DIY Montessori Activities For Toddlers (1 to 3 years)

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According to Children during the initial six years of their lives have an absorbent mind and pass through several Sensitive Periods. 

It is detrimental to take the needs and requirements of the child during these Periods of Sensitivity for their holistic development. 

The Montessori Method of Education is a unique pedagogical tool that provides children with appropriate opportunities to thrive and achieve higher academic attainments. 

Montessori Activities are a unique way of promoting physical and cognitive development in children. 

These activities in conjecture with specifically designed Montessori Materials facilitate education that leads the child to the path of optimum development. 

Many Montessori beginners are left perplexed due to the diverse range of Montessori Toys and Montessori Materials available in the market. 

For parents who are interested in creating simple yet exciting Montessori Activities with what they have at home, look no further. 

Here is a list of engaging and intriguing DIY Montessori Activities for toddlers between the ages of 1 to 3 years that can be whipped by what you have at home!

1. Color Sorting Activity:

Bright colors never cease to excite children’s senses. Color Sorting Trays and Color Sorting Activities help isolate the child’s visual sense and help children match colored objects to their designated colors. 

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What you will need: 

  • Different Colored felt or Colored cards (you can make your own colored cards by painting white paper with colors) 
  • Objects that have the same colors as the colored felt or colored cards. 

How to introduce the activity:

  • The activity can be presented either on a tray or on a mat
  • Spread out the colored cards on the floor or the tray 
  • Hide different colored objects in close proximity to the child
  • Instruct the child to go on a scavenger hunt by telling them “go find some green things” or “go find some yellow things”
  • Once the child finds a colored object ask them to place the object on the designated colored card. 

2) Monochromatic Trays Activity:

When the child is successfully able to distinguish between different colors, it is best to introduce the child to different hues, tones, and shades of the same color. 

Montessori Monochrome trays are an interesting and exciting activity that helps children discriminate between different shades of the same color. 

Dr. Maria Montessori advises the parents to first introduce the child to primary colors and later incorporate secondary colors. 

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What you will need:

  • A diverse range of objects in different sizes, shapes, and textures of the same color. 

How to introduce the activity:

  • Place all the objects of the same color in a tray or a basket
  • Instruct the child to explore all the different objects placed in the tray
  • Ask the child to describe the object
  • It is best to tell the child the name of the color and the name of the object to enhance their vocabulary.

3) Montessori Music Activity:

Who doesn’t love music? Music is one of the most significant parts of the Montessori Cultural Program and Montessori Curriculum. 

Montessori Music Trays and Music Baskets are a fun way to enhance the child’s sense of hearing and develop their interest in music. 

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What you will need:

  • Shakers
  • Bells
  • Xylophone
  • Recorder
  • Harmonica
  • A Basket or a Tray

How to introduce the activity:

  • Allow your child to explore new sounds and possibilities by instructing them to use different instruments 
  • Parents should also create a diverse playlist with multiple genres to introduce the child to the wonderful world of music

4) Flower Play Activity:

This activity is an explosion of colors and definitely pleasing to the eyes. The Montessori Method of education encourages children to come closer to nature. 

This Activity helps children explore new textures by touching and observing new colors.

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How to introduce the activity:

All you need are some vibrant flowers for the child to play with. Allow the child to take apart the petals and leaves of the flowers to have a more intimate understanding of their anatomy.

5) Colorful Rice Play Activity:

Household items can be as exciting as Montessori Toys. Montessori Colorful Rice Sensorial activity is an innovative way to introduce the child to different textures and colors. 

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Some ideas that incorporate rice play:

  • Passing Colorful Rice through the funnel
  • Hiding small objects in colorful rice
  • Rice Transferring activities

6) Activity with Stereogenic Mystery Box:

Stereogenic sense is the ability to identify objects on the basis of tactile information without the use of the visual, auditory, gustatory, or olfactory senses. 

This alluring DIY activity helps enhance the child’s stereogenic sense and takes them on an exploration journey they have never experienced before!

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What you will need:

  • A Cardboard box 
  • An object to make holes that can fit the child’s hands
  • Random Objects with varying dimensions and textures 

How to introduce the activity:

  • Invite the child to participate in the activity 
  • Instruct the child to put their hands in the armholes of the Mystery box to sense the objects
  • Ask the child to describe and identify the objects by name

7) Paper Tearing Activity:

It may seem like an absurd idea to associate paper tearing activity as a medium of growth and development in children. 

Well, Paper Tearing Montessori Activity is an age-appropriate activity for children between the ages of 1 to 3 years as it promotes the development of fine motor skills. 

This Montessori DIY Activity is simple and requires only paper and your child’s imaginative ideas. 

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You can also ask the child to tear apart paper and stick them on printed-out images to create their own unique artwork.

8) Nature Tray:

What better way to bring your toddler close to nature, than The Montessori Nature Trays themselves?

Incorporate several items that are easily accessible from your garden or backyard to give your child a one-of-a-kind experience. 

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What you will need:

  • A tray 
  • Several natural items with varying dimensions, textures, and sizes (you can use rocks, pinecones, leaves, feathers, branches, or even seeds)

How to introduce the activity:

  • Prepare the Montessori Nature Tray before you invite the child. 
  • Incorporate several items you have found around your garnered or backyard. 
  • Invite the child to participate in the activity
  • Instruct the child to feel every object placed on the tray and describe their dimensions or texture
  • Lastly, ask the child to describe the items by their names. 

9) Exploring Tools:

The Montessori Method of education embraces the knowledge of practical life education and incorporates several Practical Life Activities as well as Practical Life Materials in the child’s Curriculum. 

Montessori Tool Tray activity helps children get in touch with the real world and real life. 

This activity introduces children to real-life tools and helps them recognize their purpose. This activity is also great for developing the child’s Fine Motor skills. 

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All you need is a tray or a bowl and some child-safe, nuts, bolts, and tools to excite the child’s senses.

10) Activity with Fruit Sensory Tray:

You might get surprised to know much a child can learn just by playing with and looking at fruits! This fun activity expands the child’s vocabulary. 

Montessori Fruit trays are a sensorial explosion! Children are promoted to feel different fruits and enhance their visual, gustatory, as well as tactile senses. 

You can also place several sliced fruits in a bowl of water to encourage children into independently drinking water. 

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