That you can still receive in time for Christmas . . .
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If you’re anything like me, you’ve absolutely had years where you’ve waited till the last minute to buy Christmas gifts (or to give grandparents lists for your kids). And while I love, love, love purchasing hand made items when time and budget constraints allow, sometimes that’s not realistic. So here are 7 categories of Montessori inspired gifts that will still arrive in time for Christmas.
Color Boxes
In Montessori, children learn colors with the help of Color Boxes. Color Box 1 is just the primary colors. Color box 2 has the secondary colors as well as white,brown, black, and gray. Color box 3 (my absolute favorite) is all about shades of colors.
We don’t have all of the Montessori works in our home because it’s not realistic, but this is one that I knew I had to have when we decided on homeschooling. The color boxes are beautiful and call the child to them. They’ve been a favorite work with all 3 of my kids, and all of them have been Christmas gifts previous years under our tree.
If you’re looking for a color-themed work, but don’t want to buy the color boxes, I would suggest this adorable shade sorting work or these sorting bears.
Object Permanence Boxes
I know I’ve written about this one before, but the object permanence box is one of my all time favorite works. It’s a brilliantly designed piece, and so engaging. We introduced it to Charlotte well over a year ago, and she still LOVES seeing it on the shelf.
If you already have one with the ball style and are looking for something slightly more challenging for your toddler that’s in the same vein, check out this coin and drawer object permanence box. This box adds the extra step of pulling out the draw as well as makes it a more challenging work for improving fine motor skills. It is just as fascinating for older toddlers as the original is for the younger ones.
Books
Books are my go to gift most years. If you were to look on our kids’ Amazon wish list, you would see mostly books and a few Montessori type toys. A few of my favorites to gift kids are below.
Graphic Journal This is a new find, and in fact a new creation by another mom. It’s the perfect thing for your creative kiddo- the one who doesn’t stop writing and drawing.
Maps and Map Activity Book We LOVE this set. The maps are so incredibly engaging and beautiful and chock full of facts. The kids love all of the details of the pictures, and I love that they’re learning geography.
Light of Heaven and Light of Heaven Coloring Book I know I’ve written about these before, but they are definitely worth repeating.
The Word Collector If you’re looking to inspire a love of language in your child, look no further than this sweet tale of a little boy who collects all of his favorite words and shares them with the world.
Rainbow Stackers and Wooden Blocks
In my opinion, open ended toys are the best. They grow with the child and allow for endless possibilities. We love our set of wooden blocks; they’re probably the most played with toy on our shelf. And a rainbow stacker set has been on my wish list for the kids for a long time because it opens up the blocks to new building concepts (it also doubles as color work!)
Tan Grams
Also known as pattern blocks, tan grams come in a variety of styles. We have this simple set for Charlotte and William and this more challenging one for G. Both sets get a lot of use during classroom time as well as quiet play time.
Lacing Beads
Yet another favorite, this one comes in all shapes and sizes. I love that it works fine motor skills, and I love that I can swap out one for another to keep them interested and make it more challenging. William loves this truck lacing set and G finds this set of cards good sewing practice.
And speaking of sewing- if you have a child who has mastered the skill of lacing and is ready for more- I would highly recommend checking out Jen’s Sew-A-Saint projects, which are the best beginning sewing projects I’ve ever come across. You can read my full review here.
Arts and Crafts Supplies
In our house you can never go wrong with some simple art supplies. We always, always, always need colored pencils, glue sticks, and new play dough. Special treat art supplies that G loves are stickers and sequins and fun types of paper. If you’ve got a crafty or handy child in the house, I would highly recommend whipping up a craft basket (or purchasing a ready made one)
I hope this list helps you find just the right gift for your child this year! Drop a comment below if I missed any of your family’s favorite Montessori inspired gifts.
Linking up with Kelly, head over to read the other 7QTs