An infant makes his first orientation to the world around him through his senses.
The young child's relationship with the world allows him to take in sensory impressions that help him develop his intelligence and understanding of things, persons and events around him. The first two years of life is guided by some inner sensitivity to make certain acquisitions dependent on what he is being exposed to. This is why in the first two years each child must observe and perceive as much of the world around him.
When sensorial materials are correctly used, this helps the child to focus it's young mind on a particular attribute. He can then actively manipulate, which in turn, leads to comparisons. Working with his hands help to clarify the information guided by his senses.
In traditional schooling the child is taught by words and not by experience. Montessori has made it possible for the child to experience a sensorial impression before language is given. As the impression is mastered the appropriate language can be introduced. The child now has the understanding in the positive, comparative and superlative of the quality illustrated in the materials. For example, the Pink Tower activities compare the visual qualities of "large" and "small". The comparative qualities of large, larger, largest - small, smaller, smallest. These materials are mathematically based and mathematically understood.
As Aristotle said, "There is nothing in the intellect which was not first in the senses....."
Sensorial Materials
Cylinder Blocks
Age 2 ½ -3 ½ (visual discrimination)
Four blocks containing ten cylinders with knobs, each fitting into its respective hole and differing in dimension.
A. Each with the same diameter, rising in height successively from short to tall. Each differing in one dimension only in height.
B. Each growing in diameter successively from thin to thick, while their height remains equal throughout. Each differs in two dimensions: width and length.
C. Each growing successively in diameter from small to large, while diminishing in height in height from tall to short. Each differs in three dimensions; while the diameter increase, the height decreases.
D. Each growing in diameter successively from small to large, while at the same time rising in height like A. each differs in three dimensions; width, length and height, but all increase regularly, if one proceeds from the smallest.
The blocks are 18 inches long, 2 ¾ inches high and 2 ¾ inches wide. The cylinders begin from ½ centimeter in thickness to 5cm.
The knobs on the cylinders provide practice for the proper finger positioning needed to hold a pencil. The child indentifies and compares incremental differences in the individual cylinder sets.
Pink Tower
Age 2 ½-3 ½ (visual discrimination large/small)
Ten wooden cubes, pink in color differing in length, breadth and height. Their sizes grow progressively in the algebraical series of the third power. Starting from the smallest, which in sizes is 1 cubic cm., 8 of these would make the next largest cube, and 27of the first would make the third cube, etc. /Vocabulary: positive, comparative and superlative of “large and small.”
Broad Stair
Age 2 ½-3 ½ (visual discrimination thick/thin)
Ten wooden prisms of the same length, brown in color, differing in breadth and height. They grow in size progressively in the algebraical series of the second power, i.e., 4 of the first to make the second; 9 of the first to make the third, etc. These prisms are placed side by side in a stair formation more challenging than the Pink Tower. Vocabulary: positive, comparative and superlative of “thick and thin.”
Red Rods
Age 2 ½ - 3 ½ (visual discrimination long/short)
Ten wooden rods, red in color, differing in one dimension: length. The smallest is 10cm. long, and each succeeding rod differs from the proceeding rod by the length of the first. No separate names are given to the rods. The rods measure from 10c,. to 1 meter. These rods are placed side by side decrease in length more challenging than the Board Stairs. Vocabulary: positive, comparative and superlative of “long and short.”
Color Tablets I, II, III
Age 2 ½ -5 (visual discrimination)
I. A box containing six wooden rectangles painted in pairs of red, blue and yellow teach the primary colors and their names.
II. A box containing twenty-two tablets one pair of each; red, blue, yellow, orange, green, purple, pink, brown, white, gray, black. Vocabulary: primary, secondary, tertiary and neutral colors.
III. A box containing nine compartments, each containing seven tablets in gradation of each of the above colors except black, white, and gray. Child grades these colors from light to dark or dark to light.
Tactile Discrimination
Rough and Smooth Boards
Age 2 ½-3 (tactile discrimination)
Four rectangles boards
First board; divided into two equal squares, one covered with rough sandpaper, the other covered with smooth sandpaper. Tracing the fingers of one hand or the other over each section helps develop hand control and lightness of touch and identifies the sensations of rough and smooth.
Second board; divided into narrow partition, alternating rough and smooth surfaces.
Third board; divided into narrow partition, graded into rough surfaces.
Fourth board; divided into narrow partition graded into smooth surfaces.
The student strokes the banded board with the index and middle fingers to practice control of the hand, wrist, and arm for writing. Vocabulary: “rough and smooth,” and the concept of light touch.
Touch Tablets
Age 2 ½ -3 (tactile discrimination)
A box containing six pairs of tablets varying in their surfaces. Equal in size and thickness, and covered with different textures. These tablets allow for refined matching and grading of rough and smooth textures. This exercise can also be done with a blindfold to provide further experience in tactile discrimination. Vocabulary: the comparative and superlative of rough/smooth.
Fabric Boxes
Age 2 ½ -3 ½ (tactile discrimination)
Three trays or boxes in which to put the fabric. Three sets of pairs of different qualities of materials. The first set consists of five pairs of definite contrasting fabrics. The second set is rougher and thicker in the type of fabric and the third set is finer and more delicate and silky. Also the pieces are the same size and there are two identical pieces of each kind of material. Each is a six inch square, with edges pinked.
This exercise can also be done with a blindfold to provide further experience in tactile discrimination. Vocabulary: names of fabric (silk, cotton, rayon, etc.)
Auditory Discrimination
Sound Cylinders
Age 3-4 (auditory discrimination)
Two boxes, each containing six cylinders, one set red, one set blue. Each cylinder has a small quantity of something that will sound when shaken, a different sound is created. The sounds must be graded from loud to very soft. Vocabulary: the positive, comparative, and superlative of “loud/soft.”
The Bells
Age 3-6 (auditory discrimination)
Two matching sets of “bells” one set mounted on individual white wooden stands and the other set on natural wooden stands, represent the tone of the diatonic scale, middle C to high C. Two other matching sets, one mounted on black wooden stands and the other on natural wood, represent the sharps and flats of the chromatic scale. Using a wooden mallet and a felted “damper”, the student can play, sing, match, and grade the diatonic and chromatic scales. Subsequent lessons teach note names, the musical staffs, notation, and composition.
Baric Sense
Baric Tablets
Age 3 ½ … (baric sense)
One large box divided into three compartments, each compartment containing six or more wooden tablets. Each set of tablets is of a different wood from the other two sets, so that they differ in weight by six grams as well as in color from each other. They are of light, medium and heavy weight. The light wood is pine, the dark is walnut and the medium is wisteria. A blindfold is also use. Vocabulary: the positive, comparative and superlative of “light” and “heavy.”
Olfactory Sense
Smelling Bottles
Age 3 ½-6 (olfactory sense)
Two sets of bottles differentiated by color, containing matching samples of substance with distinct aromas, allow for identifying like substances by their smell. Vocabulary: pungent, odor, sweet, aromatic