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Montessori is an approach that focuses on education and development by allowing children to learn in a hassle-free manner. The best Montessori toys for babies could help children learn at their own pace in this system. If you don’t know, this is a “have fun while you learn” experience that engages the child in all senses, including listening, observing, touching, and smelling. To help you choose the best toys, check out the list we have compiled and the buying guide. The features could help you pick a suitable toy for your child’s learning.
Top Picks
15 Best Montessori Toys For Babies
1.Best For Hand Movements:Elite Montessori Object Permanence Box With Tray And Ball
This Montessori toy is made for children to practice precise hand movements.The game also helps develop hand, wrist, and finger coordination while letting the child experience object permanence. The child has to drop the little ball through the hole in the box. Theball rollsout of the box and goes into the attached tray, where it is visible again. You may check outthis videofor a detailed review of this product.
Pros
- Teaches children how to set goals
- Wooden ball is available in two colors
- Suitable for children aged eight months and above
- Ideal for cognitive development
Cons
- Ball may be noisy when dropped
- Paint may peel off
Did you know?2.Best Educational:Panda Brothers Wooden Geoboard
The Panda Brothers’ wooden Montessori geoboard encourages children to create geometrical shapes and designs while introducing them to the concepts of symmetry and counting. The pack includes a wooden board with 64 round-ended embedded nails, ensuring the child’s safety, 40 colorful rubber bands, and 30 double-sided picture cards to create 2D images on the board. The toy is recommended for children three years and above.
Pros
- 100% natural and sturdy plywood
- Improves hand-eye coordination
- Enhances fine motor skills
- Promotes imagination and independent play
- Travel-friendly
Cons
- May not have a neat, sophisticated finish
- May be smaller than expected
3.Best For Learning Sounds:Organic Wood Montessori Styled Baby Rattle by Homi Baby
This organic wood baby rattle toy is an all-natural product for the safety of your baby. Each rattle is sealed with a mixture of organic beeswax andcoconut oil. The toy is made up of hard maple and birch to create a smooth finish.The colors used are water-based and non-toxic too, to give your baby a safe learning experience. This toy is based on the Montessori method of learning with natural sounds and colors.
4.Best Multipurpose:Mixi Baby Toys Blocks
These soft building blocks are easy to hold and squeeze. They are firm enough to be stacked too. The blocks come in various designs, including animals, shapes, and fruits, and allow children to visually explore these objects. This is a multipurpose educational toy and can also beused as a teether, squeaker,bath toy, and chewable toy.
Pros
- Works as a STEM toy
- Encourages building, balancing, and stacking.
- 3D embossed surface helps build motor skills
- Apt for inspiring cognitive ability
- Teaches kids to identify and recognize surroundings
- Made of food-grade silicone
- BPA-free and non-toxic
Cons
- May not be easy to stack
- May not be mold-resistant
5.Best For Indoors & Outdoors:Meroco Montessori Sensory Toys Rainbow Color Hand Kite
This Montessori hand kite encourages creative play and exercise, as the ribbons spin and float when children run around with it. The kite comes in various colors and has six ribbons of various sizes tied to it.This toy can be used toplay indoorswith music or outside for fluttering in the wind. When not in use, the kite looks beautiful hanging on the wall or closet doors.
Pros
- Helps children identify colors
- Sturdy and easy to grip
- Improves hand-eye coordination
- Ergonomically sized for baby’s hands
- Ribbons have less chance of tangling
Cons
- Wooden ring may not be durably built
- May not suit younger babies
Do remember6.Best For Communication Skills:Ancaixin Montessori Stack Up Sorting Puzzle
的Montessori stack up sorting and counting puzzle is manufactured using high-quality wood free of lead, BPA, and phthalates. The smooth edges make this toy suitable for children aged three to five years. Stacking helps develop a sense of balance and enhances fine motor skills and creative thinking in children. The toy set also helps improve children’s communication, patience, and teamwork skills.
Pros
- Enhances dexterity
- Large size to prevent choking
- Teaches children to recognize shapes
- Comes packaged in a gift-ready box
- Free of splinters
Cons
- Base might be slightly heavy
- Paint may peel if exposed to water
7.Best For Hand-Eye Coordination:Orcamor Wooden Stacking Rings Toy With Elephant Topper
The Orcamor Wooden Stacking rings are made of heirloom quality real beech wood and coated with non-toxic varnish and waterborne paint. This toy is designed for children aged one year and up, and the rings come in various colors and are stackable.The toy helps develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and a sense of order. The elephant is well-detailed to keep your child engaged.
Pros
- Sharpens visual and spatial perception
- Circus design can excite children
- Teaches object permanence
- Made of real wood
Cons
- Wood pieces may be hard
- Parental supervision required while playing
8.Best For Teething:Promise Babe 4pc Organic Toddler Wooden Rattles
Promise Babe offers sensory toys like rattles that are designed to stimulate and develop your baby’s vision and hearing. The rattles make a soothing sound when shaken. The sound comes due to the impact between the wooden rings, beads, or other objects that are attached to it. The design of these toys is perfect for grasping and teething for babies and toddlers. The kid can chew on this Montessori toy, or shake it to listen to the sounds and see the colors for sensory stimulation.
Quick fact9.Best For Sorting:Sendida Montessori Math Shapes Puzzle Toys
This colorful stacking puzzle toy for kids by Sendida is completely safe to use and is BPA-free. The wooden set improves cognitive ability, helps in developing early sorting skills, and aids in learning colors and numbers. The fun sticks for counting help develop fine motor skills and general intelligence. Children will enjoy sorting different shapes and colors, counting pieces, stacking blocks, naming the colors, and putting counter rings on wooden pegs.
Pros
- CPC ASTM/EN71 approved
- Water-based lacquer coating
- Smooth edges reduce chances of injury
- Suitable for children aged three years and above
- Promotes problem-solving skills
- Stain- and water-resistant finish
Cons
- Contains tiny parts
- Pegs might be slightly loose
10.Best BPA-Free:Let’s Make Wooden Teethers
These wooden teethers shaped like an elephant and a bird are organic, safe, and comfortable for babies to hold. They are safe for chewing as they are made of food-grade material and are free of BPA, lead, PVC, phthalates, latex, and cadmium. The toy set also promotes children’s fine motor and grasping skills.
Pros
- Helps relieve anxiety
- Great for gifting
- Designed to suit baby’s small hands
- Modern and stylish look
- Made of beech wood
- Treated with organic virgin oil
Cons
- Slightly sharp edges
- Color may run
11.Best Non-Toxic:JCREN Wooden Lacing Apple Threading Toy
Develop your child’s lacing and sewing skills with this toy. The end of the wooden toy has an attached thread, and the other end is attached to a tiny wooden caterpillar that makes sewing easier. This toy helps enhance imagination and develops fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It is made of non-toxic materials and is suitable for children aged three years and above.
Pros
- Improves problem-solving skills
- Odorless and non-toxic paint
- Meets EN71 safety standards
- Encourages children to be independent
- Teaches focus and concentrate
- Keeps them engaged for hours
- Easily portable
- Made of 100% natural wood
- Suitable for gifting
Cons
- Paint may chip
- May be slightly heavy
12.Best Wooden:Leo & Friends Baby Stacking Rings Toys
The Leo & Friends baby toy is a great learning toy for children aged 18 months and above. The rings and the bear on top are made of real wood and covered with non-toxic paint and varnish. The toy develops fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination in children and teaches them a sense of order. The toy is smooth, and the size is perfect for a child’s little hands.
Pros
- Teaches children to identify shapes and colors
- CPSC-, CPSIA-, and ASTM-certified
- Enhances visual and spatial perception
- Intended for long play
- Works as an early development toy
Cons
- May be smaller than expected
- Paint might come off if wet
13.Best Memory-Enhancing:Coogam Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle Set
The Coogam Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle Set is a pack of six animal-shaped puzzles with vibrant colors that appeal to children. This is a memory-enhancing game that also teaches children about animals. The game is simple: just put the blocks on the corresponding animal board by remembering the animal shape. This toy is suitable for children aged two to five years.
Pros
- Ideal toy for parent-child bonding
- Non-toxic paint
- Safe for putting into the mouth
- Improves children’s fine motor skills
- Smoothened and no sharp edges
- Improves concentration
Cons
- May have a peculiar odor
- Might be slightly thin
14.Best Easy-To-Store:LiKee Alphabet And Number Flash Cards And Puzzle Set
LiKee toy set is designed to let children learn the alphabet and numbers. This game is effective and fun as it involves sorting wooden blocks, matching them to cards, and simultaneously learning the letters of the alphabet too. These flashcards are designed to enhance color recognition, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving skills. The cards are safe to use and can be stored and carried easily.
Pros
- Non-toxic and well-crafted pieces
- Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers
- Extra thick and durable
- Filled with colorful, fun, and vibrant illustrations
- Made of 100% natural wood
- Suitable for children aged three years and above
Cons
- May have a peculiar odor when new
- Paint may rub off from the letters
15.Best Travel-Friendly:Wily Fox Sensory Toys
Wily Fox has developed this sensory toy for children with autism, as not all children learn the same way. The educational toy helps develop a child’s fine motor skills, problem-solving skills, verbal skills, memory, logic, and imagination. It is a sorting game with clear rules and instructions so that parents and children understand what the game is about.
Pros
- Apt for bilingual children
- Travel-friendly design
- Enhances visual perception
- Helps children overcome speech delay
Cons
- Cards may have spelling mistakes
- Board may be smaller than expected
How To Choose The Right Montessori Toys?
This is how you can choose the right Montessori toy for your baby.
- No artificial or chemical ingredients:孩子应该被天然产品s much as possible. So, make sure the toys are made of natural materials like wood, metal, cotton, or rock.
- Distraction-free:Buy toys that do not require any batteries and are simple. Toys should be able to keep your little ones engaged and encourage imagination.
- Single skill at a time:One toy should be teaching one skill at a time. Too much in a single toy makes it complicated for the child to learn skills. Advanced toys can be used in later years.
- Purpose-driven:Choose toys that are realistic. Figures of animals or fruits, objects, and such should be as realistic as possible to help the child understand them better. This way, your kid knows how the real thing in the real world looks like.
Montessori toys encourage learning and skill development in toddlers. Less is more for these toys. So, don’t stock up the toys in your kid’s room. Instead, let them learn one skill at a time, with one toy that is appropriate for their age. But, at what age should babies start playing with Montessori toys?
Why Trust MomJunction?
Priti Bose, the author of this article, is experienced in reviewing toys and gifts. She brings a comprehensive list of some of the best Montessori toys for your children. Here, she has shortlisted these toys that will make playing fun and educational at the same time. These toys listed have good user ratings and reviews on leading e-commerce sites. You can check the buying guide to pick the most suitable and age-appropriate toy for your little one.
的Montessori learning system focuses on independence, collaborative play, and hands-on learning. These toys encourage learning and enhance curiosity. Montessori toys are extremely versatile; with these toys, less is more. You can introduce Montessori toys to babies as young as one year. These toys are eco-friendly, purpose-driven, do not contain batteries, and are simple yet effective. Pick the best Montessori toys for babies from this elaborate list of unique and interesting Montessori materials and make your little one’s playtime more enjoyable.
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References:
- Exploring the Pros and Cons of Montessori Education.
https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/pros_cons_montessori_education/ - Toy Safety.
https://www.seattlechildrens.org/health-safety/keeping-kids-healthy/prevention/toy-safety/
