Montessori Toys

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An element of Montessori that I absolutely love is the emphasis on beauty. Many children’s spaces that I enter--a bedroom, a play room, a classroom--are overwhelmed by bright, primary colored plastic toys and furniture. Overwhelming and chaotic. In my opinion, so much of it is just plain ugly. Especially when you have a whole house full of it. Montessori emphasizes the use of natural materials when possible. Wooden toys instead of plastic. The toys are beautiful, which creates a peaceful space for not only the child, but the adults as well!

Our lives are filled with electronics, and children’s toys are no exception. A Montessori baby or toddler space should not be filled with electronic toys. I was first attracted to this idea because noise-making toys are annoying! I want a peaceful space for my child, and the noise of electronic toys is too chaotic. The more I read, the more this philosophy is backed up by research. Electronic toys detract from concentration--a vital skill for young children to develop as they prepare for school and the real world! Even “educational” electronic toys are not beneficial for a young child.

A key element of a Montessori child’s room is having only a few toys available to the child at a time. Calvin has a shelf with 6-8 toys out at a time. Toys are rotated every few weeks. I leave out whatever he seems to still be enjoying and put away toys that he is losing interest in. There are many benefits to rotating toys this way. First is a room free of clutter! Even if all of Calvin’s toys end up on the floor, it only takes a few minutes to put everything away. It is easy for even a young child to put the toy away where it belongs because it has a set place on the shelf. Even Calvin, at 15 months, is able to put a toy back on his shelf in the same place that he got it from. Another benefit is that a toy that has been put away for a few months and is brought back out is like a new toy (but without spending money on a new toy)!


Traditional Montessori toys (Heirloom Toys on Etsy) vs. many other baby toys


Calvin's toy shelf in his bedroom

This first post only focuses on a couple aspects of Montessori in the home. There are countless books, articles, and blogs about what Montessori means. Stay tuned for more!

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