Montessori Shelves
Available in 3 Sizes
Why Choose Montessori Shelves Over A Standard Toy Bin?
1. Independence
Montessori shelves provide young children with more independence than traditional toy bins by allowing them to easily access and remove the materials for play.
2. Order
The open shelves allow for organization of materials at an age when order is very important. Before the age of 6, children are in what Dr. Montessori refers to as the Sensitive Period For Order. This is a time when a calm and orderly space brings a level of control to a child’s life. The shelves are a place where children can find things easily and put them back where they belong.
3. Choice
These shelves prevent young children from becoming overwhelmed by too many choices and allows them to begin the skill of classification. For example, all the balls go in the small grey basket, this puzzle goes on the tray, etc. The ability to make choices at a young age helps in the development of problem solving and decision making skills.
How To Organize Your Montessori Shelves
It is important to consider the age and stage of the child when deciding on the number of materials to place on the shelves.
1. Limit The Number Of Activities
For Infants:
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1-3 activities on the shelf at a time
For toddlers:
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5-6 activities on the shelf at a time
For older children:
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6-8 activities on one shelf but you can now add another shelf
Too many activities and choices can be overwhelming for small children. A limited number of choices encourages mastery of a skill through repetition.
2. Rotate Materials To Keep The Space Fresh And Engaging
When your child loses interest in an activity, that is when you know it is time to change it up. Simply put the current activity away for another time and replace it with something fresh and exciting.
Note: Bringing out activities again at a later stage of development allows children to interact with it in a completely different way and it will feel like a brand new toy.
3. Arrange From Top Left To Bottom Right In Increasing Difficulty
Montessori does most things in the same approach you would with reading - left to right and top to bottom. It's a logical progression that also helps prepare the child for reading down the road.
In the case of shelf setup, this means you would put the easiest activity in the top left corner and the most difficult in the bottom right. This allows children to work through the shelf in an intuitive way.
4. Have Your Child Help With Shelf Rotation
Most children have a strong attention to detail and will immediately notice when something is different around the home, especially in 'their' spaces, like the playroom or bedroom.
It will be less stressful for your child if you allow them to participate in shelf rotation and help you pack up the old materials and/or set out the new materials.
🇨🇦 Canadian Parents Love Us 🇨🇦
“The Montessori Room sources high quality (and often Canadian made) Montessori items. ”
"The Montessori Room sources high quality (and often Canadian made) Montessori items. We purchased a beautiful birch toy shelf and a few other items my son absolutely loves."
— Courtney Edmundson
" I am so happy with all of my purchases from The Montessori Room."
"The delivery was super quick, the customer service was great, and the products are great quality. I am grateful to have a Montessori shop in the GTA that offers such great programming, resources and products."
— Devon Bennett
"I'm just so excited that I found The Montessori Room. "
"I have a one year old grandson and I research toys endlessly, especially educational toys but if you're like me, that research can be time consuming and exhaustive. I feel like the research part has been done for me by the wonderful team at the Montessori Room..."
— Laura Carbell-Gillis
“The Montessori Room curates the most beautiful children’s toys.”
" I have now ordered or referred friends to the site a few times and every experience has been a positive one. I really appreciate their carefully selected collection and emphasis on sourcing Canadian-made products. "
—Jennifer Gleed
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Montessori Shelf is available in 3 Sizes:
Mini: 30"W x 14"H x 11"D
Single Height: 36"W x 14"H x 11"D
Double Height: 36″W x 28″H x 14″D
Note these measurements are the functional space of the shelf, the inner area.
If you have any questions or concerns about the measurements and whether or not this will fit into a specific area, please call us before purchasing.
Each Montessori Shelf unit is made from unfinished Baltic Birch - a high-grade plywood - that brings the natural world indoors.
You can set up a Montessori Shelf in your play space or child's bedroom right from the start! The shelves are a great way to organize your child's toys.
For infants, having toys on a low shelf encourages them to move and crawl toward the materials.
From age 6 months to 6 years, children are in the Sensitive Period for Order and they like to see their materials organized and accessible. It gives them the ability to navigate the space independently and they don't feel overwhelmed by too many choices.
The shelves are unfinished.
If you choose to add a finish, we recommend a water-based varnish.
Yes! Assembly can be done in 5 minutes, using only a screwdriver!
Check out our shelf storage options:
Wood trays (available in S/M/L)
Melamine trays (great for water work)