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To choose the best Montessori toys for a 6-month-old, it is important to take into account your child’s level of development. Montessori believed that children should be provided with the resources that can help them to learn new skills by themselves, depending on what they are already able to do. She believed that kids needed toys with which they can experiment and interact with.
There has been ongoing debate about what “Montessori toys” mean and whether the term really exists. The truth is, at the time when Maria Montessori first began teaching underprivileged kids in rural Italy, toys were not as omnipresent as they are today.
Back then, she would select simple resources from the surrounding environment and encourage the children to play with those resources. Montessori always selected the resources that allowed kids to develop specific skills.
Today, “Montessori toys”, or “Montessori-inspired toys” share similar characteristics.
Choosing Montessori toys for a 6-month-old
Many Montessori toys share the same features. Here are a few common characteristics of these toys:
- They encourage manipulation. Good Montessori toys for 6-month-olds promote interaction.
- They are designed in a way that appeals to children.
- They are developmentally appropriate, meaning that they are simple and easy to use for the age group that they target.
- They have a specific purpose (or several purposes) in mind. For example, they may target the development of your child’s fine or gross motor skills, their visual perception skills or even their creativity.
- The best Montessori toys for a 6-month-old are open-ended and allow kids to play with them in many different ways. These toys are great for the development of children’s imagination and creativity.
- They are made from safe and durable materials. Most Montessori toys are made of wood even though some Montessori-inspired toys are made from safe, non-toxic plastic.
What are the best Montessori toys for a 6-month-old?
Six months is an interesting time in your baby’s development. They are staying awake longer and they are increasingly interested in the world around them.
At around this age, your baby is making their first sounds and starting to communicate in their own way. For instance, they can shout out their frustration if they are unable to reach an object that they would like to play with.
6-month-olds are also curious about any object that crosses their path, and they will try to learn more about such objects by “mouthing” them! They have learned to grasp objects in their hands and can even pass these objects from one hand to the other.
They are just starting to sit and to become more aware of the wonderful world around them! They are also enjoying tummy time more and are able to grab the objects that interest them while in this position.
At six months, your baby is also developing important skills such as their fine motor and visual discrimination skills.
The best Montessori toys for a 6-month-old therefore take into account babies’ level of development and help them to develop or reinforce their skills.
Here are some of the best Montessori toys for your baby.
The best Montessori toys for a 6-month-old for developing their fine motor skills
This rainbow drum, which is perfect for tummy time, will help reinforce your baby’s fine motor skills by developing their arm and wrist muscles. They will be captivated by the spinning drum which they can use even if they haven’t learned to sit by themselves yet.
This award-winning wooden bead maze is a must if you’re looking for Montessori toys for your 6-month-old baby!
Its bright colors will attract your baby’s attention and entertain them for long periods of time. They can take the maze everywhere to practice their hand-eye coordination and develop their fine motor skills.
You’ll love these stacking cups because of their design, and your baby will love them because they can play with them endlessly AND chew on them!
These stacking cups have different patterns and different colors that will help develop your child’s visual perception skills. They are also perfect for developing their fine motor skills.
They are also made from safe materials, meaning that your baby can safely bite them. We love that they can also use them during bath time!
Every 6-year-old needs stacking rings to develop their fine motor skills, and your baby will love stacking and knocking down these large and colorful ones!
This toy proposes 8 soft stacking building rings that are easy to squeeze and to bite! They are made from non-toxic materials and they are easy to clean.
Montessori toys for a 6-month-old for developing gross motor skills
This climbing triangle is a great Montessori toy for strengthening your baby’s gross motor skills. They will be able to use this toy in different ways as they grow older: crawling under, sliding, balancing themselves, and so on.
Let’s make Organic Wooden Play Gym
If your baby doesn’t have a play gym yet, they will love this beautiful play gym made of organic wood.
There are so many things that they will be able to do with this gym, including practicing stretching exercises by kicking which will help develop their gross motor skills.
We love that this foldable play gym is easy to set up and store away.
Montessori toys for a 6-month-old to develop other skills
This rainbow stacking toy is a great Montessori toys for a 6-month-old because it allows them to develop both their fine motor skills and their creativity. This is an open-ended toy, meaning that your child can use it in any way that they imagine.
These beautiful stacking toys are made from BPA free materials. Their rounded form will allow your baby to make all sorts of different shapes.
If you are looking for an economical choice, this bundle proposes a set of over 20 individual pieces with up to 12 different colored blocks, 6 soft stacking rings and 4 squishy and sensory toy balls.
Babies take some time before they understand that an object does not cease to exist just because they can’t see it! This is why they can fuss or cry when you leave a room, because they are yet to understand that someone (or something) who leaves comes back.
This object permanence box will help your baby better understand the concept of object permanence.
The box comes with a wooden tray and three brightly colored balls that will attract and keep their attention. It is also a great option for developing their visual perception skills and hand-to-eye coordination.
Sensory 2 in 1 Shape Sorting & Rattle Toys
This Montessori toy is great for your 6-month-old. They will love putting the different pieces inside the box and figuring out how to take them out. The vibrant colors will attract and keep their attention and they will be able to explore different textures.
This award-winning play gym was designed by developmental experts to ensure that your baby gets the best out of their gym. This gym proposes activities covering up to five different developmental zones to engage your baby.
This evolutive toy will help them develop different skills at every stage of their development. It encourages sensory exploration, concentration, the development of gross motor and fine motor skills, and helps familiarize your child with the concept of object permanence, just to name a few.
Your baby will love exploring six different textures with these three silicone spheres. Chimes sing as they play with the spheres, which will help them learn about the concept of cause-and-effect.
These rollers are safe, meaning that your baby can safely chew them, and they are also easy to clean.
What are the best books for a 6-month-old?
Montessori education views books as important resources to help teach children about the world around them.
Given that this type of education is about teaching about the “real world”, books with pictures of the real world (animals, objects, real life situations, etc.) are considered to be best for babies.
Books provide a wonderful opportunity to bond with your child and they also help them strengthen their language and communication skills.
The best books at this age are those that:
- Use few or no words. Good examples include: Look, Look!; Hello, Baby Animals
- Use bright colors and designs to attract your baby’s attention: Jungly tails; See, Touch, Feel; Open the barn door; Let’s play
- Focus on real-life events: Baby faces; Global babies; Hands can; Baby Faces
- Use repetitive rhymes: Moo, Baa, La La La! Peek-a Who?
Remember that the best Montessori toy for a 6-month-old is the one that enables your baby to experiment, learn and have fun!
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