Montessori Toys for 2 year olds

Maria Montessori once said, “The greatest sign of success for a teacher... is to be able to say, ’The children are now working as if I did not exist.” Maria Montessori is the developer behind the concept of a Montessori education, an education that emphasizes the student as their own teacher, guiding themselves in learning through toys and play. Here at ToyVentive we fully support Montessori play, believing in its value and impact for our kids and yours. That’s why we’ve designed our own products to fit in a Montessori focused play room, embodying the characteristics of Montessori. We recommend our products as some of the best Montessori toys for 2 year olds! 

Now, if you’re still scratching your head about Montessori and what it means, no worries! Keep reading to learn all about it! 

What you need to know about the best montessori toys for 2 year olds

Montessori is a teaching, or lifestyle, philosophy in which the toys children play with are meant to be tools to engage with rather than a source of entertainment. Montessori play is intentional, meaning your child is making gains developmentally in every action they complete. 

Key principles of Montessori are collaboration, adult interaction, and the combination of movement and cognition! Individual play is highly stressed, but Montessori also recognizes the importance of collaboration and the guidance of adults! 

A major focus of Montessori is on a child choosing what toy and how to play with it rather than an adult showing them exactly what to do. This allows them to have the freedom to play with what they want, keeping play fun and completely up to the child. 

Despite this freedom, there is still structure. In each activity, there are rules to be followed. For example, when playing with a puzzle, the general rule is for the child to put the piece in its intended spot. Montessori focuses on the intended purpose of a toy in order for your child to receive the social and developmental benefits of it. 

Like in most forms of play, imagination and non-literal play are still two key elements of Montessori. The toys within a Montessori playroom incorporate real world characters such as animals to encourage realistic make believe over pure fantasy. Through this, a child is able to engage their creativity in play while also learning more about the real world.  

Unlike other classrooms, you’ll never find fake kitchen sets or pretend food in a Montessori classroom. Rather, Montessori uses real utensils and real foods for kids to learn from. This way, a child is still learning and using their imagination, but in the real world with real outcomes and real responsibility. Through this, a child is able to blend their imagination and understanding of the real world. 

In the ease of play, a child practices self control without the stress and pressures of life. They are alert and attentive to the task in front of them without the consequences of the real world. 

Montessori emphasizes a child’s desire to learn, getting them to engage willingly and enthusiastically! 

Simply put, Montessori is mindful, independent, and playful learning! 

What makes montessori toys great for 2 year olds?

In order for a toy to be considered Montessori, it needs to be simple in nature with ample opportunities for your child to engage with it in a number of ways. Maria Montessori believed that play was work for a child. 

The focus of a Montessori toy is less about the end result and more so on the process of getting there. With this in mind, a toy that has a series of steps is a great example of Montessori learning! Your child gains so much in engaging with a toy that takes time to figure out and understand. 

As mentioned prior, a toy that utilizes real world people, places, and things qualifies as Montessori. 

Additionally, Montessori toys tend to be made of natural materials! 

Why buy a 2 year old Montessori toys?

The best toys for 2 year olds all fit into the concept of Montessori. By two years, your child is beginning to sort shapes and colors, understand and play make believe, and develop their sense of independence. 

They’re able to start to understand object permanence, meaning they understand an object continues to exist even when out of sight or when covered up. 

Socially, they begin to mimic the actions they witness in addition to getting excited and engaging with other children around them.

Best Montessori toys for 2 year old

Montessori toys are perfect for two year olds as they are slowly but surely starting to gain a sense of independence! As Montessori stresses a child’s ability to be on their own, two is a great age to introduce your child to this learning philosophy!  

When looking at what toys to buy specifically, look for toys that emphasize patterns and sorting! As your child is just starting to be able to recognize differences and similarities, these features are great for them to engage in! 

As we’ve mentioned, we love Montessori play and highly encourage it! We offer three products that all embody the Montessori philosophy and way of thinking! 

Play & Learn Wooden Activity / Play Cube 

Our Play & Learn Wooden Activity Cube is a great Montessori tool! Essential, this cube combines five different activities in 1! 

Like our counting board, this cube emphasizes math skills that help improve your child’s skills in STEM! But there is also so much more! 

Additionally, our play cube develops pattern and shape recognition, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and problem solving abilities! All skills your child is working on at 2 years old while engaging in the independent play that Montessori stresses! 

Interested? Read our blog all about playing with activity cubes to make the most of your investment! 

Puzzles & Rack Wooden Toddler Puzzles 

We could go on and on about how much we love puzzles, but we’ll keep it short and sweet. Our puzzles incorporate real world animals and objects that will help your child get a sense of the world around them! We have a farm veggies puzzle, a various forms of transportation puzzle, a farm animals puzzle, a letters puzzle, a numbers puzzle, and a shapes puzzle! 

As we’ve discussed, activities with real world objects are a great form of Montessori play! With our puzzles, your child engages in problem solving while becoming familiar with things they will see around them even when they’re done with play.

There are multiple ways for your child to play with a puzzle, providing them with an activity that they will become immersed in for a long period of time! Your child can work with other kids as well as you while completing a puzzle! 

As a bonus, your child also works on their fine motor skills, reasoning skills, critical thinking, and hand dexterity! 

Want to read more about puzzles? We understand! Check out the following articles about puzzles and the best way to play with them:

• Benefits of Shape Puzzles for Toddlers
• How to Find the Best Toddler Puzzles
• Ways to Play With An Alphabet Puzzle
• How to use Puzzles for Toddler Development

Conclusion

There are many learning and play philosophies out there in the world! Montessori is simply one of them that speaks to what we believe in here at ToyVentive. Children who engage in this type of play transform into confident, self reliant individuals. Because Montessori focuses on what your child needs, their path may look different in comparison to the path of the child next to them- but that's the point!  No two children are exactly alike and neither are learning schedules. The best Montessori toys for 2 year olds, as well as for other ages, actively engage your child, allowing them the freedom to choose how to play! 

Comment below if you have tried out Montessori methods before or if you’re excited to try them now! 

Works Referenced:

https://montessorimethod.com/toys/

https://amshq.org/About-Montessori/What-Is-Montessori

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-2yr.html