Sensory Toys

What are Montessori sensory toys?

Children learn about the world through their senses long before they learn through words. Montessori sensory toys are designed to isolate and refine those senses: the feel of wood against silicone, the click of a bead, the crinkle of a page, the weight of a solid block. Each toy gives a child one clear sensory idea to explore, which is why they hold attention far longer than a toy that does everything at once.

Maria Montessori called this "sensorial" work and considered it the foundation of later learning. A child who has sorted by texture, matched by colour and stacked by size is already thinking mathematically. The full reasoning is in our guide to the Montessori method.

What are the best sensory toys for babies?

For babies under one, sensory play is mostly touch and mouth:

• Montessori Sensory Pull Toy: food-grade silicone cords in different textures that a baby can pull, chew and release. It is our best-selling first sensory toy.
• FirstSteps Mat: a textured play mat for tummy time, rolling and early crawling. See more in Play Mats.
• Giraffe Busy Book: soft pages with zips, flaps and crinkle panels.
• Silicone Baby Feeding Set: mealtimes are sensory play too; a set a baby can grip and explore builds independence early.

Browse the full range for this age in toys for 0-12 months.

What are the best sensory toys for toddlers?

Toddlers want to manipulate, sort and compare:

• Montessori Egg Set: colour and shape matching in a carton of eggs. Simple, satisfying and endlessly repeated.
• Montessori Discovery Box: beads, drawers, dials and textures in one wooden treasure box.
• Wooden Learning Box: sorting, sliding and posting on every side.
• Busy books such as the Bear, Raccoon and Pink Rabbit: buttons, laces, velcro and pockets, all different to the touch.
• 3D Magic Painting Kit: creative sensory play without the mess.

Are sensory toys good for children with extra needs?

Many families tell us that calm, predictable sensory toys help children who find busy environments overwhelming. A pull toy or a busy book gives a child something to do with their hands, which can be settling. We are a toy shop, not a therapy provider, so please follow the advice of your child's professionals, but we choose our sensory range with those children very much in mind: no sudden sounds, no flashing lights, and materials that feel good to hold.

How to set up sensory play at home

Keep it simple. One or two sensory toys on a low shelf, changed every couple of weeks, will get more use than a box of twenty. Let your child choose, let them repeat, and let them finish. Pair a sensory toy with a Motor Skills & Coordination toy and you have covered most of what a toddler needs in a morning.

Sensory toys are also the easiest gift to get right, which is why they fill our Sensory Starter Bundle. There are 45-day returns on everything.