faces on the 3D shapes in this maths toy blocks set and how that can help them to identify each shape. Buy similar in the UK.
Screwdriver Board
This screwdriver board is another great material for preschoolers to develop their fine motor skills and learn the twisting and turning action of the wrist. It also does an incredible job of helping to increase concentration.
Buy similar in the UK.Math Materials Number Puzzle
This wooden maths material puzzle is a great way to help older preschoolers begin to recognise numbers and the cards could be used on their own for counting at first. Then introduce the counters and you have a really concrete visible way for young children to grasp the concept of numbers and counting.
Buy similar in the UK.Nature Materials Frog Puzzle
Any of these nature materials puzzles would make a great Montessori gift for preschoolers but particular favourites of ours are the frog and the horse. These puzzles are complex and have small parts and handles which makes them really useful for developing fine motor skills. They are also broken up into body parts so they are a great tool for teaching children about the different body parts of various animals.
Wooden Movable Alphabet
The wooden moveable alphabet is an absolute must for any serious Montessori child. It is a great tool to help learn basic letters and then move onto constructing simple words.
Let’s Play House! Dust! Sweep! Mop! Play Set
If your preschoolers do not already have child-sized sweeping brushes, mops or other cleaning implements this great set of cleaning tools from Melissa & Doug should be top of your gift list! Montessori is all about practical life activities and giving children the opportunity to become independent in day to day life. Having accessible tools are an absolute must to achieve that.
Lower and Capital Case Sandpaper Letters with Boxes
Sandpaper letters are a really iconic Montessori material and probably the number one language materials to use with preschoolers. Tracing the letter with their finger will give them a concrete memory of how the letter is written.
Knife & Slice Sequence Kit
Knives and preschoolers don’t usually go together in the same sentence, but Montessori encourages young children to begin using these tools for food preparation. They begin with blunt knives to cut very soft things like bananas and build their way up to two-handed crinkle cutters for harder foods. This knife and slice sequence set includes all the different levels of slicing implements to make the learning process easier.
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