Infant & Toddler Materials

Dr. Maria Montessori said, “The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge.” At this age, the child is learning everything through his or her senses, and the environment is especially prepared with this in mind. Manipulative materials such as The Object Permanence with Box material and Rings on Dowels allow the child to explore concepts of shape, space, number, sound, touch, and color. These sensorimotor activities allow the young learner to generalize concepts through hands-on and, in some cases, “mouths-on” experiences. A Montessori Toddler environment also demonstrates with clarity the move from concrete to abstract thought that every child develops. Three Shape Puzzles and Imbucare Boxes all appeal to the infant and toddler child’s burgeoning sense of discrimination of size and color, the precursor to the Sensorial Materials that will appear later. Similarly, other Montessori Toddler Classroom materials serve as an indirect preparation for later development, such as Infant Knobbed Cylinders and the Toddler Knobbed Cylinders. At the same time, a sense of independence develops and Montessori Infant Toddler materials meet this developmental need by offering appropriate materials and activities. The Infant and Toddler Dressing Frames are specifically suited for a young child’s sensibility and size.

In a Montessori Infant Toddler classroom, as in all Montessori environments, learning takes place through a child’s experience, not through what a teacher “does.” The child is learning everything through his or her senses, and the Montessori Toddler environment is especially prepared with this in mind. Alison’s Montessori Infant Toddler materials provide those experiences with beauty and craftsmanship.