Developed by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator, the Montessori philosophy encourages child education and development by playing with toys like the ones discussed below. The Montessori method and educational approach promote independence, creativity, and learning. As you’ll see below, there are so many fun and colorful toys that we recommend! In fact, there are even more beyond this list that are just as wonderful, such as the Pikler Triangle gym (check it out). Let’s get started!
Wooden Stacking Rings
Photo: ourgreenhouse.com
Wooden stacking rings are one of the most classic and one of the best Montessori toys for kids. Children can take each ring off, one by one, and then stack each ring on top of one another. Stacking rings teach children how to sort from largest to smallest. Some models are made to represent the colors of the rainbow, helping little ones learn each color as they play. The modern wooden stacking ring from Our Green House is made from pesticide-free rubberwood and finished with a non-toxic water-based dye so it is safe for children.
- Age group: 18 months+
- Developmental benefits: Fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, concentration
Shape Sorter
Photo: projectmontessori.com
Shape sorter toys are considered to be one of the best Montessori toys for kids because they are typically colorful, fun, and include multiple shapes and pieces. Take, for example, the Montessori Garden Shape Sorter from Project Montessori. This shape-sorter toy includes worms, fruit, carrots, and a cute rabbit. Children will love trying to place each piece into its designated space. The captivating colors beckon little hands to play; they have no idea they’re learning!
- Age group: 3 years+
- Developmental benefits: Problem-solving, fine motor skills, shape recognition, color recognition
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Sorting Boxes
Photo: houseofhenry.co
Like the Shape Sorting Box from House of Henry, sorting boxes teach little hands how to compare sizes and shapes so each piece can be pushed inside the box. Sorting boxes are one of the best Montessori toys for kids and have been for years. Grasping, aligning, and inserting shapes into the box helps develop each child’s fine motor skills. In addition, children can start learning different shape names such as circle, rectangle, triangle, star, etc.
- Age group: 1 years+
- Developmental benefits: Fine motor skill development, size comparison, and cognitive development
Wooden Lacing Beads
Photo: melissanddoug.com
From Melissa and Doug, toddlers can begin to learn the handicraft of lacing with toys like these Wooden Lacing Beads. Lacing is a fun way for children to work on their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, recognize different colors, and experiment with pattern-making. Lacing beads also encourages children to be creative as they get to decide what type of pattern they want to make and in what order they want each bead to go in.
Age group: 3 years+
Developmental benefits: Fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and concentration
Montessori Sandpaper Letters
Photo: amazon.com
Have you heard of sandpaper letters before? Sandpaper Letters, such as this educational toy from Adena Montessori Store, are a way for kids to learn the shape of each letter by tracing the sandpaper surface with their fingers. This is one of the best Montessori toys for kids because the rough sandpaper feel makes learning letters a literal hands-on activity as it ignites their sense of touch.
Age group: 3 years+
Developmental benefits: Early literacy and numeracy skills, tactile learning, and letter recognition
Wooden Building Blocks
Photo: fatbraintoys.com
Wooden building blocks are also on our list of the best Montessori toys for kids because they promote creativity, build children’s imaginations, develop fine motor skills, and enhance spatial awareness, among others! Building blocks, like the Woodwerks Nature Blocks from Fat Brain Toys, are also great for imaginative play as children build towers, small forts, and more.
Age group: 3 years+
Developmental benefits: Creativity, spatial awareness, and problem-solving
Practical Life Tools
Photo: amazon.com
Looking for a gift guide that includes unique Montessori toys? Here’s a unique toy idea! This Brushing Teeth Model is one of the best Montessori toys for kids because it teaches practical (and essential) life skills—such as teeth brushing! With this mouth model, parents can teach their kiddos what brushing looks like in an easy-to-display way. Montessori toys that are considered practical life tools are some of the best Montessori toys for kids.
Age group: 3 years+
Developmental benefits: Independence, self-care skills, and real-life problem-solving
Montessori Puzzles and Pattern Boards
Photo: melissanddoug.com
Puzzles and pattern boards are wonderful Montessori toys for kiddos. Build your little one’s critical thinking and spatial reasoning skills with the Pattern Blocks and Board toy from Melissa and Doug. Multiple pieces (120 to be exact) are included in this set and can be placed on one to five pattern boards that represent multiple designs, like animals. In addition, kiddos can be creative and create their own artwork with various shapes and colors.
Age group: 3 years+
Developmental benefits: Critical thinking, spatial reasoning, and concentration
Sensorial Materials
Photo: amazon.com
When parents think of the best Montessori toys for kids, they often think of sensory-focused toys such as this Sensory Bin. Montessori sensory toys vary in size, texture, and color, but they all offer multiple developmental benefits, such as sensory exploration, and are often the best Montessori toys for 2-3-year-olds, if not younger. Children can experience pouring, stacking, and nesting with tools like tongs, scoops, containers, and more with a sensory toy like this one.
Age group: 6 months+
Developmental benefits: Sensory exploration, fine motor skills, and discrimination of size, color, and texture
Montessori Math Materials
Photo: mirustoys.com
The best Montessori toys for kids include educational toys like a Hundred Board from Mirus Toys. Math-focused toys teach children how to count and visually see numbers right before their eyes. With this Montessori toy, children can place wood balls or wool balls in each spot on the board as they count from one to a hundred. Hands-on learning is one of the best ways to retain information
Age group: 3 years+
Developmental benefits: Early numeracy skills, hands-on learning, and mathematical understanding
Conclusion
As you search for the best Montessori toys for kids, look for toys such as:
- Stacking Rings
- Shape Sorter
- Sorting (and Nesting) Boxes
- Lacing Beads
- Sandpaper Letters (and Numbers)
- Building Blocks
- Practical Life Tools
- Puzzles and Pattern Boards
- Sensorial Toys
- Math Toys
Beyond this list are lovely Montessori outdoor toys, musical instruments, and toys that help develop gross motor skills. Wooden toys are even better than plastic because they are durable, safe, and last years. With various Montessori toys, children can foster independence, creativity, and learning through the Montessori approach. Always ensure the toy you’re considering is age-appropriate to promote child development and learning for your child’s age group.
Morgan French is a wife, mom of two, writer & editor. After traveling for 3 years with her family, she now lives back in her hometown of Dayton, OH. She makes frequent stops for coffee, enjoys the outdoors, and loves board games.
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