Set of five brightly colored wooden Rainbow Nesting Bowls can be nested or stacked, providing hours of creative play. This essential first toy for baby/toddler will encourage motor development, coordination, creative thinking & spatial abilities. It is an open-ended toy with many versatile uses: stacking, nesting, sorting, pretend play kitchenware, filling/emptying & much more.

Materials: Heirloom-quality, crafted by hand in Germany from solid wood sustainably-harvested from managed European forest. Stained with water-based vegetable dyes, finished with natural food-grade oil.

Age Range: Will grow with your child from 12 months old through preschool and beyond.

Source: Amazon

Popular toys in both Montessori and Waldorf educational settings, a child-sized dustpan and brush set is also a great set to have at home. Children naturally love to imitate the work of the adults around them. With this set, kids can help sweep up the crumbs. Helping with chores encourages the development of important life skills and develops eye-hand coordination.

Materials: Wooden-handled dust brush and horsehair bristles, metal dustpan.

Age Range: 2 years and up.

Source: Bella Luna Toys

Learning Towers have been carefully designed to provide a secure environment to stimulate a child’s imagination and allow it to blossom. By raising a child up to counter height, it nurtures a child’s innate desire to be independent and to participate alongside his or her parents and siblings, whether it’s to help out with nightly dinner preparations, bake special holiday recipes, or get crafty.  Its height is fully adjustable to fit your little one and your home. For children, the world is a magical and curious place. They learn by mirroring Mommy and Daddy with the ultimate goal of being able “to do it myself.” Learning Towers allows them to feel like an active member of the family, fully engaged in the learning and creative process.

Materials: A solid wood construction comprised of layers of poplar and birch. Lead-free, non-toxic finish.

Age Range: 18 months up to 6 years

Source:   Little Partners

The Wooden Clacker Heirloom Rattle is designed to provide stimulation in touch, sight, sound, and movement. The small, easy-to-grasp size and pleasant wood-on-wood sound will delight any baby.

Materials: Hardwood construction, handmade. Safe, smooth, non-toxic teak oil finish.

Age Range: infant up to 1½ years.

Source: Maple Landmark

Baskets are great for all sorts of practical life activities and the possibilities for their use are endless! You can use them for organizing the playroom and storing small toys, for helping pick up around the house, sorting fresh laundry, scavenger hunts and gathering treasures, picking and carrying flowers or produce from the garden…the list goes on and on….   The size is practical, the handles are great for a young child, and we love the use of natural materials.

Materials: Veta vera grass is woven to create this hardy, useful African bolga basket. Leather wrapped handle.

Age Range: All ages

Source: Baskets of Africa

Children can serve themselves independently by holding the easy to grasp handle on this child-size, see-through glass pitcher and twisting the plastic lid open to pour, then twisting it again to close. Real glassware says “You are trusted.” Build confidence by offering thick, incredibly durable juice glasses that fit a child’s small hands and encourage children to develop self-confidence and independence.

Materials: Glass containers, BPA-free plastic pitcher lid.

Age Range: 1 year and up

Source: Montessori Services

This playful, original designed wooden push toy enhances active play and supports development of motor skills. It’s also a great tool for stimulating the imagination and promoting emotional, social and language development. Let your child have fun creating their own story!

Materials: Natural, high quality solid birch wood. Non-toxic water-based paints.

Age Range: Toddlers & Preschoolers 1.5 – 5 years.

Source: Mielasiela

Including your young child in food preparation is one of the easiest Montessori principles to apply at home. If you are looking for ways to help your child be more independent, there is no better way to boost confidence and teach fine motor skills than involving young children in food preparation! Children will love preparing “fancy” crinkle-cut fruit and veggies with this handy child-size wavy chopper! A small, easy-to-grip handle on top makes it particularly easy — children use both hands to push down, making sure fingers are safely out of the way.

Materials: Stainless steel blade, plastic handle

Age Range: 18 months (supervised) and up

Source: For Small Hands

Your child will develop strength and deepen their overall body awareness (sense of proprioception) playing on a balance board. Rocking helps develop a child’s sense of balance and for the brain to sort sensory impressions.Used in Montessori environments, curvy boards provide hours of open-ended play: flip it over and it is a bridge, place on its side it’s a curved castle buttress. They are teeter totters, balance beams, slides, and… anything else your child can dream up!

Materials: Handmade from 8 to 9 layers of Maple Hardwood, sanded smooth, and finished with varnish.

Age Range: Toddlers and up

Source: Open Ended Creations

Getting children excited about reading isn’t always a simple task, but with the new Sling Book Shelf in Natural, story time a lot more fun. Perfect for the young reader in your life, this shelf allows books to be displayed by front or back cover instead of the spine, making it easier for kids to choose books themselves.

Materials : Wood and cotton canvas

Age Range: all ages

Source: Kid Advance Montessori

To learn more about our child care center in Eden Prairie and programs, contact us at (952) 944-8466. We look forward to meeting you!

Or for more info about our programs click the button below and we’ll send you an email:

The post Montessori Teaching Tools for the Home appeared first on Eden Prairie Montessori.