Montessori Materials Guide - From Birth To One

As LO turns one this month, I wanted to put together all the Montessori materials which we've used from birth through LO's first year. Whether you're an expectant parent or a parent new to Montessori philosophy, please note that you don't need to buy all the materials for your child to be a Montessori parent. The purpose of this list (no affiliate links) is to serve as a guide for developmentally appropriate materials for your little ones. The prepared adult is more important than any of the materials for a baby.

Also, the below timeline is that of LO's and it need not necessarily align with your child's. When introducing materials to your child, please follow their developmental needs. Also most of the materials except for the visual mobiles, were used throughout LO's first year through toy rotation and not necessarily only during the mentioned timeframe. For example, the egg shakers which we introduced around 0 - 3 months for auditory development, were used by LO by shaking them for rhythm and music later.

0 - 3 months

Materials with focus on aiding visual development, auditory development, tummy time

• Visual mobiles

• Music box

• Dumbbell rattle

• Djeco wood lion baby rattle

• Taggies see me rattle

• Giraffe natural rubber rattle

• Colorful clutch ball

• Ele and ball rattle

• Egg shakers

4 - 6 months

Materials with focus on facilitating tactile experiences, grasping, teething, gross motor movement including rolling over, crawling, sitting up

• Christmas bell ornament as a tactile mobile

• Hanging wooden teether

• Grasping beads

• Cylinder rattle

• Crochet shaker rattle

• Wooden crochet teether and rattle ring

• Textured multi balls

• Maraca

• Interlocking discs

• Rolling bell cylinder

• Baby Einstein bendy ball rattle

• Rattle and roll car

7 - 9 months

Materials with focus on grasping, hand-eye coordination, object permanence, music, gross motor movement including pulling up, standing, cruising

• Rolling rattle

• Object permanence box with tray and ball

• Finger castanet

• Hand puppet

• Ball / egg / peg in a cup

• Palmer grasp puzzle

• Pull up bar (DIY)

• Solid wooden drum

• Play scarves

• Xylophone

10 - 12 months

Materials with focus on stacking, object permanence, music, gross motor movement including walking

• Pincer grasp puzzle

• Imbucare box with ball

• Object permanence box with drawer and ball

• Silicone suction cups

• 3 in 1 stacker set

• Stack up cup toys

• Beads maze

• Ramp racer

• Tambourine

• Basic shapes puzzle set

• Walker wagon

General

• Activity gym

• Sheepskin rug

• Acrylic mirror

• Shelf

• Playmat

• Rainbow stacker

For those materials which are no longer available in the storefront where I've purchased from, I've provided the links to comparable products in the same / different storefronts.

Hope you find this guide helpful. Please remember that these materials on LO's shelf is a very small part of our day and is not the only part of our day. ❤