Montessori Toy Guide for 3-6 Year Olds

Kids love to play -- especially with a new toy. But did you know toys can be more than a fun way for your child to pass the time? They can also be educational. Montessori toys are great for children of all ages because they help them develop their problem solving and motor skills.

Montessori toys stimulate the learning process by encouraging children to experiment. They also encourage your child to be independent and pique your little one's curiosity.

Montessori Toys

The Montessori Method of education teaches that a child should develop their cognitive, emotional, physical, and social skills through sparking their natural curiosity. Montessori education is based on scientific studies of children growing from infancy to an adult and has been used for more than 100 years around the world.

Thinkamajigs’s Montessori toys are simple, but ideal for allowing children under the age of six to let their imaginations run wild and create opportunities to act spontaneously. This helps a child follow their innate path of psychological development, based on a variety of innate characteristics identified as “human tendencies.” These include:

• Activity
• Orientation
• Repetition
• Abstraction
• Manipulation of the environment
• Exploration
• Exactness
• Communication
• Self-perfection
• Work
• Order

These characteristics are with children through every stage of development, with expression central to becoming high function both in the classroom and in social environment.

With a wide variety of toys to consider, how do you know which ones are the best and will be the most beneficial for your child? We've compiled a Montessori Toy Guide to assist you in making the best choice:

Latches Board

The Latches BoardLatches Board has six latches attached to a board that kids have to figure out how to unlock. Each latch has a different colour, and on each colour is a number. It’s educational benefits include:

Helps your child build dexterity while figuring out the lock functions

Doors and windows open to reveal a hidden surprise, stimulating memory

Helps build your child's motor skills while learning about animals, colours, numbers and more

Dressing Frames

Your child will learn how to get themselves ready in the morning by using a variety of Dressing Frames to practice zipping, buckling, lacing and more. 

Counting Shape Stacker

The Counting Shape Stacker consists of a baseboard with pegs numbered one to ten with bricks of different colours and shapes for each position. When your child removes all the bricks, the name of the shape for that spot will be revealed. Along the front are ten removable tiles with the number spelled out on one side and numerals on the other.

In addition, this stacker promotes sorting and motor skills. Suitable for children ages 3 and up.

Assorted Vegetable Set

The Assorted Vegetable Set includes a wooden play knife, cutting board, and five sliceable, realistic-looking vegetables: a tomato, shallot, mushroom, cucumber and a bell pepper. What it teaches your child:

• Stimulates creativity and imagination
• Promotes physical development
• Assists with developing motor skills
• Teaches colours and shapes
• Introduces child to new foods
• Encourages precision skills

Life Cycle Sets

Your child is curious about insects and animals from a young age. Teach them the life cycle, and how they grow. These sets are handcrafted and depict the various stages of life. You can choose from a frog, butterfly, bee, turtle and more.

Solar System Tray

The universe is extremely complex, but it doesn’t stop us from continuing to ask questions. One way to begin teaching your child about existence is to start with the solar system.

This Solar System Tray set features hand-painted figures depicting the makeup of each planet. From the rings of Saturn, to Jupiter's red spot, your child will discover the mysteries of the solar system in a compact kit.

Cleaning Caddy Set

By showing your child how to scrub, clean, squirt and wipe, you are helping them develop motor skills, while encouraging their imagination to run wild. They will also learn organization skills by storing each item in their cleaning caddy when they’re done. The set includes:

• Storage caddy with handle
• Spray bottle
• Squirt bottle
• Scouring powder can
• Squeegee
• Sponge
• Scrub brush
• Cloth
• Cleaning checklist

Thinkamajigs is a leading provider of Montessori toys, located in Toronto, Canada. Our family business has been providing the highest quality educational materials for children since 1963. We offer Montessori materials by Gonzagarredi, one of the three manufacturers in the world approved by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI).

Our Montessori toys are not only designed to be educational, but fun and unlock your child’s creativity. They’re great for any occasion, whether it be a birthday present, to celebrate a graduation, or just because!

Are you looking for a fun educational toy for your child? Call Thinkamajigs today or browse our 2018-19 catalog here.