This box of learning materials is designed to support your child's development from approximately 12 to 18 months and beyond.

1. 5 Circles Knob Puzzle helps to develop hand-eye coordination, visual discrimination skills and the pincer grasp (thumb and index finger).  Puzzles are an excellent toy for developing independent play skills too.  

   
   

2. Wooden Box with 2 Lids is 2 activities in 1!  The carrot lid helps to develop hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills. The coin lid refines hand-eye coordination and the pincer grasp due to the thin slot and wooden coins.

   
   

3. Fruit Puzzle adds a new challenge to the previous puzzle in this box by introducing irregular shapes.  This continues to develop and refine their visual discrimination skills.  This puzzle can also be used to develop language skills and enrich vocabulary as the child learns the names of the different fruits.  

   
   

4. Wooden Peg Board includes 16 colourful wooden pegs.  Manipulating the pegs develops and refines fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity. The pegs can be stacked on top of one another to create a tower, adding a new way to explore!

   
   

5. Bead Stringing strengthens fine motor skills and manual dexterity.  Both hands are working together.  Holding the end of the lead helps to strengthen the pincer grasp and stringing the beads helps to develop concentration skills.  

   
   

6. Slide Car Racing is a fun and engaging toy that helps to develop visual tracking skills, logic, i.e. learning to anticipate the path of an object and gross motor skills.  

   
   

7. Felt Insect Board helps to develop language skills and imagination.  The insects are realistically designed, providing the child with an accurate picture of each insect so they can begin to recognize these insects out in the natural world.

   
   

8. BOOK - Zayden Goes to the Dentist helps to prepare children on what to expect during a dentist visit.  Introduces children to different tools that may be used, what a dentist’s office typically looks like, etc. using real photographs.  

A Montessori approach is an amazing way to help children develop:

• Natural curiosity about the world

• Love of learning

• Independence

• Confidence

• Critical thinking skills

And it does this in a few simple ways:

1. Less Is More

“The child who concentrates is immensely happy.” - Dr. Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

While some Montessori materials can be expensive, the beautiful thing about Montessori is that less is more. This allows you to invest in fewer high quality items instead of piles of plastic toys.

Maria Montessori and other researchers have found that children learn through repetition. Performing the same actions over and over help establish neural connections, cementing a concept in a child's brain.

To encourage repetition and keep the play space feeling less overwhelming, you can setup a Montessori shelf with a limited amount of activities:

• For infants (under 12 months): place 1-3 toys on the shelf at a time

• For toddlers (12 months and up): place 3-6 toys on the shelf at a time

You can also encourage your child to choose just one activity or toy at a time, placing it back in its place before choosing a new activity. This helps children focus and prevents them from becoming overwhelmed by a room cluttered with toys all over the ground.

3. Teach Care For the Environment

Montessori believed that a child's environment is a key component to learning. Yes, there are more strict ways to set up Montessori in your home but if you're just getting started, don't stress about the details.

What's important is that your child learns to respect and care for their things and the things in their environment.

This can simply be reminding them to handle their toys with care, watering the plants, cleaning up after a meal, or making their bed.