The 10 Best Montessori Toys on Amazon

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The Montessori approach to education focuses on simplicity. That includes when it comes to toys! If you’re searching for beautiful, simple and well-made toys that will stimulate your little learner, you don’t have to spend a bundle! Read on for the best Amazon Montessori toys for babies and toddlers.

Our kids crave simplicity. Playrooms that are cluttered and full of noisy, blinking toys can be overstimulating. I know if you’re like me, you know how easy it is to add more toys and just stuff what you have into the toy box. All of a sudden it feels like the toys are bursting out of every room!

Quality and quantity of toys matter when it comes to the Montessori approach to learning. By being mindful in the types of toys you give your kids, you can help set them up for success! Montessori-friendly toys are fantastic for sparking imagination, improving hand eye coordination and setting the stage for hours of fun.

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What Is the Montessori Method?

The Montessori Method encourages children to learn by exploring the world around them through play. Play lets them develop their imagination, learn more about their surroundings and make sense of the world around them.

“The Montessori Method of education, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood.

It is an approach that values the human spirit and the development of the whole child—physical, social, emotional, cognitive,” and is the basis of the Montessori school approach.

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What is a Montessori Toy?

Montessori-friendly toys support the same educational philosophies as the Montessori approach, and are many of the same toys that you might find in Montessori classrooms. At their most basic, a Montessori toy is a simple toy. When children are surrounded by toys with too many noises, colors and parts, they might feel overwhelmed.

Montessori toys should be ones that stimulates learning by encouraging children to experiment. The toy should give them the opportunity to use their creativity and play independently at their own pace. It should also be a toy they can hold and touch, to assist in developing fine motor skills and gross motor skills. As Montessori toys are high quality and last a long time, they are great for multiple age groups as their simple design is ideal to grow with your little ones.

While the list of toys on this list are some of the best Montessori toys for a 1 year old, they are also great for older babies through older toddlers, too!

Quality and quantity of toys matter when it comes to the Montessori approach to learning. By being mindful in the types of toys you give your kids, you can help set them up for success! There are also specific Montessori materials to keep in mind when it comes to the toy you choose. Many Montessori-friendly toys made from natural materials and include wooden toys that are durable and safe, making them some of the best toys for young children.

This list of simple toys are some of the best Montessori toys on Amazon (and most are available with Amazon Prime), and are great choices for babies and young toddlers. Read on for the perfect additions to bring beauty and simplicity to your child’s play area.

The 10 Best Montessori Toys on Amazon

If you’re searching for some of the best Montessori toys for a 1 year old, you’re in the right place! The below toys on this list are some of my own personal favorite Montessori toys for my children. These are great for babies through young toddlers, and are a wonderful place to start when building your own at-home Montessori classroom (or fun playroom).

1. Montessori Phonetic Reading Blocks

These hands on letter wooden blocks are perfect for early learners. Twist a block and easily create different rhyming words, allowing your child to blend sounds into words. This is a great way to help spark excitement early language development, too!

SHOP>> Get these classic letter blocks here.

2. Sandpaper Letter Card Set

If you’re not familiar with these, sandpaper letter cards allow your child to trace each letter with his finger for extra sensory play stimulation. Your little one will be so excited to work with these cards and learn his letters, as they “feel cool” each time!

SHOP>> Find these sandpaper letter cards here.

3. Life Skills Fine Motor Boards (aka “Busy Board”)

One thing I truly love about the Montessori approach is the focus on promoting life skills and independence from an early age. This colorful fine motor board (or busy board) will help your little one learn multiple fine motor skills involved in dressing himself, encouraging independence and confidence!

SHOP>> Grab this toddler busy board here.

4. Wooden Rainbow Stacking Set

Great for developing early education, color recognition, counting and hand-eye coordination, this colorful set also sparks creativity and imagination.

There’s a reason rainbow stackers are one of the best Montessori toys on Amazon and a favorite of so many parents: they offer so many opportunities for imaginative play, and is a toy that can grow with your child for years to come! These are also the perfect size for small hands to hold and grasp easily.

SHOP>> Order the wooden rainbow stacking set here.

Related: Looking for Montessori toddler bed inspiration? How about building your own? Learn more and read the DIY tutorial for our DIY Montessori House Bed!

5. Rainbow Counting Bears and Cups

This classic counting set comes with rainbow colored sorted cups and matching bears, and is perfect for teaching colors and numbers! This set remains one of the best Montessori toys on amazon, as it can create so many different opportunities for open-ended play.

SHOP>> Grab the Montessori counting bear set here

6. Wooden Geometric Puzzles

Many Montessori toys are meant to grow with your child, and these wooden puzzles are no exception. Your little learner can learn basic shapes now, and practice math with them later! These also double as a fun shape sorter, because there are so many colorful, different shapes of wooden blocks included.

SHOP>> Check out these beautiful wooden geometric puzzles here!

7. Jumbo Wooden ABC Lacing Beads

These jumbo wooden block classic ABC lacing beads allow your child to match by color, make up words, stack the letters and more. These are the right size for little hands, and a fun way to stimulate brain development and hand-eye coordination.

SHOP>> Find these colorful lacing beads here.

8. Melissa & Doug Dust, Sweep, Mop Play Set

True story: my 2 year old is OBSESSED with this play set, and he loves to help clean up using it! This great and simple cleaning set helps teach your little one about cleaning up after himself, building independence and a sense of personal responsibility.

SHOP>> Order your cleaning set here.

9. Wooden Music Set

Kids instinctively love music, and creating their own helps to stimulate learning in new and fun ways. Musical instruments are also fantastic for family time when you have “band practice.” By spending time together, your little learner develops collaborative and problem solving skills, making them a confident, valuable team player as they progress in life.

SHOP>> Find this great musical instrument set here.

10. Wooden Sensory Bin Tools

These wooden tools are the perfect size for little hands and are perfect for your sensory bin play and exploration. This set becomes even more fun when you add some fun colored rice with How to Dye Rice for a Sensory Bin!

SHOP>> Order this set of sensory bin tools here.

Amazon Montessori Toys for 1 Year Olds are Great for Years of Fun!

Montessori-friendly toys are the real thing when it comes to toys that will last your little ones for years to come. These are my favorite finds and some of the best Montessori toys on Amazon, but are only a small sample of the great toy options out there! Educational toys are such a solid investment in the future for your children, and not only will lead to hours of fun, but will help their minds develop, too.

The Montessori philosophy is one that more and more parents are interested in learning about. Interested in learning more about Montessori toys and education? Be sure to also check out 9 of the Best Montessori Toys for a 6 Month Old Baby if you’re looking for toys geared towards a slightly younger age group, and DIY Montessori House Bed too! Be sure to also check out these playroom ideas on a budget!

Which one does your little learner love the most? Did I miss any of your favorite Amazon Montessori toys for a 1 year old?

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14 Comments

    1. I’m so glad! Montessori style toys are fantastic gift ideas; they truly grow with little ones so much longer than some of the other toys out there.

    1. Hi Alice! That’s part of the appeal of Montessori-style toys; they allow little ones to use their imaginations and utilize the toys for so many different games and stages as they grow!

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