The best Montessori toys for 1-year-olds, according to an expert

This toy teaches the child cause-and-effect as the ball pops through the hole and into the box. A younger 1-year-old will use the palm of their hand to push the balls through the holes, while an older toddler will begin practicing with the hammer, refining their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and building plenty of confidence!

The Pikler Triangle has become a staple in the toddler Montessori environment, however it was actually invented by Emmi Pikler, a pediatrician who developed a new way of thinking about caring for babies and toddlers based on respect, attachment theory and principles of child development. The Pikler Triangle was developed as a safe outlet for babies and toddlers to practice their developing gross motor skills. Though a Pikler Triangle may be a big investment for your child’s playroom, the best thing about Montessori toys for 1-year-olds is that they grow along with your child, lasting for years to come.

Removing and replacing the pegs into the holes provides the perfect practice for refining your toddler’s grasp and building their hand-eye coordination. What’s even better is how this activity grows with your child as they move into color matching and even imaginary play, using the smiling pegs as people in their creative storytelling.

This classic Montessori work is perfect for practicing hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, the precursor to stringing beads in just a few short years as they grow into more advanced Montessori work. Threading across the body’s midline also prepares the child for writing, dressing themselves and other important life skills later on.

Another classic Montessori shelf activity for toddlers, this work adds object permanence to the fine motor and hand-eye coordination skills children are working on at this stage in their development. Object permanence develops as your child begins to understand that objects still exist, even when they don’t see them. When the coins drop into the box, it can be surprising to open the drawer and see the coins reappear! Take note, this toy requires adult supervision due to the small size of the coins.

This traditional Montessori material helps the child learn to identify and sort primary colors. The bright colors will entice any 1-year-old to choose this activity from the shelf!

1-year-olds love making all kinds of sounds, and this set of percussion instruments provides the perfect opportunity for them to bang, shake and jingle! At this age, toddlers can begin to change their movements to reflect the tempo or mood of music, so feel free to play along to your favorite songs.

This is the ideal first puzzle for young toddlers. Here they are gaining experience with primary colors, basic shapes, and ordering by size. Not to mention the large knobs are just right for little hands with developing fine motor skills.

Stacking and nesting these beautiful wooden boxes provide hands-on experience with beginning mathematical concepts, instilling a sense of order as they discover how the boxes nest and stack. Younger toddlers might appreciate only two or three boxes set out at a time, to simplify the activity. As your toddler gets older you’ll often find them filling these little boxes with objects or using them in countless ways in imaginary play.

1-year-olds love practicing big gross motor movements as they gain more sophisticated coordination. Pushing themselves forward (or backward!) using their feet on a small bike is a great way for them to develop muscle strength and balance.

As your 1-year-old learns to walk, this toy will entice them to keep practicing. The jingling noise this “walk n’ roll” toy makes as your child pushes it forward is satisfying, giving them confidence as they make things happen! The natural wood and soft colors make it a lovely addition to your child’s space.

This classic Radio Flyer wagon is just what new walkers need. With a sturdy handle for little ones to pull to standing and wheels with adjustable resistance to offer more support, your toddler will enjoy pushing their wagon around as they take their first unsteady steps. This toy is sure to get plenty of use as a vehicle for transporting all kinds of things around as your child grows and their imagination blossoms.