2023 Montessori Christmas Gift Guide: Ages 0-6 Years

Christmas is here, once again. As joyful as this time of year can be, it's the time of year most of us stress out about what Montessori Christmas gifts to buy for the most precious ones for their first hand full of Christmases.

While there is no such thing as a “Montessori toy“, there are plenty of Montessori-align play items that make great Christmas gifts for children being raised in a Montessori fashion.

If you are into Montessori-style gifts, you'll be putting just a little more thought into the gifts you give; no buttons and lights, no annoying “learning” toys, and hopefully you can avoid plastic, as Wooden toys are favorable.

I've taken on all the extra thinking for you, though, and made a great list.

I've got some great Montessori Christmas gifts featured for 2023.

So, let's get right to it.

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I originally published a Christmas gift guide in 2018 when I earned my Montessori certification and had 3 very small children.

They have grown quite a bit since then and I've gained a lot of experience picking out toys to facilitate their play.

I chucked the old article, but I kept some of my original recommendations on the list – and I added some things I've observed my children really enjoy over the years.

I have the gifts broken down by age for you. If you are looking for gifts across age groups, I can't recommend the following items enough.

• Lovevery Play Kits (They are available from birth to age 4, which is neat.)
• Toniebox and Tonies
• Piccalio Climber

I've put together some other posts that you might find helpful, as well:

• Montessori Gross Motor Toys
• Montessori Outdoor Toys
• Montessori Climbing Toys

There are many more toy guides on this website, so feel free to browse around if you don't find what you're looking for in this post.

Montessori Christmas gifts for babies

0-3 months

Lovevery Play Gym

There are a lot of play gyms on the market, but Lovevery has one of the most popular and high-quality.

Unlike other play gyms, this one can transform into a little toddler fort for continued use.

It also comes with a guide that features expert tips to help you foster your baby's development through play.

Topponcino

Now, this could be a gift for an expectant parent or for a newborn.

Montessori babies love their Topponcinos and new parents find them helpful for transferring their sleeping babies from their arms to another sleeping surface.

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Mobile

It's a must-have for babies. Montessori mobiles are all about simplicity and contrast.

You can choose the proper Montessori set or one of the high-contrast mobiles on this list.

Again, this could be a gift for a baby or an expectant parent.

Contrast cards

It's a fact that contrasts capture a baby's attention and there is science behind why your little one is going to be captivated by these contrast cards.

3-6 months

Board Books

Board books are a great introduction to a future of loving to read. Eric Carle books are a favorite in Montessori households as the images are high contrast and the stories are simple and engaging for babies.

For more Montessori-aligned book recommendations, check out our list of inclusive and diverse books and our list of baby books.

Rattles

Sometime between 3 and 6 months, babies learn that they can use their hands for more than just chewing.

This is one of my favorite milestones and how special it is for a baby to have the first toy they grab to be made from a natural material

Babies at this age are also beginning to learn cause and effect.

One of their first experiences with this is often with a baby rattle – and I absolutely love this one.

6-12 months

Object permanence box

This is a Montessori staple and it's been a big hit with all my kids at this age.

It may not have that “fun toy” look, but babies and even young toddlers find it mesmerizing.

Ball Run

Babies enjoy figuring out why things happen so they can try to make it happen again. A mini ball run/ hammer toy is great for exploration.

This is great for babies who like to throw things, as well as babies (and toddlers) in the trajectory schema, a play schema in which babies enjoy exploring the trajectory of objects when they are dropped or thrown.

Shape sorter 

This is fun, colorful, challenging, and so great for a baby's brain development.

Montessori Christmas gifts for toddlers

12-18 months

Threading toys

Threading toys are great for developing hand-eye coordination and concentration.

My 2 older kids both enjoyed these as young toddlers and they got years of use.

Car ramp/ball tracker

My son received this as a gift for his 1st birthday and years later, it's still his favorite toy.

Blocks

Every child should have a set of good-quality blocks.

This Lovevery Block Set is unique and offers many different play opportunities.

Montessori Christmas gifts for 18 months to 3 years

Hand Bells

My kids absolutely love music. We got our daughter these bells several years ago and they have stood the test of time.

It is wonderful to hear my 4-year-old adapt simple songs from the piano to the violin, to the bells.

These have brought a lot of joy to our house.

Schleich animals

These animal figurines are crafted with impeccable detail and they even make real-looking footprints in clay!

There simply is no substitute for Schleich.

Schleich Barn 

Now, this is a gift that reaches across age groups, actually. My kids all enjoy this.

They enjoyed it when they were toddlers and even my eldest, who's now 9-years-old, still gets joy from it.

The quality and detail are great and it can be used as a teaching tool for Montessori homeschoolers or just used for imaginative play.

Montessori gifts for preschoolers (3, 4, & 5 years old)

Magna-tiles

My children love them some Magna-tiles. These nifty little shapes provide hours of fun and help foster creativity.

This is a great gift for children who enjoy building and love open-ended toys.

Snap Circuits Beginner

This is a pre-school-age-friendly version of Snap Circuits.

The instructions are drawn for the child, instead of written.

It's perfect for pre-readers who are interested in making cool things happen with electricity.

The age on the box states that it's for ages 5-9, however, as long as your child is old enough to keep the pieces out of their mouth and they are supervised, they can enjoy this.

My kids were all 3-5 when they could do the activities included in the kit – I feel like these ages are more appropriate for this set.

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Grimm's Rainbow

I've already shouted the praises of the Grimm's Rainbow plenty of times, but here I go again.

It's one of our favorite open-ended toys.

The opportunities for play with this toy are boundless.

Watch out for cheap, plastic imitations, though. The original rainbow is cut from a single piece of wood and is kept rough to grip for easier building.

Just like a child's interests, children's skill levels will vary. Children progress in different areas at different paces. Only purchase items with their development and interests in mind.

Sometimes we impose our own goals and interests on our children. It is so important not to do that! Watch your child closely to see what they love to do!

I hope this list was helpful for you. For stocking stuffer ideas, check out our Montessori stocking stuffer guide.

Tell me, what was your child's favorite, and most utilized, gift last year?

Comment below.

Hoping to hear some great responses!

Cheers and don't forget to subscribe!

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