Two sets of six sealed cylinders, each filled to make a distinct sound when shaken, graded from very soft to loud. The child works with eyes free but ears doing the deciding: shake one from the first set, hunt through the second for its match, and set the pair aside. Sealed is the important word, because a cylinder that could be opened would be opened, and the answer would come from looking instead of listening. Grading from softest to loudest follows pairing. Beechwood cylinders, for ages 3 to 6.
“Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world.”
The Sound Boxes represent Montessori's genius in isolating a single sense for refinement.
By removing visual cues and relying purely on auditory comparison, children develop a discriminating ear. This sensory refinement directly prepares the child for language work, hearing the subtle differences between similar phonemes.


Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
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Distinguishing fine differences between similar sounds
Deep focus required to compare sounds held in memory
Present in a quiet environment, background noise interferes with this exercise
Everything you need to know about this material.
Contact Our ExpertsThe Sound Boxes refine auditory discrimination, the ability to perceive and compare subtle differences in sound. Children develop concentration, careful listening skills, and vocabulary for describing sounds (loud, soft, louder, softer, loudest, softest).
Children shake paired cylinders gently, comparing sounds between the red-lid set and blue-lid set to find matching pairs. They begin with the most contrasting sounds and progress to subtler differences, developing systematic comparison skills.
Sound Boxes are typically introduced around age 3-4 years, after children have shown readiness through preliminary sensorial work. The child should be able to handle materials carefully and maintain focus during comparative activities.
The red and blue sets contain identical sound gradations. Children match cylinders from one set to the other by sound alone, providing built-in control of error. The color coding helps organize the activity without giving away the sound matches.
By training the ear to detect subtle sound differences, this material prepares children for phonetic awareness essential for reading, musical pitch discrimination, and the ability to distinguish similar sounds in spoken language.
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