Shelf Activities – 16 Months

At 16 months A’s shelf was a combination of Montessori-inspired and open-ended materials. Open-ended materials are a great addition to a Montessori-inspired shelf at home as they compliment the close-ended nature of Montessori activities and enable creative and imaginative play later on. 

These activities promote hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and language development.

(See individual photos below)

⋒ Geometric wooden shapes

⋒ DIY posting activity (You can find a detailed overview of this DIY here)

⋒ Solids on pegs

⋒ Djeco nesting cubes (find a similar one here)

⋒ Djeco musical instruments 

⋒ Drop box with drawer and interchangeable tops

⋒ Object-to-picture matching

⋒ Geometric shapes puzzle (find a similar one here)

At this age I was rotating materials/activities based on observation of my daughter’s interests. The key with everything Montessori is always to follow the child. Observe their interests and provide opportunities for them to practice and eventually master the skills they are naturally interested in.

My daughter loved the posting activity, puzzle, nesting cubes and musical instruments. It’s also important to note that at this time, more than shelf activities my daughter was very interested in practical life activities as she tried to master new skills.  So always keep realistic expectations for your child. Offer them but have no expectations as at this age there is so much – a whole new world – competing for your toddler’s attention.