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Best Montessori Toddler Toys

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A guide to the best Montessori toys for your children 12-36 months
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12-15 months

 
Katrina Begari profile picture
I love this kit its great for developing focus and more dexterity. We had gotten the circle puzzle but a friend gifted the kit to us later on. The circle puzzle is a child's first puzzle, with a single, large knob that is easy to grasp. It helps the...
The Inspector Play Kit
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
A push walker provides stability and independence as a toddler begins to walk. Unlike plastic walkers, a wooden one encourages a natural walking gait and helps them build confidence in their new gross motor skills. The resistance can be adjusted, whi...
HABA Walker Wagon - Wooden Baby Push Walker, Sit to Stand Walker for Baby Learning to Walk, Push Toys for Toddlers 1-3 with Seat & Storage, 10 Months+
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
The Play Kit includes a Drop & Match Dot Catcher, which is a toy my daughter really enjoyed. You may have to play with or monitor your child because there are a few smaller pieces. However, this toy focuses on matching, a classic Montessori act...
The Helper Play Kit
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
This is an open-ended toy that encourages sorting and transferring. A child can use their hands, a spoon, or tongs to move the felt balls from one basket to another, which hones their fine motor skills and introduces early concepts of classification ...
Rainbow Nesting Bowls With Balls, Montessori Color Sorting Toy

16-20 months

 
Katrina Begari profile picture
This toy helps a child understand size discrimination and order. They must use problem-solving skills to figure out which ring to place next. It also improves hand-eye coordination and patience.
Melissa & Doug Rainbow Stacker Wooden Ring Educational Toy, 18+ months
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
These cylinders are a foundational Montessori material. They isolate the concept of dimension and size, requiring a child to use visual and motor skills to find the correct fit. This work builds concentration and a sense of order.
Montessori Sensorial Materials Mini Knobbed Cylinders
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Katrina Begari profile picture
A Pikler triangle is a large, versatile gross motor toy. It supports physical development by allowing a toddler to safely practice climbing, pulling up, and navigating heights. It helps them understand their body's capabilities and build confidence a...
Bluewood Montessori Triangle Climbing Set, Indoor Playground for Kids, 3-Piece
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
Montessori-aligned books use real images rather than illustrations to help children make a connection to the world around them. Simple board books with clear pictures of animals, objects, and people support vocabulary development and language skills....
My First Library - by Wonder House Books (Mixed Media Product)

21-25 months

 
Katrina Begari profile picture
My daughter didn't have this but I wish I would have known about it! She loves to help but is always stealing my broom! This set is meant to help mimick real-life tasks, which is a core part of the Montessori philosophy. A child-sized cleaning set a...
Melissa & Doug Dust! Sweep! Mop! 6pc Wooden Pretend Play Preschool Cleaning Set
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
I love these eggs because they will last you years for different purposes. My daughter used these to kind of improve fine motor skills when she was around 2. Then they turned into supplies for her play kitchen which she still uses at 4. These eggs ...
Coogam Matching Easter Eggs, Learning Educational Fine Motor Skill Montessori Baby Toys for Toddler 1 2 3 Year Old(12pcs Packs)
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
I love these kind of puzzles with the knobs because it makes it so much easier for young children to grasp. These kind of puzzles have multiple pieces so they challenge a child to recognize different shapes and fit them into a puzzle board, which imp...
Melissa & Doug First Shapes Wooden Jumbo Peg Puzzle - 5 Pieces With Handles (Babies, Toddlers)
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
Threading beads onto a string is a calming and focused activity that builds hand strength, pincer grasp, and bilateral coordination. It's an excellent preparatory work for future skills like writing and tying shoes.
Melissa & Doug Primary Lacing Beads - Educational Toy With 30 Wooden Beads and 2 Laces

26-30 months

 
Katrina Begari profile picture
I like this brand specifically because they are made using chemical-free rubberwood, formaldehyde-free glue, organic pigments and water-based dyes. Blocks are great for promoting skill development through open-ended play.
Plantoys| Colorful 40 Unit Blocks
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
I like the KidKraft kitchen because it looks very realistic and not so much toy-like. It does look like a mini kitchen which was important to me. A play kitchen provides an environment for "practical life" and imaginative play. A child can mimic co...
KidKraft Uptown Wooden Play Kitchen for Kids, White
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
This type of busy board is more focused on fine motor skills and problem-solving. It allows a child to explore how different fasteners work, such as latches, buckles, and zippers, which are skills they will use in their daily life.
Melissa & Doug Latches Wooden Activity Board - FSC Certified Materials
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
These tools encourage practical life skills like scooping, pouring, and transferring. A child can use them with dry materials like rice, beans, or sand, which provides a rich sensory experience and refines their motor control.
Melissa & Doug Stir and Serve Cooking Utensils (7pc) - Stainless Steel and Wood

31-36 months

 
Katrina Begari profile picture
What kid doesn't love Magna-Tiles?! These magnetic tiles are an open-ended building toy that fosters creativity, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving. A child can create both two-dimensional and three-dimensional structures, and the magnets provide...
MAGNA-TILES Clear Colors 74pc Set
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Katrina Begari profile picture
This is a fantastic toy for developing fine motor skills and practical life skills. A child can practice using different keys to open and close doors, which is a functional skill they will use in daily life. The doorbells add a fun sensory element.
Melissa & Doug Take-Along Wooden Doorbell Dollhouse - Doorbell Sounds, Keys, 4 Poseable Wooden Dolls
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
My daughter loves building with blocks and she also has a toy farm so I thought this would be great for her, and it was! The little trains with the magnets remind me of a train set I had growing up. A wooden train set is a classic toy that encourag...
BRIO Farm Railway Set Train Set
 
Katrina Begari profile picture
A balance bike is a foundational gross motor toy that helps a child develop balance and coordination before they learn to pedal. It gives them a sense of independence and prepares them for a lifetime of active play.
Strider Sport 12" Kids' Balance Bike - Pink: Adjustable Handlebar & Seat, Steel Frame