Activities for my Infant Toddler Montessori Classroom

Activities for my Infant Toddler Montessori Classroom

Following our sold out CPD course on Infant Toddler Training held on Friday 29th September we decided to publish a blog solely aimed at informing delegates of the activities they can do in their Infant Toddler Montessori Classroom.

Here are some Montessori-inspired activities suitable for toddlers:

Practical Life Skills:

  1. Pouring and Transferring: Provide small pitchers, cups, and containers filled with water or dry beans. Toddlers can practice pouring and transferring between containers, enhancing fine motor skills and concentration.
  2. Dressing Themselves: Encourage toddlers to dress themselves, starting with simple clothing like elastic waistbands, flip coat activity and velcro shoes.

Sensorial Activities:

  1. Texture Exploration: Offer a variety of textured materials like fabrics, sandpaper, and natural objects for tactile exploration.
  2. Matching Games: Use objects or cards with matching pairs to develop visual discrimination skills.

Language Development:

  1. Read Aloud: Share age-appropriate books and read to your toddlers daily. Encourage them to repeat words and phrases.
  2. Labelling Objects: Label items with simple words or pictures to introduce vocabulary.

Math Activities:

  1. Counting: Use objects like buttons or beads for counting practice.
  2. Shape Sorting: Provide shape sorting toys to help toddlers recognise and match shapes.

Art and Creativity:

  1. Drawing and Painting: Offer crayons, coloured pencils, and washable paints for artistic expression.
  2. Nature Art: Collect natural objects like leaves and flowers to create art projects.

Practical Activities:

  1. Setting the Table: Allow toddlers to help set the table for meals, teaching them about order and organisation.
  2. Gardening: If you have a garden, involve them in planting and caring for plants.

Sensory Bins:

  1. Sensory bins filled with rice, beans, or sand: Provide tools like scoops, funnels, and containers for sensory exploration and imaginative play.

Montessori Toys:

  1. Wooden Puzzles: Offer puzzles with knobs to promote hand-eye coordination.
  2. Stacking and Nesting Toys: Toys that can be stacked or nested are excellent for developing fine motor skills and spatial awareness.

Nature Exploration:

  1. Nature Walks: Take nature walks and let toddlers observe and collect natural items like leaves, rocks, and pinecones.
  2. Outdoor Play: Encourage unstructured outdoor play in a safe environment, allowing them to explore and be active.

Practical Cleaning:

  1. Child-sized Broom and Dustpan: Teach them to clean up spills and messes with child-sized cleaning tools.

Remember that Montessori is about allowing children to choose activities that interest them and work at their own pace. Create a prepared environment with easily accessible materials and be patient, allowing toddlers the time they need to explore and learn independently.