There are a multitude of reasons why our family loves the Montessori approach to learning but two of the main reasons we love Montessori is the real-world application and child-directed work. The Montessori materials that are generally used is a staple of a Montessori education. Although we are applying these applications at-home, they translate very easily. Usually these toys are crafted to teach a skill and there is a developmentally appropriate progression. We also love that our toddler is an active learner and has the opportunity to expand on things that she is curious about.
Our daughter loves using practical toys. For water play, she has a sustainable sink with reusable water by Lovevery. She is able to play with water and still learn skills like rinsing dishes and drying her cups. While I, on the other hand, look forward to her staying busy for about an hour. Her current favorite toy is a wood block with screws, a mini screwdriver, and an Allen wrench. With this toy, she can use her fine motor skills to use the screwdriver to remove a bolt or place it back into the wooden block. Because there are different types of screws and two different tools, there is also some progression for her. For example, she started with the screwdriver but she is working her way up to the Allen wrench which uses her fine motor skills in a slightly different way. This toy keeps her busy, it expands her vocabulary (I mean she actually knows what an “Allen wrench” is now) and this skill will be something she uses in the future.
If you want to try out some Montessori-style toys, check out a few approved toys by our oldest daughter below. I also recommend reading The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies if you are curious about Montessori and want to incorporate some of the philosophies in your home. It’s an easy read and you don’t have to read it cover to cover. The book is broken down into parts that you can read when you are ready. To wrap up, if you have any other suggestions for toys that your little ones have loved, please comment and share below.
