It’s a new year, which is a cause for many to reflect. One thing you may not think back on is your child’s toys. However, if you’re educating your child under the
Wood is one of the most popular types of material for
To help you out, we’ll explain why wooden toys are so popular in
What Makes Montessori Wooden Toys Good?
In
Wood gives your child a better understanding of the world around them as it is a material that is more connected to the real world.
What’s more is that the texture of the wood helps with your child’s development of their senses by helping them focus on the task at hand.
Check out our full article on why Maria Montessori thought wooden toys were really better.
Best Montessori Wooden Toys
Wood is a great material for
Here are some of the best
Wooden Balance Board
Montessori for Today picks out furniture, educational tools, toys and lifestyle items that we think are the best and most exciting, based on independent research and careful consideration. On some occasions we earn revenue (at no additional cost to you) if you click the links and buy the products. But this doesn’t affect what we choose to highlight and we will never let it bias our coverage.
The wooden balance board is one of the most popular
This wooden board is not only versatile, but it’s also functional and simple. The curved board will teach your child different movements and allow them to apply the object to different scenarios.
The balance board can be used for several other purposes, including:
- A small slide
- A seesaw for two
- A table on the floor
- A bridge during play time
- A slide for balls or cars
The balance board also helps your child control their balance, coordination, and eye movements, and it supports the muscles that are responsible for your child’s correct posture.
With so many uses, this wooden balance board will keep your child’s mind working for years to come. If you don’t have one for them already, you might even consider making this toy their introduction to
Check out our full article on wooden balance boards for more information about them and their benefits.
Wooden Mini Cutter
Though technically this is not a toy, this mini cutter is likely to be used and enjoyed as much as any other
Practical life is such a big part of the
This cutter helps promote motor skills and independence as your child learns how to cut and slice fruits, vegetables, and more.
The Pikler Triangle
When you ask
The
There are three components to the
- Arch
- Ramp
- Climber
The entire set comes apart so that your child can use each piece on its own. Both the arch and the climber make great climbing toys, while the ramp or plank is versatile and can be applied to several uses. Your child can explore each component on their own to discover the differences in shape and learn how to approach each one.
Combine the three pieces to create the best learning experience for your child. Depending on your child’s stage of learning, they may start to explore this toy at as young as six months to enhance their motor skills and cognitive development. It’s possible that your child can use the
Check out our full article on Pikler triangles and their benefits for more information.
Wooden Balance Beam Set
Similar to the
Many parents prefer beam and board sets like these as they take up less space, are more portable, and can be easily stored away out of sight.
Your child can create and build different patterns and shapes with the pieces, and most shops that sell wooden balance board sets allow you to choose the number of pieces you’d like to purchase.
Wooden Stepping Stones
If the
These come in a variety of options with non-slip grip bottoms. Some have colors while others have letters or numbers, and certain shops can even customize them if you would like the letters of your child’s name.
Wooden Lacing Sets
Wooden lacing sets with beads or boards are great for fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Lacing activities help children develop fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, motor planning and visual perceptual skills. In addition, lacing helps children practice the precursor skills for shoe tying and sewing. Lacing uses the same small hand muscles and coordination as buttoning, using scissors, pincer skills, and hand eye coordination.
From ChickadeesWoodenToys on Etsy
Lacing boards help to develop the same lacing skills, but are typically more portable and easier to travel with.
Wooden Puzzles
Wooden puzzles are a great activity for children of all ages. These large alphabet and number pieces are a great way to introduce your child to literacy. Your child can start by sorting and matching the pieces to their respective slots, then work their way up to combining them to create simple words or two-digit numbers.
The smooth wooden characters are raised for easy grasping and to capture your child’s attention, and the overall
For older children, consider wooden map puzzles as a fun introduction to geography, such as continent puzzles or a United States state puzzle. Check out our full article on the importance of geography in Montessori learning.
Wooden Rainbow Stacker
While a wooden rainbow stacker is not exactly
Concrete ideas like sorting color and sorting size are strongly enforced with these rainbow-colored semi-circles. They can group all of the cool colors and then all of the hot colors, they can mix up the colors to make different design patterns.
They are also able to sort out the really big wooden pieces and group all of the smaller pieces. Or they can compare the sizes and pair a really large with a really small.
Children can stack these wooden items in different architectural designs, seeing which ones fall over, which ones can hold more weight.
Wooden stacking rainbows can also be used to create fences, build castles, create colorful trees, etc. Children will be able to create what is in their minds or mimic what they have seen in their lives.
There are several beautiful variations to the wooden stacking rainbow that are well loved by children of all ages.
Montessori Wooden Toys – Final Thoughts
Wooden toys have always been a staple of
Luckily, there are a variety of different