They begin at age three and lay the foundation for later work in science, geography, sociology, music, art and other areas where skills in observation, sorting, patterning, and classification are important.
The education of the senses, Dr. Montessori believed, should start from infancy. It should be methodical and continue throughout a child’s years of education. This will prepare the child for life within their community.
Montessori materials used for Sensorial lessons include:
- The Pink Tower, a fundamental Montessori material, is composed of 10 cube shaped blocks, each smaller than the one on which it sits. This material assists the child in understanding the concepts of shape, size, and arrangement in a logical order.
- Puzzle Maps are moveable wooden pieces, each in the shape of a state, country, or continent, helping the child understand and explore the location and orientation of each part of the world. The child uses their tactile senses to put together the pieces of the map, uses their visual senses to compare their map with a color coded globe, and makes sure the pieces fit together correctly.
- The Cylinder Blocks are a set of 10 wooden cylinders of various dimensions, which are removed from a fitted container block using a knobbed handle. To remove the cylinders, the child tends to naturally use the same three-finger grip used to hold pencils. It also involves removing the cylinders from the block and replacing them again in the spot they belong. This helps identify the child’s error control, while practicing the usage of their tactile senses and building their understanding of size and shape.
