Box With Bins: Three Coloured Compartments for Sorting Activities
Made by Nienhuis Montessori · shipped by Heutink International (Netherlands) About the maker
A box with three coloured bins for sorting objects, which is the first classification work a toddler can actually finish. Sorting is where a very young child discovers that things belong to groups, and the groups can be anything the adult chooses: colour today, size tomorrow, hard and soft after that. Three bins rather than two is deliberate, because two invites guessing and three does not. Runs on metal slides with wooden knobs. Plywood with painted wood, for ages 0 to 3.
“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 Box with Bins embodies the Montessori principle of providing 'maximum effort' activities for the youngest child.
- Refinement of pincer and palmer grasp through drawer manipulation
- Development of bilateral coordination using both hands together
- Visual discrimination through color recognition and matching
- Understanding of object permanence and spatial relationships
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Around 14-18 months, children develop an intense need to refine their hand movements and organize their environment. This material respects the child's sensitive period for order while offering legitimate work that develops both gross and fine motor control. The smooth sliding motion of the drawers provides sensorial feedback that helps children understand cause and effect relationships. The distinct colored fronts serve as visual guides, supporting the child's developing visual discrimination abilities. This material bridges the gap between simple grasping activities and more complex practical life work, offering repetition that leads to mastery and concentration.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Place the box on a low shelf at child's eye level. Initially, place one or two familiar objects in each drawer. Ensure drawers slide smoothly and are clean.
- 1
Sit beside the child and slowly grasp the first drawer knob with thumb and two fingers
Exaggerate your pincer grasp to model proper hand position - 2
Pull the drawer out completely with one smooth, deliberate motion
Move slowly enough for the child to track your movements visually - 3
Point to or name the object inside, then gently push the drawer closed
Use minimal language - let the action speak - 4
Repeat with remaining drawers, then invite the child to try
Step back and observe without interfering unless needed
Every Child Is a Little Creator
Heritage
Since 1929
In classrooms
Around the world
European brands
Nienhuis, GAM, Educo
AMI approved
To the association standard
Box With Bins: Three Coloured Compartments for Sorting Activities
