Welcome to the world of Montessori IKEA!
If you’re looking for ways to bring this approach to learning and development into your home, you’ll be pleased to know that you can find a wide range of Montessori-friendly items at Ikea.
In this article, we’ll be exploring some of the best Montessori Ikea items you can buy for young toddlers, including a Montessori learning tower.
So, what is Montessori and what makes an object Montessori-friendly?
Montessori is an educational philosophy that focuses on fostering independence, creativity, and self-discovery in children through hands-on learning experiences.
Montessori-friendly objects are designed to support this approach, allowing children to explore and engage with their environment in a safe and stimulating way.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the best Montessori-friendly objects you can find at Ikea!
Ikea Kitchen Step Stool – Ikea’s Learning tower alternative
The Montessori learning tower provides your child with a sturdy, stand-alone platform so that they can easily and safely reach countertops, sinks, and typically out-of-reach surfaces. This not only helps to foster independence, but will also encourage children to participate in everyday tasks like cooking, cleaning, and gardening.
When looking for a learning tower Ikea style, you’ll find the FLISAT Children’s Step Stool, which the closest item Ikea stocks to a Montessori learning tower. The FLISAT doesn’t have guard rails like traditional learning towers, making it suitable for older children who have a good sense of balance. It’s more of a solid-pine step stool so it’s not really a proper learning tower, but for older Montessori children it does provide a suitable, durable alternative.
A bonus, as with a lot of Ikea products, is that it has a classic design that will fit seamlessly into any home decor and it can be used by adults, too.
Wooden Play Kitchen and fabric food sets
Cooking and food preparation are great ways for children to learn about the world around them, and a wooden play kitchen is the perfect Montessori Ikea style piece of child sized furniture to support these activities and teach your child about practical life through pretend play.
The DUKTIG Play Kitchen, available at Ikea, is an affordable and functional option. Made from sustainable birch and with a classic design, this play kitchen is sure to become a staple in your home.
DUKTIG 14-piece vegetables set and other IKEA fabric food sets like the LÅTSAS 11-piece shopping basket set can be paired with your Ikea play kitchen to inspire imaginative play, allowing your little one to role-play cooking and serving food, which is great for developing their social and emotional skills.
Plus, they’re made from soft, durable fabric that’s safe and easy to handle, making them great for sensory play and practicing fine motor skills. These food sets add a fun and colorful touch to any play kitchen and are sure to provide endless hours of imaginative and educational play.
Montessori-friendly Storage Solutions
Having a designated place for everything is a key aspect of the Montessori approach, and Ikea has a range of Montessori-friendly storage solutions that can help you achieve this. For example, the TROFAST storage series is perfect for storing toys, books, and other items in an organized and accessible way. I use this in my home with my 14-month-old son, and it’s proving to be super useful, looks neat and he can access everything easily.
With its simple design, you can easily add labels and other markers to help children know where everything goes. You can mix and match the storage bins to be color-coded, or use a combination of smaller and deeper. Bins to get the balance of storage you need right.
I love that you can use the smaller bins to store single activities, that you child can then go to the shelf and remove the full bin and take it to their activity area – using the bin in the same way they would use a tray.
You may also like to check out the Kallax shelf unit as an alternative option, with its open shelves, or the FLISAT book display if you’re seeking a Montessori approach to book storage.
Montessori-friendly Art Supplies
Art is an important aspect of the Montessori method, as it provides children with a creative outlet to express themselves and develop their imagination. In a Montessori home, art can take many forms, from painting and drawing to sculpting and collage.
The focus is not on producing a finished product, but rather on the process of creating and exploring different materials. This helps children to develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and the ability to think critically and creatively. By incorporating art into their daily routine, children can build their confidence, express their emotions, and develop a love of learning that will serve them well throughout their lives.
At Ikea, you’ll find a range of art supplies, including the MALA easel and the STOCKHOLM paper roll, that are perfect for Montessori at home. These items are durable, easy to use, and help to create a safe and stimulating environment for creative exploration.
The FLISAT Children’s Table, is a great example of a Montessori-friendly piece of furniture that supports your child’s creative activities. Made from solid pine, this table is the perfect child’s height and provides a stable surface for a wide range of activities, from drawing and painting to building and exploring.
Wooden Blocks
Wooden blocks are a classic Montessori toy that encourages imaginative play and problem-solving. IKEA has a range of wooden blocks called the UNDERHÅLLA wooden block set, which comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The IKEA UNDERHÅLLA wooden block set is such a fun and versatile toy that can be used in so many ways to support your child’s Montessori learning at home.
With its natural wooden materials and simple design, your little one can let their imagination run wild and have a blast building towers, structures, and anything else they can dream up! This block set is perfect for helping to develop fine motor skills and promoting creative play, so it’s sure to provide hours of entertainment for your child.
Within the UNDERHÅLLA range, Ikea also has an Abacus wooden clock, both materials that can be used in a Montessori home.
BLÅVINGAD Fishing game
Magnetic fishing games can support a Montessori approach by promoting hands-on learning, problem-solving skills, and fine motor development.
These games allow children to use their sense of touch, eye-hand coordination, and dexterity as they attempt to catch the magnetic fish. Additionally, they can foster independence and concentration as children practice their fishing skills.
By providing an engaging and interactive experience, magnetic fishing games can also promote a child’s natural curiosity and love for learning, which aligns with the Montessori philosophy of fostering a child’s innate desire to explore and discover the world around them.
Dollhouses
When used correctly, dollhouses are a Montessori-friendly toy that help children to practice their imaginative play skills and develop their social skills. I absolutely love the FLISAT Doll house/wall shelf for a Montessori home!
It’s a great way to incorporate a cozy and imaginative play space for your little one. Not only does it serve as a cute wall shelf, but it can also be transformed into a mini doll house.
This multi-functional piece allows children to tap into their creativity and role-playing skills. And, let’s be real, it adds a touch of whimsy to any room, too.
Stacking and Nesting Toys
Another great Ikea addition to your Montessori home setup is the UPPSTÅ Stack and nest cups! These cups are not only adorable, but also super functional. They can be stacked and nested, encouraging your little one to learn about size and measurement.
They also provide opportunities for children to explore spatial relationships, which helps them to build a foundation for early math and science skills.
Additionally, stacking and nesting toys can support children’s imaginative play and creativity, allowing them to use their imagination and create new scenarios and stories, supported by the cute little characters you’ll find on these cups.
The Bottom Line
Ikea offers a range of Montessori-friendly items for the home, including a Montessori kitchen tower, wooden play kitchen, fabric food sets, storage solutions, art supplies, and wooden blocks.
These items support the Montessori approach of fostering independence, creativity, and self-discovery in children through hands-on discovery experiences. Each item is designed to be durable, safe, and easy to use, allowing children to explore and engage with their environment in a stimulating way.
Whether you’re looking to set up a Montessori-friendly play area, or simply want to incorporate Montessori principles into your home, you’re sure to find something at Ikea that suits your needs.
