The 11 Best Montessori Baby Toys For Early Fun & Learning

Are Montessori Toys Good For Babies?

Montessori toys can be good for babies, especially because they’re designed for self-directed, exploratory play.

A 2018 Frontiers in Psychology study concluded that the efficiency of exploratory play during the infant years might help promote longer-term cognitive development. (1)

The researchers were able to measure this by providing different toys to babies and doing a follow-up cognitive development analysis at age three. (1)

What Is Considered A Montessori Toy?

Some characteristics of Montessori toys:

Made of natural materials, such as wood
Learning toys that teach or develop one skill at a time
Simple but beautiful
Meant to last for years, and repetitive use
Useful and teaches practical life skills
Designed for open-ended, independent play and learning

These toys follow the Montessori method, a learning approach created by Italian pediatrician and educator Maria Montessori.

Did you know that Montessori education has been around for over a hundred years?

Today, Montessori classrooms and even playrooms don’t just strictly follow the founder’s teachings but might also incorporate Montessori-inspired educational toys. (2)

You too can adapt the Montessori approach but also include other toys for your baby’s development that might not be strictly Montessori.

Why Are Montessori Toys So Plain?

Montessori toys promote learning using things that are based on the real world. So, they don’t make artificial sounds or movements. They don’t have electronic parts nor use imaginary characters such as dragons, fairies, and Disney princesses.

These wooden toys are plain but designed for open-ended learning.

Kids can learn to improve different aspects of creativity by coming up with ideas to make the plain toy more interesting or entertaining. (2)

When Should I Start Montessori Toys?

Montessori learning can begin with newborn babies.

You can start with a play gym that has high contrast or black and white mobiles.

While your newborn might still be too young for spinning drums and shape sorters, you can slowly introduce them to sensory toys during tummy time or give them a wooden rattle to develop their grasping skills.

As they grow older, or at around four months old, you can get them a Montessori-inspired teether. At 6+ months old, they might be ready for the Montessori ball, simple musical instruments, stackers, and wooden puzzles with knobs.

What To Buy: Single Toys Vs. Subscription

It’s no secret that Montessori toys can be pricey. So, it’s really up to you to either buy single toys or get a subscription based on your budget.

What’s good about a subscription is that your child gets a set of Montessori toys designed for different skills and learning options. The downside is that the brand usually picks what toys to include, so you might already have duplicates at home.

What other Montessori toys should you get your baby?

We’ve prepared this list of 11 best Montessori toys and other gift ideas for babies.

The 11 Best Montessori Toys For Babies

1. KiwiCo Atom Bead Maze (0+ months)

Pros & Best Features: Atom-inspired bead maze

Product Safety: Passes rigorous tests for all toy safety standards

Materials: Solid wood, metal wire, cotton string, and plastic plugs

Age Range: 0+ months

Educational Value: Fine motor skills, sensory stimulation, and early STEM learning (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)

Extra Features: Includes a chemistry-themed baby book

Certification: Certified by independent product safety testing labs

Made In: Not indicated

Product Recall: None

Cons: Can be pricey

Customer Reviews:

“I’d venture to say that this is my son’s new favorite toy. He loves to play with the beads, and the book is really cute.” – reviewer on KiwiCo

“Very nicely made, good quality and great for a 7 month-old little boy!” – reviewer on KiwiCo

2. Wee Gallery Organic Crinkle Toy – Butterfly (0+ months)

Pros & Best Features: Butterfly-shaped crinkle toy

Product Safety: Non-toxic, organic toy

Materials: 100% organic cotton shell, crinkle paper filling, and soy-based inks

Age Range: 0+ months

Educational Value: Visual development, sensory stimulation, and learning about cause and effect

Extra Features: High-contrast design

Certification: GOTS-certified organic cotton (Global Organic Textile Standard) and FSC-certified paper

Made In: South India

Product Recall: None

Cons: Can be pricey

Customer Reviews: None yet

3. Ece Toys Box of Montessori Mobiles & Toys (0+ months)

Pros & Best Features: Box of different Montessori toys

Product Safety: Water-based paint

Materials: Wood, metallic paper, cardboard, cotton thread, cotton fabric, and fiber

Age Range: 0+ months

Educational Value: Hand-eye coordination, fine motor development, dynamic visual focus, concentration, and depth perception

Extra Features: Option available to choose the colors for the toys included in the box

Certification: Not indicated

Made In: Turkey

Product Recall: None

Cons: Some complaints about possible choking risks

Customer Reviews:

“We purchased the box of Montessori mobiles for our newborn and are so very impressed with the craftsmanship!” – reviewer on ETSY

“With the rainbow mobile, there are small parts that if it ever came disassembled baby could choke on. The little metal rings that allow it to spin freely. And the wooden rattle with the bells on the end could present a choking hazard if the bills ever became detached, although I think that would be highly unlikely.” – reviewer on ETSY

4. LOVEVERY The Looker Play Kit (0-12 weeks)

Pros & Best Features: Montessori play kit with a wooden baby book

Product Safety: Free from heavy elements and phthalates

Materials: Wood, fabric, cardboard, and silicone

Age Range: 0-12 weeks

Educational Value: Visual perception, memory development, hand discovery and awareness, grasping, and tracking moving objects or sound

Extra Features: Includes a play guide

Certification: Meets regulatory safety standards

Made In: Curated in Idaho with products made by a supplier network in Asia (exact location not indicated) adhering to the “highest sustainability standards in the industry”

Product Recall: None

Cons: Can be pricey

Customer Reviews:

“We loved everything about the looker play kit. It was perfect for our 2 month old! She enjoyed all the different toys and we as her parents enjoyed playtime.” – reviewer on LOVEVERY

“I feel like I could’ve saved myself the $80 and gone to Walmart, spent $15 and gotten the same experience.” – reviewer on LOVEVERY

5. Manhattan Toys Artful Skwish (0-2 years)

Pros & Best Features: Wood rattle and teether toy

Product Safety: Non-toxic, water-based finish

Materials: Wood and elastic strings

Age Range: 0-2 years old

Educational Value: Grasping, manipulation, and fine motor skills

Extra Features: Baby and toddler toy with balls, beads, and rods

Certification: CPSIA (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act), ASTM F963 (American Society for Testing and Materials), EN71 (European Toy Safety Directive and Standard), and SOR (Canada Consumer Product Safety Act and Toy Regulations)

Made In: Thailand

Product Recall: None

Cons: Requires adult supervision to reduce choking risks if the strings accidentally break or if your child pushes the toy inside their mouth

Customer Reviews:

“It’s lovely. It’s a rattle, a ball, a puzzle, a sculpture…. Your family needs one of these.” – reviewer on Walmart

“The unique structure makes it so interesting to play with, and you could tell by his focus on it how it made him think and have his curiosity piqued.” – reviewer on Target

6. Loulou Lollipop Bubble Silicone & Wood Teething Rattle (for babies and toddlers)

Pros & Best Features: Montessori-inspired teething rattle

Product Safety: Free from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), BPA (bisphenol-A), heavy metals lead and cadmium, and phthalates

Materials: Wood and 100% food-grade silicone

Age Range: Babies and toddlers

Educational Value: Soothing tender gums while developing fine motor skills and grasping

Extra Features: Teether and toy

Certification: Exceed safety standards (safety-tested by a leading third-party laboratory)

Made In: Vancouver, Canada

Product Recall: None

Cons: Some complaints about quality

Customer Reviews:

“I feel very comfortable knowing that my baby girl is playing with a product that is made safe and reliable.” – reviewer on Crate and Barrel

“The wooden rings were rough to the touch and not finished. I wiped them clean and oiled them hoping it would help soften them but they are still rough so I’ll need to lightly sand them and re oil them to see if they will be usable after that.” – reviewer on Loulou Lollipop

7. 2Woods Montessori – Bell Roller (4+ months)

Pros & Best Features: Wooden Montessori bell roller

Product Safety: Lightly stained with non-toxic flax oil

Materials: Solid wood and a metallic bell

Age Range: 4+ months

Educational Value: Motor development or control and hand-eye coordination

Extra Features: Bell rattle that can also be used as a roller

Certification: Not indicated

Made In: Czech Republic

Product Recall: None

Cons: Some complaints about quality

Customer Reviews:

“Lovely quality toy, baby is enjoying chomping on it as much as chasing it! Thank you.” – reviewer on ETSY

“Forwma correct, but not smoothed nor protected by protective finish, so it loses many splinters if the baby puts it in the mouth. Not suitable for young children, too bad that the age range of use should be that!” – reviewer on ETSY

8. Heirloom Kids US Montessori Level 2 Collection (4-8 months)

Pros & Best Features: Set of five Montessori baby toys

Product Safety: Food-safe dye, water-based sealant to prevent color leakage, and beeswax and flaxseed oil

Materials: Wood

Age Range: 4-8 months

Educational Value: Problem-solving, grasping, and fine motor skills

Extra Features: Includes ring and cube rattles, interlocking shape puzzle, and ball and bell cylinders

Certification: CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission)

Made In: USA

Product Recall: None

Cons: Can be pricey

Customer Reviews: None yet

9. PlanToys Peek-A-Boo Roller (6+ months)

Pros & Best Features: Wooden roller

Product Safety: Free from formaldehyde and toxic chemicals

Materials: Rubberwood, organic pigments, formaldehyde-free glue, and water-based dyes

Age Range: 6+ months

Educational Value: Sensory learning, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, cause and effect, visual and auditory perception, and tactile learning

Extra Features: Peek-a-boo “ears”

Certification: ASTM and EN71

Made In: Thailand

Product Recall: None

Cons: Can be pricey; some complaints about the product being too small

Customer Reviews:

“My son is 7 months old and liked this toy immediately. As others have commented, the toy is small. For me, this is a plus. It’s the perfect size for small hands to handle. It’s also very light, unlike other wood toys he has, which makes it easy to maneuver.” – reviewer on Amazon

“Too tiny I expected it to be a little bigger. My son is not a fun of it.” – reviewer on Amazon

10. Adena Montessori Full Size Object Permanence Box (6+ months)

Pros & Best Features: Object permanence box with tray and colorful balls

Product Safety: Non-toxic and water-based paint

Materials: Solid hardwood (according to Amazon)

Age Range: 1+ years old

Educational Value: Hand-eye coordination, science concepts (object permanence), and logical thinking

Extra Features: Large balls to reduce choking risks

Certification: Not indicated

Made In: China

Product Recall: None

Cons: Some complaints about quality

Customer Reviews:

“My kid loves this toy. Such a great learning opportunity with it and keeps my baby occupied for long periods!” – reviewer on Amazon

“My 6 month old barely used this, we played for about 10 minutes and I noticed flecks of paint on the horizontal wooden surface.” – reviewer on Amazon

11. LOVEVERY The Explorer Play Kit (9-10 months)

Pros & Best Features: Subscription-based, age-appropriate activity set

Product Safety: Free from fire retardants, PVC, and other toxic materials

Materials: Stainless steel, wood, silicone, fabric, and other non-toxic materials

Age Range: 9-10 months

Educational Value: Concentration, coordination, STEM learning, and exploring real-life objects

Extra Features: Includes play guide for parents and a baby book

Certification: OEKO-TEX-certified fabrics (tested for toxic and harmful substances) and FSC-certified sustainably sourced wood

Made In: Network of suppliers in Asia

Product Recall: None

Cons: Can be pricey

Customer Reviews:

“Our baby enjoys all of the play kits so much! The toys are interesting, high quality, and very well made. They keep his interest for long periods of times. We rotate through them and baby doesn’t get bored..” – reviewer on LOVEVERY

“Good quality toys but my son hasn’t been interested in most items in the box.” – reviewer on LOVEVERY

Other Learning Toys For Different Age Groups

Toy Recalls To Monitor

References

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5991261/

(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6161506/

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