African Animals Matching Cards
Made by Nienhuis Montessori · shipped by Heutink International (Netherlands) About the maker
African animal matching cards, pairs of real photographs to find and put together. African animals are the ones every child already half knows from pictures and has never seen, which is exactly the case where a photograph earns its place: the lion on the card is a lion, at the size and colour a lion is, rather than the yellow cartoon shape a child would otherwise carry. Durable plastic with rounded corners.
“Education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment.”
The African Animals Matching Cards fulfill the young child's intense interest in the natural world during the sensitive period for language.
- Visual discrimination through matching identical photographic images
- Vocabulary acquisition of African animal names and characteristics
- Classification skills by grouping animals with similar features
- Left-to-right scanning preparation for reading
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These laminated cards with photographic representations offer concrete visual experiences that bridge the gap between real animals the child may never encounter and abstract vocabulary. The color-coded borders on each matching pair create a control of error, allowing children to verify their own work without adult intervention. By featuring rhinoceros, zebras, and other African wildlife through high-quality photographs, these cards satisfy the child's need for reality-based learning while building classification skills. The matching format specifically addresses the absorbent mind's tendency to categorize and order experiences. Each photographic card becomes a key for unlocking new vocabulary, supporting the explosion into language that characterizes the 3-6 year period. The laminated surface ensures repeated handling as children return to favorite animals, deepening their understanding through repetition.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Place one set of cards face-up in a column on the left side of the work mat. Keep the matching set in a pile face-down on the right.
- 1
Select the top card from the face-down pile and name the animal shown
If the child doesn't know the name, simply provide it: 'This is a rhinoceros' - 2
Scan the left column from top to bottom to find the matching animal
Model left-to-right, top-to-bottom eye movements that mirror reading - 3
Place the card next to its match, checking the color-coded borders align
Let the child discover the color-coding system independently - 4
Continue until all cards are matched in pairs
Work at the child's pace - some may match 3-4 pairs initially
Every Child Is a Little Creator
Heritage
Since 1929
In classrooms
Around the world
European brands
Nienhuis, GAM, Educo
African Animals Matching Cards
