Timeline Of Communication (Large Display)
Made by Nienhuis Montessori · shipped by Heutink International (Netherlands) About the maker
The Timeline of Communication, from the earliest marks people made to the way messages travel now. It belongs with the great lesson of language, and it does something a lesson cannot: it shows how recent writing is. A child who has walked the timeline of life and then finds writing crammed into the last fraction of this one has understood the scale without being told it. Large display, durable plastic. The other timelines are separate items.
“Children display a universal love of mathematics, which is par excellence the science of precision, order, and intelligence.”
The Timeline of Communication serves as a visual narrative that connects human ingenuity across millennia, addressing the young child's need to understand their place within the broader human story.
- Develops understanding of chronological sequence and the passage of time
- Builds vocabulary related to communication tools and historical periods
- Strengthens visual discrimination by comparing different communication methods
- Cultivates appreciation for human innovation and cultural diversity
Read More
This large-format poster transforms abstract concepts of time and technological progress into concrete visual sequences that children ages 3-6 can comprehend. By presenting communication methods from cave paintings to modern devices in chronological order, the timeline satisfies the child's natural curiosity about how people shared ideas before telephones existed. The laminated surface invites repeated exploration, allowing children to trace the progression of human expression with their fingers while building sequential thinking skills. Each image on the Timeline of Communication represents a leap in human creativity, helping children recognize that innovation builds upon previous discoveries. The poster's horizontal layout mirrors the left-to-right progression used in reading, subtly preparing the child for literacy while exploring history.

How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Mount the timeline at child's eye level on a wall where children can approach closely. Place a small basket nearby containing objects or replica items that match some timeline images (toy telephone, paper and pencil, small drum).
- 1
Invite the child to explore the timeline, starting at the beginning with cave paintings
Use your finger to trace along the timeline as you move through history together - 2
Point to specific images and ask the child what they notice about how people communicated
Allow plenty of time for observation before offering vocabulary or explanations - 3
Connect timeline images to the child's own experiences with communication
Ask 'How do you tell Grandma about your day?' to relate modern methods to their life - 4
Encourage the child to find patterns or similarities between different time periods
Help them notice that writing appears in many forms throughout history
Every Child Is a Little Creator

Heritage
Since 1929

In classrooms
Around the world

European brands
Nienhuis, GAM, Educo

Timeline Of Communication (Large Display)
