You may have heard or read about Montessori may be in your Instagram feed or on your favorite Montessori parenting website. Either way, you must have noticed the increasing popularity of Montessori education.
The philosophy of Montessori education was developed by Maria Montessori, who was an Italian physician. Montessori’s philosophy focuses on hands-on and child-directed work. It encourages kids to engage in age-specific activities that improve their social, emotional, and physical development.
What are Montessori Toys?
There is no official list of Montessori toys. Instead, any toy will be considered a Montessori toy if it supports the philosophies of Montessori education. But I can tell you a few things to keep in mind while choosing a toy for Montessori purposes. Moreover, there are also beneficial stress relief kits that you must have, especially if you are dealing with children with autism.
1. Use of Natural Material
The first thing to look for in a toy is whether it is made of natural materials like wood, cotton, metal, or even rock. This doesn’t mean that there will be zero use of plastic in those toys, but Montessori education includes using toys that are mostly made from natural materials.
2. Free of distractions
It means there will be no or less use of machinery type things like batteries etc. This will promote the open-ended and imaginative play of your child.
3. Promotes a single skill
Those toys that focus on only a single skill help in advanced learning later in life.
4. Realistic and Purposeful
Maria Montessori promoted toys that have a realistic approach. As she is the founder of Montessori education so you should choose only the realistic toys.
Best Montessori Toys
Nowadays, there are so many toys used in Montessori institutions for Montessori education. But do you believe that all of them are true Montessori toys? I don’t think so that all of those toys are true Montessori toys. Here are some toys that comply with the Montessori philosophy and are true Montessori toys.
Pikler Triangle
Modified pikler triangle is a climbing triangle based on the philosophy of a Hungarian pediatrician Dr. Emmi Pikler. Dr. Emmi and Maria Montessori worked together as well. Pikler triangle has many benefits like gross motor development, grasping, climbing, self-confidence, and many more. Visit https://piklertrianglereviews.com/ to learn more.
Although they are a little expensive, I think they are worth this price keeping in mind the benefits they provide to our children. I believe the pikler triangle is one of the best Montessori toys. And every responsible parent should provide a pikler triangle to their child according to his/ her requirements. If you want to read more about pikler triangle then visit pikler triangle reviews
Grabbing Toy
It is another awesome Montessori toy. This excellent rattle and teether is a perfect Montessori inspired toy and beautiful gift for your baby. It has a unique style, and because it is lightweight, even the tiniest hands could hold and explore it. And most importantly, it is made from natural rubberwood, so you don’t need to worry about any chemicals, etc.
Sensory Toy
Small Children like to explore their sensory skills. And interestingly, sensory play is encouraged by the Montessori method of education. A sensory toy is a group of balls made of natural rubber. They are incredibly soft to ensure the safety of your little toddler.
Teething Toy
Teethers are made of wood and play the role of excellent Montessori toys. They also have beads along with them, which are made up of food-grade silicone.
Board Book
The Montessori method tells us that choose realistic books that have interesting details and are suitable for children’s learning level. Board book has simple 100 first words along with corresponding pictures. The bright and realistic images attract the young ones, and they love to explore it more.
Musical Instruments
These musical instruments that are made for Montessori education are an excellent source for learning cause and effect. They are super fun for our children.
Puzzle
One aspect of Montessori education is that some toys should be challenging for our babies because that will help them take risks and learn more. Wooden shaped puzzles are a great source of problem-solving for babies.
Abstract
All this discussion concludes that we should not ignore Montessori education. Montessori education is as important as school education. It would be best if you studied Montessori education and Montessori philosophies yourself to choose the perfect Montessori toys and the right Montessori school for your young one.