What is Montessori?
The word “Montessori” refers to a method of education developed by Italian physician Maria Montessori in 1987.
Based on Maria’s observations of how children naturally learn, the method encourages parents and teachers to create a space full of developmentally appropriate toys and games, and then let the children freely explore, engage and play. The objective is to gradually guide the child towards independence.
The Montessori method also encourages learning through fully experiencing and exploring nature and the child’s surroundings, using all of the five senses, which is where the terms “sensory learning” and “sensory play” come from.
So what are sensory (or Montessori) toys?
As the name suggests, sensory toys are toys that stimulate a child’s senses. They are physical, non-electronic toys designed to develop your child’s fine motor skills, while encouraging them to explore, learn and of course have fun!
To be more specific, sensory (or Montessori) toys usually fulfil one or more of the following criteria:
- Made of natural materials, such as wood, metal, cotton and rock.
- Non-electronic: since Montessori principles encourage children to use their own physical exertion and imagination, sensory toys generally do not include batteries, screens, artificial lights or sounds.
- Realistic: Montessori toys are generally lifelike and rooted in reality, giving children the opportunity to engage with things that they recognise and are familiar.
- Learning: sensory toys have the objective of allowing the child to learn or develop a certain skill, meaning they are often task- or activity-based.
As children today are inevitably exposed to screens and the digital world, sensory toys offer a welcome break, taking it back to basics and allowing them to have fun and learn with something simple and tangible.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_education
www.thebump.com/a/montessori-toys