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The Montessori method is an educational system created by Maria Montessori that aims to develop natural instincts, skills and imagination through hands-on learning rather than formal teaching methods. But you don’t have to enroll your kids in a Montessori school to get the benefits of this type of education: you can bring the classroom home by investing in Montessori toys.
Montessori toys are high-quality educational toys that are made of natural materials and they can be beneficial for young children of all ages. When choosing a toy, think about your child’s life stage and what you’re trying to teach them, then select a toy that will help them get there. For example, if your child is learning to walk, a wooden push toy is the perfect pick.
We’ve rounded up some of the best Montessori toys for babies and kids in all stages of life.
The Benefits of Montessori Toys
Montessori toys are a win-win: they’re fun and engaging while also being stimulating and educational. They’re often interactive learning toys that allow kids to learn and play at their own pace. So they are beneficial for kids of all ages, from babies to toddlers.
A few standout benefits of Montessori toys include:
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Provide realistic play experiences that are rooted in the real world rather than fantasy
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Help develop fine and gross motor skills
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Expose children to cooperative playtime
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Let kids be creative and encourage imaginative play
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Improve concentration and problem-solving
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Foster child development
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Teach kids self-discipline
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Improve language and math skills in a fun way
The Best Affordable Montessori Toys for Infants and Toddlers
There’s a lot of baby gear out there. And if you don’t know where to begin, remember that Montessori-inspired toys are great investments for families. And when you purchase them from a consignment store, you can even save a few bucks. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite, budget Montessori toys.
1. Wooden Baby Gym
- Age Range: 0-8 months old
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $42
- Retail: $90
Wooden baby gyms are small structures that are usually made out of unfinished wood that’s then sanded to be smooth to the touch. Your little one will lay underneath the gym, which has wooden toys hanging from a bar that they can touch and play with.
These gyms are nontoxic, beautiful and durable. Plus: they can help with hand-eye coordination and entertain your little one for hours. So, not only do they look nice in the corner of your playroom, but they’re also giving your tiny human a hands-on way to learn more about the world around them.
2. Lovevery The Play Gym
- Age Range: 0-12 months old
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $85
- Retail: $140
Looking for a playtime activity that makes an impact? The Lovevery Play Gym can provide just that. This play gym is designed to grow with your child from newborn to toddler age and includes a safe zone for them to explore and several different types of toys that provide various sensory play activities.
3. Lovevery Magic Tissue Box and Tissues
- Age Range: 5-6 months or older
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $40
- Retail: Part of a play kit that costs $80
Toddlers can entertain themselves for hours by emptying and refilling containers. But when it’s your box of wipes, tissues or breath mints, it might not be quite so charming. The magic tissue box from Lovevery allows children to empty the tissue box and chew on the cloth without potential danger—and without using up your personal hygiene supplies.
4. Lovevery Wooden Ball Drop
- Age Range: 6 months or older
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $42
- Retail: Part of a play kit that costs $80
Object permanence is a child’s ability to know that something is still there even when they can’t see or hear it anymore. This can be an important skill for their learning and development, as it’s the foundation for memory, language and other types of playing.
So teaching kids object permanence is crucial — but where do you begin? Our recommendation: a wooden ball drop. This game helps kids learn repetition while letting them learn more about object permanence.
5. Wooden Activity Cube
- Age Range: 8 months or older
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $34
- Retail: $60
Wooden activity cubes give your kids multiple, entertaining options for a fun and fulfilling day of play. Wooden cubes may also be more durable than their plastic counterparts, as well as being a striking centerpiece for the playroom.
These cubes allow your child to make decisions about which types of activities they want to enjoy while still learning about their environment.
6. Wooden Musical Toys
- Age Range: 3 months or older
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $10
- Retail: $25
Any parent knows it: kids love to make noise. But in addition to being a good time, playing with musical instruments can also help kiddos develop their motor and sensory skills.
Music allows our tiny humans to be creative, have fun and practice their coordination and patience. Plus, who doesn’t love a living room concert?
7. Wooden Puzzles
- Age Range: 12 months or older
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $10
- Retail: $25
Wooden puzzles are a great way to challenge your little ones. Plus, they come in fun, cute designs that can liven up any playroom shelf. Usually, wooden puzzles don’t have pieces that fit together like a traditional puzzle. Instead, they have wooden pieces that fit into corresponding holes in the puzzle board.
8. Wooden Push Toy
- Age Range: 12 months or older
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $16
- Retail: $60
Push toys are great for new walkers. They allow kids that are just getting on their feet the opportunity to practice moving in a safe (and fun) way. Plus, these push toys often make noise while they’re pushed, which can provide extra entertainment for your tiny human.
9. Wooden Cash Register
- Age Range: 3 years or older
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $15
- Retail: $33
Realistic play toys add an extra layer of learning to playtime. But toys like a wooden cash register play set also encourage creativity and open-ended play as your child simulates shopping. These cash registers can help children learn to count and improve their coordination and imagination.
10. Wooden Stacker
- Age Range: 18 months or older
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $8
- Retail: $30
Wooden rainbow stacker games help develop fine motor skills in children of all ages. But as a bonus: these colorful stacking toys are a beautiful decor piece for any toddler bedroom or playroom as well! Kids can learn to stack the pieces in any order they want, helping with coordination and creativity simultaneously.
11. Monti Kids Level 1 box
- Age Range: 0-3 months old
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $126
- Retail: $297
This early-stage Montessori box was developed by teachers in the field who analyzed the tools babies need during each age. In the Level 1 Box, activities focus mostly on vision and grasping activities. The box is structurally similar to a play gym, where your little one lays under it and engages with the activities.
12. BOHS Montessori Bead Stair with Holder
- Age Range: 3 years or older
- Avg. GoodBuy Gear Price: $8.50
- Retail: $14.99
The main goal of the bead stair is to teach kids to count. It’s one of the earliest math lessons in the Montessori curriculum, and it allows kids to touch and manipulate bead strings of different lengths to learn about counting. The ability to touch and hold the beads also helps with motor skills.
Montessori are some of the best toys and best gifts because they have fun benefits for both kids and parents. They teach valuable lessons inspired by Montessori classrooms while being versatile, exciting, engaging and aesthetically pleasing. What’s not so ideal? The price tag.
But with online consignment marketplaces like us, you can score baby gear at an affordable price.
We want you and your tiny humans to have the best. Shop our curated collection of Montessori toys for options at every stage of development and price point.
