When I first started tray work with my toddler, it took plenty of trial and error to figure out. These five Montessori tray ideas (with a short video of each) will save you some of that guesswork.
How do I set up and teach a Montessori inspired tray for my toddler?
When I first started doing tray work with my toddler it took a lot of trial and error as I figured out how to put together trays and as I learned how to teach those trays. Hopefully I can cut out some of the guess work on your end with this video. In this video I show 5 different Montessori tray ideas. I give a few tips that are important to tray work so be sure to listen for those.
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Before you watch, just know that filming this video was a bit, ahem, interesting. 🙂 My wonderful sister helped film and edit the video and her cute son (my nephew) makes a short appearance in the film. All three of my kids are also in the film with their big personalities. This video may not be picture perfect (especially when it comes to sound quality), but it definitely shows what it’s like in real life to do these trays with your toddler or preschooler. Below the video is a short description of each tray with links to the materials that I used.
- Scoop the Gems into the Treasure Chest
- Scoop the Pompoms into the Bowl
- Pour the Rocks from One Bowl into the Other Bowl
- Pick up the Coins and Put them into the Bowl
- Place the Blocks onto the Squares
Supplies Used
- Toddler Trays
- Spaghetti Scoop
- Ice Cube Tray
- Glass Gems
- Pompoms
- Melon Baller
- Dice
- Glass Bowl
- Aquarium Gravel
- Small Bowls
- Playdough
- Gold Coins
- Kid Tweezers
- Math Cubes
- Tongs
- Printable from Toddler Curriculum
Other Posts you Might Like
- 5 Montessori Practical Life Activities
- Toddler Curriculum and Schedule
- Use Kid Tweezers for Fine Motor Growth and Development
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Frequently Asked Questions
What if my toddler dumps the tray instead of doing the activity?
That is normal for younger toddlers, and dumping and filling is its own kind of learning. Show them the activity once, then let them explore however they like.
What age are toddler trays best for?
They work well from about 18 months through age 3 or 4. You can make any tray easier or harder to match where your child is.
How many trays should I set out at once?
Start with just two or three. Too many choices can overwhelm a toddler. Swap in new ones as the old ones lose their shine.