The Evolution of a Montessori Transferring Tray

These super simple transferring trays are a great activity for toddlers through to school aged children. These activities help with fine motor skills, maths, patterning building, become independent and self-motivated and learning to think creatively.

Tray 1 – transferring activity with tongs for 2 year old

Simply transfer the felt hearts from one sorting tray to the other using the wooden tongs

Skills – fine motor, pincer skills, independent thinking,

Tray 2 – colour sorting for 2-3 year olds

Try sorting each shape by colour

Skills – brain development, making connection between the real world and words (e.g. colours), fine motor skills, concentration, language and speech

Tray 3 – shape sorting for 2-3 year olds

Same as above but try and sort by shape. Add different shapes such as felt balls when your little one is comfortable sorting 2 shapes. Once your little one is able to sort multiple shapes practice transferring and sorting by shape and colour.

Skills – shape recognition, brain development, fine motor skills, communication, early maths and science

Tray 4 – foundation stage maths for 4-6 years olds

Use this activity to enhance what they are learning at school. For example, use for number bonds to ten, one more or one less, doubling, taking away – ask you child a math question such as “I have 2 hearts here, please can you double it” or “can you put 7 hearts in one sorting tray and 3 hearts in the other sorting tray

Skills: fundamental maths, communication, understanding technical terms, fine motor skills

If you have enjoyed this blog please do sign up to our mailing list or visit our social media 

Fed up of pumpkins and Halloween as the only play ideas during Autumn?

Try these 10 play prompt suggestions

1. National space week – ok so we know we have missed the date for this one but still a great play theme. Plus when the clocks change get outside and do a bit of star gazing.

2. Learn a new skill – grab a hot chocolate and snuggle by a cosy fire and try our new knitting forks or braiding stars

3. Harvest festival  – get that play food out and create harvest baskets

4. 21st October is national apple day – eat them, draw them, practice life skill by cutting them up or maybe hammering golf tees into them

5. 24th October – United National Day – celebrate diversity with a new book or colour me crayons. 

6. 13th November – Diwali try using out Kitpas crayons to celebrate the festival of light by drawing on the windows or making a tea light holder using a jam jar.

7. 13th November – World Kindness Day – what lovely thing can you do today?

8. 20th November – Universal Children’s Day, could you find out about what children do in different countries, this years theme is inclusion.

9. An oldie but a goodie – head out for a nature walk and collect natural loose parts, maybe sticks or pinecones. Then you can add them to a sensory base and do some counting or maybe you could add them to sensory dough to create an autumn inspire model.

10. Decorate some leaves or conkers – paint or Kitpas crayons work really well for this.