Learning with allour senses involved allows us to have a fuller, richer experience. It also enhances memory and creates lasting connections in the brain. Montessori classrooms strive to provide multi-layered sensory opportunities for children. Children develop a strong ability to distinguish nuances in the environments around them.
Montessori digs deeper than the classic five senses.
We all consider sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell as our basic senses. Dr. Montessori delved more deeply when developing her classroom materials to give experiences using ALL our senses:
Visual/Sight - our ability to differentiate objects by form, color, and size
Tactile - the sense of touch, or how something feels on our body
Baric - differentiation based on weight and/or pressure
Thermic - the ability to sense temperature
Auditory/Hearing - the perception of sound
Olfactory/Smell–the sense of perceiving scents/odors
Gustatory/Taste - the sense of taste
Stereognostic/Kinesthetic - a muscular sense, or the ability to distinguish an object without seeing it, hearing it, or smelling it, but relying on touch and muscle memory alone
Montessori developed materials to help children refine their senses.
Using what she knew about the above senses, Dr. Montessori developed a series of “Sensorial Materials” to be used in the primary classroom, or Children’s House. These materials are designed to isolate one skill/sense and to be self-correcting. Just a small selection of the sensorial materials include:
Knobbed Cylinders (often called Cylinder Blocks) - Small wooden cylinders, which vary in height and width, with knobs to hold each. These are inserted into holes corresponding to their size in a wooden block. There are four: 1 varying only in height, 1 varying only in diameter, 1 varying in height and diameter large to small, 1 varying in height and diameter small to large.
Pink Tower - A series of pink wooden cubes ranging in size from 10 cm cubed to 1 cm cubed are meant to be stacked in decreasing succession.
Brown Stair - ten brown, wooden, rectangular prisms increasing in height by 10 cm
Color Tablets–A material that allows children to differentiate not just by color, but by shades of colors
Mystery Bag - Children reach their hand inside the bag without looking to determine the contents using their Stereognostic sense.
Geometric Solids - A physical representation of an often abstractly taught concept, these 3-dimensional geometric forms allow children to identify their attributes.
There are many more Sensorial Materials in a Children’s House. If you’d like to learn more about specific materials Montessori Primary Guide has an in-depth description of most Montessori Sensorial Materials.
Food is prepared and celebrated regularly in Montessori classrooms.
Choosing, preparing, and enjoying food taps into many of our senses. It is a great joy of being human to interact with our world through the pleasure of food. It is also one of the first ways children become connected to their environment.
Beginning when they are just toddlers, Montessori children are directly involved in the preparation and purposeful enjoyment of food. Toddler classrooms have tastings, in which they try new and interesting foods. Guides will offer a wide variety of textures, colors, smells, and tastes for the children to explore. Toddlers help set the table and learn grace and courtesy through table manners.
In the Children’s House (ages 3-5), children participate in food preparation daily. They are given lessons on what to doand practice slicing, spreading, mixing, blending, and multi-step food preparation. Sometimes they enjoy their work as a snack for themselves; other times they prepare food to serve to others.
In the Elementary Montessori class there are many ways to continue this important work. Food preparation may be connected to a cultural study, birthday celebration, or school lunch program. As they get older, children cancook more complex and interesting recipes.
For more information on enjoying food with children, check out our blog post on Cooking with Children at Home.
The Montessori classroom environment has a focus on the natural world.
Montessori Guides are taught to make nature an integral part of the classroom environment, and this often means a variety of beautiful indoor plants. Studies have shown that proximity to plants benefits us a variety of ways. They are visually beautiful, but also scientists believe that houseplants can improve our attention. They may also be helpful in reducing sick days and keeping us more productive overall.
Aside from having live plants in our classrooms, Montessori schools favor natural materials over synthetic. This means that whenever possible, we choose wood, glass, and natural baskets, shelving, and materials over plastic. The color and texture of natural materials is more appealing and calming to our senses. Muted, natural colors and tones create a more warm, homelike environment. This allows children to feel calm, safe, and able to focus on their work.
Whenever possible, Montessori programs emphasize the importance of taking children into nature on a regular basis. Whether to a local pond, for a walk in the woods, or even a nearby city park, being in green spaces is an important part of learning and growing.
Montessori honors children’s developing vestibular and proprioceptive systems.
A couple quick definitions-
The vestibular system is responsible for balance and is closely connected to the inner ear.
The proprioceptive system is important when having awareness of where one’s body parts are in relation to the rest of one’s body and the space/objects around it.
These systems develop early in childhood. It’s our job as adults to make sure children have opportunities to refine these important human functions. It is especially important that we provide opportunities to children with sensory related disorders.
Recess time, indoors or outdoors, with time and space provided for large motor activities is a priority. Climbing, swinging, spinning, and other types of play are natural ways for children to develop their vestibular and proprioceptive systems.
Activities are built into Montessori classrooms that promote this development as well. Carrying heavy materials, painting, and using playdough are connected to the proprioceptive system.
The traditional ‘Walking the Line’ activities in Montessori primary classrooms provide excellent vestibular input; children must slowly walk while staying on a taped or painted line. Extensions include walking with a bell in hand and trying not to ring it or balancing something on top of their head.
If you are interested it learning more about the Montessori Sensorial Materials, reach out to your child’s Guide (Teacher) or to our school via [email protected].
Montessori, Sensorial, Hands-on Learning
Marnie McPherson
