Montessori toys for 3 year olds: If you have a toddler, and you are in lockdown, quarantine or it’s just been raining for too many days in a row – you are sure to be on the hunt for some time killing activities – whether familiar with the Montessori way or not, these toys are fantastic for occupying your toddler! These toys come in all different styles, shapes and sizes, ranging from the traditional wooden toys, to make believe farm sets and toddler sized tool kits. Here you will find the best Montessori toys for 3 year olds plus a little guide to what Montessori and Montessori toys specifically are.
So, jump in!
- Best 31 Montessori Toys for 3 Year Olds
- Our Top 5 Montessori Toys for 3 Year Olds
- Why trust My Toddler Life?
Table of Contents
What is the Montessori Method: A Brief Overview
The Montessori Method, created by Maria Montessori, MD, in 1897, is a child-centered approach to education and development that emphasizes hands-on, multi-sensory activities that children can do at their own speed.
The Montessori method encourages parents and instructors to create a place full with developmentally appropriate toys and games, then let children choose which ones they want to play with (this is based on Montessori’s observations of how children naturally learn.)
What Are Montessori Toys?
The Montessori approach is best introduced to your child in the playroom. But how do you know what counts as a Montessori toy? Here are some things to keep an eye out for:
Natural Elements
Montessori staples include toys made of wood, wool, cotton, metal, ceramic, and even rock, which connect children to nature and are often safer to eat (because who doesn’t know a 2 year old that likes to chew on their toys!)
No Bells & Whistles
Montessori toys are made to help children to explore and learn on their own. Rather than buying complicated toys that move and produce sounds on their own, choose passive items that your child must physically operate themselves and include in their pretend play.
Realistic Play Things
Montessori toys are realistic and lifelike, providing a wonderful opportunity to learn about the world around us. Trying to decide between a stuffed dragon and an elephant? Choose an animal that you and your child will be able to visit and learn about later at the zoo.
One-task Learning Toys
Look for educational toys that focus on a single ability at a time. Montessori toys should also feature a built-in “mistake-controller,” which allows children to see if they’ve done the activity correctly.
Toys With a Purpose
Montessori toys can also be child-sized things that allow children to participate in job-like activities such as raking leaves on their own. A child is drawn in by purpose, and makes him or her feel competent and significant in their world.
Montessori Toys for 3 Year Olds: Top 31
Name | Our Thoughts | Price | Star Rating | Buy Now |
 | Best Memory Game | $ | ||
 | Best for Physical Activity | $$$$ | ||
 | For STEM Loving Kids | $$ | ||
 | Fun For The Whole Family | $$ | ||
 | Best Budget Buy | $ | ||
 | The Best Marble Run | $$$ | ||
 | For Ocean Lovers | $ | ||
 | For Budding Builders | $$$ | ||
 | Best Sensory Toy | $$ | ||
 | Best for Geometry Skills | $$ | ||
 | The Best Childhood Classic | $$$ | ||
 | Toddler Obsession | $$$$ | ||
 | Best for Brain Development | $ | ||
 | For Construction Site Lovers | $ | ||
 | For Astronaut Wannabes | $ | ||
 | For The Dollhouse Lover | $$$$ | ||
 | Best for Imaginary Play | $$$$ | ||
 | To Develop Hand-Eye Coordination | $ | ||
 | Develop Problem-Solving Skills | $$$$ |
Montessori Toys for 3 Year Olds: Our Top 5
eeBoo I Never Forget A Face Memory & Matching Game
The smiling faces of 24 children from countries all over the world are fun and sometimes challenging to match in this memory game. The back cover shows each child and identifies their home country.
About eeBoo: eeBoo is woman-owned specialty toy and gift company based in New York City committed to designing products that encourage curiosity, imagination, and creativity in people of all ages. They create refreshing toys and gifts that are 100% original and commission their artwork from well-known and well-loved children’s book illustrators.
This toy ticks the boxes for the following Montessori elements:
- One-task toy
- No bells & whistles
Melissa & Doug Construction Jigsaw Puzzles
Set includes four wooden, 12-piece construction vehicle jigsaw puzzles— a cement mixer, a bulldozer, a dump truck and an excavator— each stored in a separate compartment of a sturdy wooden box! The slide-on box lid doubles as a convenient puzzle board! Each puzzle piece is shape-coded on the back for easy sorting. Great for travel!
This toy ticks the boxes for the following Montessori elements:
- Natural elements
- No bells & whistles
- One-task toys
Kinetic Sand, Dig & Demolish Playset Playset
Create and destroy in equal parts with this awesome Kinetic Sand Dig & Demolish Truck playset! Scoop up or crush the sand with the included truck and jackhammer toys. There are even moulds provided to form bricks! Role play building your very own Kinetic Sand structures, and demolish them back to their sandy default state at your leisure!
Features:
- Scoop or crush with the truck’s detachable tools! Mold bricks and crush them with the jackhammer tool. Clip on the scooper front loader and clean up your construction site!
- Open up the Dig & Demolish box to reveal a construction-themed enclosed play space! When you’re finished playing, pack everything back into the box for easy clean up and storage.
- Feel the difference with Kinetic Sand, the original magical, mouldable, and mesmerising sand. Its unique formula makes it stick together so it easily shapes and molds. Once you pick Kinetic Sand up, you won’t be able to put it down!
- The Kinetic Sand Dig & Demolish set is perfect for creative and imaginative play and makes a great gift for kids aged 3 and up.
- Kinetic Sand is made from natural sand and is wheat, gluten and casein free, making it safe for play. Build, dig and crush
This toy ticks the boxes for the following Montessori elements:
- Realistic
- Purpose-based
Hape Quadrilla Cliffhanger Marble Run
Hape Quadrilla is a high-quality wooden marble run construction system
It provides quality time for the whole family to play together, which is the best gift for you and your loved ones. It provides endless creative building possibilities and encourages spatial thinking and problem solving. Each of the seven different color blocks has a different function, and it’s the world’s only kinetic marble run. Providing over a thousand happy playing hours, Quadrilla is worth every penny.
Features:
- All Quadrilla marble run sets are crafted with heirloom quality birch and rubber wood.
- Every Quadrilla marble run provides a combination of a great mix of spins, drops, & seesaws
- The Cliffhanger includes three gutters that make your marbles around the outside of blocks
- Combines easily with other Hape Quadrilla products for expansion and unique combinations
- Hape Toy finishes are all non-toxic, child safe and of the highest quality.
- Hape constructs their toys using FSC accredited wood products.
This toy ticks the boxes for the following Montessori elements:
- Natural materials
- One-task toy
Best For Brain Development – Maths For Love Tiny Polka Dot Card Game
Features:
- Sixteen easy-to-learn games help kids fall in love with numbers!
- Playfully teaches counting, arithmetic, and logic
- Vibrant, colorful designs
- Easy to adapt for any child
This toy ticks the boxes for the following Montessori elements:
- No bells & whistles
- One-task toy
- Purpose-based
Why trust My Toddler Life?
My Toddler Life is run by mum’s, for mum’s. All information provided on our site is thoroughly researched and takes in to consideration our lived experiences and the opinions of industry professionals. How are we different from other sites doing the same thing? We have fun while doing it (often with a glass of wine in hand) and don’t take ourselves too seriously!
To wrap it all up: Montessori Toys for 3 Year Olds
Thank you for making it this far with me. I hope that at least one of these tips & images resonates with you & your family when it comes to your hunt for the best Montessori toys for your 3 year old – I am here to help. We’ve had a look at an overview of the Montessori method & Montessori toys – and I’ve then provided a breakdown of the best Montessori toys for 3 year olds based off personal experience, friends experience and the advice of experts. I hope it’s all been helpful – please comment below with any tips I may have forgotten! For more developmental toddler toys, check out our guide on the best first bikes for your 3 year old or Pikler Climbing Frames
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