Montessori Toys for Baby 6-12 Months: A Comprehensive Guide to Stimulating Your Baby's Mind
Here is our extensive guide about Montessori toys for babies aged 6-12 months. During the period of time your baby is between 6-12 months are very crucial for their cognitive development.
The toys you provide for your baby play an important role in their future mentality and potential. That is why we here at Oliver & Company Montessori Toys strongly believe in providing the best possible way to raise your child, and that is through high quality toys that are developed in the Montessori method. Let’s dive in!
Understanding Montessori Principles
Montessori learning is based on deep principles of child-directed activity, hands-on experiences, and co-operative play. Applying these values to toy choices for the 6- to 12-month-old child encourages exploration and experimentation, helping to establish today’s foundation for tomorrow’s learning.
The Best Montessori Toys for Babies 6-12 Months
1. Sensory Balls for Tactile Stimulation
Soft sensory balls are a great way to introduce textures to your baby and they encourage sensory exploration and fine motor skill development.
2. Wooden Stacking Blocks for Spatial Awareness
Wooden stacking blocks are visually appealing but also help refine a baby’s sense of spatial relationships. Learning to grab, stack and knock stacking blocks down can enhance hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills.
3. Montessori Mirror Toys for Self-Discovery
Babies love to look at themselves – a Montessori mirror toy can help them do this while also helping with the important developmental milestone of self-recognition.
4. Soft Fabric Books for Early Literacy
Soft fabric books in vivid colors and simple shapes will set the day off on the right foot for a lucky baby and expose him to visual stimulation early on so that he can begin his quest as a reader.
Creating a Montessori-Friendly Play Area
You can make the most of Montessori toys by arranging a ‘prepared environment’ that encourages independence and free exploration. Try these tips:
1. Low Shelves for Easy Access
Put Montessori toys on low shelves, so that her baby can choose for himself, and explore without help. Ziolo explains: ‘This approach might seem counterintuitive. A three-year-old wants to go for a walk with their mom. They don’t want to go alone. But giving them a sense of autonomy and decision-making helps them develop a trust in themselves and their own abilities.’
2. Uncluttered Space for Focus
The less clutter, the better for concentration. Keep the play space well-organized, with a few toys out at a time. Regularly rotating the toys helps with this, so you can see what’s still interesting.
3. Soft, Comfortable Flooring
Since your baby will spend a significant amount of time on the floor, invest in a soft, non-toxic mat to create a comfortable play area. This provides a safe space for crawling, rolling, and exploring.
Benefits of Montessori Toys for 6-12 Month Olds
1. Enhanced Cognitive Development
Montessori toys appeal to your baby’s senses, facilitating the development of thinking skills (problem-solving, memory, spatial awareness) as they grow.
2. Fine and Gross Motor Skill Development
Tactile and fine motor skills improve by playing with toys that encourage building skills, such as stacking blocks or grasping sensory balls, setting the stage for later milestones of physical development.
3. Encourages Independence
Hand-held or soft toys can be offered to your child, but otherwise Montessori principles advocate letting your baby choose freely and to play independently. This will encourage self-confidence and independence.
Conclusion
Buy Montessori toys for your 6–12-month-old baby today and invest in your child’s development of their sense of touch, grasping, eye-hand coordination, and visual perception.
At Oliver Ⓡ Company Montessori Toys, we believe that when parents are given tools to follow the positive effects of Montessori principles, they can provide a loving environment that ignites the child’s potential.
Create a Montessori space and watch your baby blossom as they explore the world through their own senses.