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:

• 1-3 activities on the shelf at a time

  
  

For toddlers:

• 5-6 activities on the shelf at a time

For older children:

• 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.