Skittle Stand: Material Display
Made by Nienhuis Montessori · shipped by Heutink International (Netherlands) About the maker
A hardwood stand for storing and carrying the large fraction skittles. Skittles standing loose on a shelf fall over the first time anything is put down beside them, and a fallen set is one nobody wants to deal with. A stand holds them upright and makes the whole set liftable in one movement, which is what a child needs to fetch the material without help. Skittles sold separately. Wood, for ages 6 to 12.
“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”
The Skittle Stand serves as an essential organizational tool in the elementary classroom, where children's work becomes increasingly complex and requires precise arrangement of materials. This wooden sorting tray with its four circular wells addresses the elementary child's need for logical order while working with mathematical operations, classification systems, and research projects. The tray's defined compartments eliminate visual clutter, allowing children to focus their attention on relationships between sorted items rather than managing loose materials. In Montessori elementary environments, where children often work with multiple components simultaneously, whether sorting grammar symbols, organizing bead materials for long division, or classifying specimens, the Skittle Stand provides the external order that mirrors and reinforces their developing internal sense of organization.
- Classification and sorting skills through organized material arrangement
- Visual discrimination when comparing items in separate wells
- Mathematical concepts through grouping and categorizing objects
- Fine motor control while placing small items in circular wells
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The wooden construction offers durability for daily classroom use while the smooth finish invites repeated handling, making it an indispensable support for the elementary child's increasingly abstract work.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Place the Skittle Stand on a work mat or table. Gather materials to be sorted such as beads, buttons, or natural specimens. Ensure the tray is clean and positioned for comfortable access.
- 1
Introduce the sorting concept by demonstrating how to place one category of items in each well
Start with clearly different items before progressing to subtle variations - 2
Allow the child to sort materials independently, observing their classification criteria
Resist correcting their sorting logic, let them discover patterns naturally - 3
Once sorted, invite the child to count or compare quantities in each well
Use this opportunity to introduce mathematical vocabulary like 'more,' 'fewer,' 'equal' - 4
Document findings through drawing or writing, using the tray as reference
The organized display makes recording observations more accurate
Every Child Is a Little Creator
Heritage
Since 1929
In classrooms
Around the world
European brands
Nienhuis, GAM, Educo
Skittle Stand: Material Display
