Since Mia approaching 18 months I added some new materials on our Montessori shelf. She is still using Montessori Work from 12 to 14 Months. On her shelf she has:

Lime wooden rainbow, Grimm’s 17 cm – Brilliant, simple toy that develops and encourages imaginative play.

Wooden Pattern Blocks – I really like this set because Mia will be able to see how shapes are used in context when she is a little older and she can actually hold and feel shapes (in flat 3D) as opposed to just looking at them in books. She is only 18 months so still too young to really get the full educational value of this but she does like playing with it and will sit happily with it for a good while, which is really just want I wanted for her age.

Pairing Fruits – the child matches pictures to the fresh fruits.

Pouring Dry Materials – to refine pouring skills. This is introductory/early pouring activity, which uses a variety of dry materials for pouring prior to introducing water.

Rainbow Stacker Wooden Ring Educational Toy – It is a nice size for little ones, excellent to grasp the stacking concept.

Simple Velcro Dressing Frame – A frame specially designed for the younger child to learn basic fastenings they are likely to encounter on their clothes. Show the child how to pull the Velcro open, starting at the top of the frame and pulling down. When doing up the Velcro, show the child how to press the two sides together.

Transferring Dry Materials – to refine use of a spoon. By age of 18 months most of the children have used spoon, the materials used to transfer and the noise they make will be the great point of interest. Mia loves this activity.

Threading Large Beads – to develop and refine threading skills. Children need good eye/hand co-ordination and the ability to use both hands for threading.

And that’s it! There’s usually 3-4 of these out at one time, I rotate as Mia loses interest in what’s on the shelves, or if I notice that she is gravitating toward a specific skill.