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Congratulations! Your happy baby is 1 year old. Your baby’s first three years of life are crucial to his development. Choosing the right toys to support her development is important and Montessori toys for 1-year-olds can do just that.
Montessori toys for 1-year-olds encourage children’s independent learning and exploration of the world around them.
Montessori learning is a great approach to support your 1-year-old’s development because children are natural scientists; they love to ask questions and discover the world.
What is Montessori learning?
Montessori learning is an approach that is child-centred and focused on children learning independently through exploration and experience of the world as it is.
With this approach, children are encouraged and expected to work with each and learn from their mistakes. While adults facilitate children’s learning, they are not the centre of knowledge as with traditional teaching and learning methods.
Milestones for 1-year-olds
While every child is different, these are some of the milestones that most children would have reached by the time they are 1-year-old:
1. Knows the difference between his parents/carers and strangers
2. Has a favourite toy
3. Communicates through gestures and basic words like “mama” and “dada”
4. Responds to simple requests and commands
5. Makes an effort to repeat words she hears
6. Can copy movements and gestures
7. Likes banging objects together
8. Can find things when they are hidden
9. Begins the early stages of walking with some help
10. Can sit without support
11. Can pull himself up and uses furniture for walking
Characteristics of Montessori Toys for 1-Year-Olds
When deciding on the best Montessori toys for your 1-year-old, these are some of the characteristics of Montessori toys that you should know about:
1. They are made of natural materials and do not have flashing lights
2. Montessori toys reflect the real world
3. The toys focus on one skill at a time
4. Montessori toys foster children’s independent learning
5. They encourage children’s curiosity and need for exploration
Here is our list of Montessori toys for 1-year-olds.
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1. Best Montessori Toy for 1-Year-Old Gross Motor Development
Janod Wooden Activity Baby Walker Cat
Recommended for children 1 – 3 years old.
This wooden walking aid is perfect to support your baby’s gross motor skills. The walking aid has 4 silent rubber wheels that work on carpet and hardwood floors. Let your baby explore the environment as they learn to walk.
Other features of this toy like the cat and mouse game, shape sorter and varied textures will support your baby’s visual and sensory development.
Review: 75% of customers gave this toy 5 stars.
2. Montessori Toy for 1-Year-Old Fine Motor Skills
10 Pack Wooden Peg Jigsaw Puzzle
Recommended for children 1 – 3 years old.
The Wooden Peg Puzzle is made with non-toxic paint and helps children with fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and problem-solving.
Review: 75% of customers gave this toy 5 stars.
3. Montessori Toy for 1-Year-Old Colour Recognition
Wooden Sorting and Stacking Toy
Recommended for children 1 – 3 years old.
This colourful stacking and sorting toy is great for your baby’s fine motor skills and colour recognition. As your child grows older, it will be a great aid for learning to count.
Review: Customers love this toy as 80% of them gave it 5 stars.
4. Best Musical Montessori Toy
Early Melodies Pound and Tap Bench
Recommended for children 1 – 3 years old.
This Montessori musical toy is sure to bring sweet music to your baby’s ears. The xylophone can be played in different ways and promote music development and audio recognition.
Review: 84% of customers gave this toy 5 stars.
5. Best Activity Cube for 1-Year-Olds
Recommended for children 12 months and up.
This activity cube toy is made from natural solid wood with polished edges and non-toxic water-based paint. It will help your baby develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, sorting skills and colour recognition.
Review: 73% of customers gave this toy 5 stars.
6. Best Toy For Visual Tracking Development
Wooden Race Track Car Ramp Racer
Recommended for children 18 months and up.
This toddler ramp race track toy is made of high-quality wood, BPA Free and stained with bright non-toxic water-based paint.
The colourful cars sliding down the ramp will help your baby with visual tracking development.
Review: 79% of customers gave this toy 5 stars.
7. Best Montessori Toy for 1-Year-Old STEM Learning
TOY Life Animal Shaped Wooden Puzzle
Recommended for children 1 – 6 years old.
This wooden puzzle toy is made of high-quality natural wood, which is smooth, rounded, and with no splintery edges and painted with bright coloured non-toxic paint.
This toy is great for your baby’s cognitive development and will teach your baby about animals and nature.
Review: 77% of customers gave this toy 5 stars.
8. Best Challenge Montessori Toy for 1-Year-Olds
Janod 2-in-1 Speedy Fish Wooden Puzzle and Magnetic Game
Recommended for children 18 months and up.
Let’s go fishing! This great Montessori toy for 1-year-olds will encourage your baby’s independent play and support both fine and gross motor skills. The hanging rod and magnets will provide your baby with that extra bit of challenge to fit all the parts in place.
Review: Customers love this toy with 80% of them giving it 5 stars.
9. Best Pull Montessori Toy
Janod Zigolos Giant 31 Piece Multicolor Wood Pull-Along Train and Stacker
Recommended for children 1 – 3 years old.
This Montessori toy for 1-year-olds will support your baby’s motor and problem-solving skills.
The toy is crafted from solid wood and painted with child-safe water-based paints.
Review: Parents love this toy and the quality of the materials it’s made from with over 80% of them giving it 5 stars.
10. Best Rocker for 1-Year-Olds
Janod Rocking Elephant – Classic Wood Rocker Ride
Recommended for children 1 – 3 years old.
Allow your baby to have some fun and independent play with this cute rocker. It will help to develop gross motor skills. The safety barrier is perfect for when your baby is younger but can be removed as your baby grows older.
Review: Parents raved about the quality of the materials and gave it 5 stars.
