Montessori Toys – Wooden or Not?

Wooden materials are very common in Montessori classrooms, along with glass, metal, and other “real” materials. As often as possible, Montessori environments avoid the use of plastic. Of course, this is not always reasonable or possible, though we try.

Why not wooden?

Given the choice, I would purchase wooden options for toys and materials for play and homeschool. I outline why, below. But there are somethings I will not buy a wooden variety of and others I simply don’t.

When looking at which materials to purchase or create, I have a few things to consider. Firstly, what is the child to be learning from the material? Is there something to be lost, or gained, from going a non-traditional route? Next, I compare costs. There are a variety of companies making Montessori materials and many ideas for DIY materials. Can I easily make this material myself or is it time consuming? Do the supplies to make it cost almost as much as the material itself? Finally, how long will the material be used? When in a classroom, I know it will be used by many children over many years and a higher quality is best. At home, a material may only be used for a short time and maybe only with my children.

There are also things that I intentionally do not buy wooden versions of. Even in my classroom, I did not use wooden animals to learn about animals. If we were studying animals, such as animals of South America, I would have a collection of plastic, painted figures. They are often very realistic and give a good idea of what an animal looks like. I have used wooden animals, though they are displayed as art from a culture or as a polishing work. At home, LEGO blocks are a favorite. We have wooden blocks too, but the LEGOs have their own benefits.

For math work, I bought a box of bead bars. I did not want paper and I did not want to do it myself, the cost was reasonable and I can use these bead bars for most anything we needed bead bars for. When it came time to display the bead stair for my youngest, I looked at buying a bead stair tray. It was far more expensive than I was willing to pay, but we needed something. Cue water, baking soda, and corn starch! I made a quick “clay” that has been serving us well. It’s not perfect but my kids’ attention is drawn to the beautiful beads and they easily complete the activity.

A Final Consideration

Maria Montessori spent a lot of time developing specific materials to be used in the classroom. What she did not do was design toys to be used in free play at home. When looking at which toys to bring in, think about what your child may gain or learn from them, their longevity, and how interested your child may actually be in the toy. We have Barbie dolls at home. They’re used nearly every day for some very imaginative stories. They live in the wooden block houses my kids build and sometimes in cardboard boxes. And I’m OK with it. I don’t like “character” toys so you won’t find toys from popular TV shoes and movies in our home, but that’s just my own preference.

Why wooden, anyway?

Montessori environments aim to give children real experiences. The classroom is meant to feel like home, but at a child’s size. Tables, chairs, shelves, and sinks are low. They are given ceramic and glass cups and dishes- while some may break, they also learn the importance of being respectful of materials.

I love wooden toys and materials. Wood materials are beautiful. They draw children and adults alike to the shelves, eager to see, touch, and explore them. Whether it’s a wooden carving a child can polish or the classic “Pink Tower,” wood is an attractive material.

Additionally, wood material carries weight. When a child picks up the wood carving to polish it, he can feel the substance of the carving. It encourages him to treat it more carefully as he moves and turns it as he polishes it. When a child is building the pink tower, she begins with the smallest cube and carries each to her rug, one at a time. The smallest cube is tiny and nearly weightless. With each cube, the weight increases in correlation with the size. By the time she is lifting the tenth cube, the weight is far more substantial. As a sensorial material, this is incredibly important. Had the cubes been made of plastic, it would not have the same effect.

Further, wooden materials are more natural, giving yet another connection to the natural world for the child. Nature is an important part of Montessori philosophy, so it is only fitting to choose materials to encourage that connection. Being a natural material, it is kinder to the environment to use wooden materials over plastic. Not only do wooden materials typically last much longer than plastic materials, but they are biodegradable.

In Your Own Home

What works for my family? This is the question I ask frequently when buying things, whether for the household or for my children. When I see other people buying something I might not want in my house, that’s ok. We all have different priorities, tastes, and needs. You might love that print of Picasso in your home but I love the relatively unknown artist’s painting from a favorite vacation spot.

What considerations do you make when buying Montessori-aligned materials?