Discover the best Montessori toys for 3–12 months that support sensory exploration and early development through engaging, age-appropriate play.
This stage is all about discovery – touching, mouthing, grasping, and beginning to understand the world through movement and sensation. Montessori toys for babies between 3 and 12 months focus on sensory exploration, hand-eye coordination, and early motor skills. Think simple, purposeful toys that don’t flash or beep, but instead invite your baby to explore through doing.
While I haven’t personally tried every toy on this list, I’ve done a lot of research and I mean a lot. I’ve read hundreds of reviews, looked closely at materials, age-appropriateness, and most importantly, whether the toy actually supports learning in those early months. As a mom, you get a pretty good sense of what’s worth it and what’s not and these picks stand out.
Each toy in this list is inspired by Montessori principles: they’re safe, developmentally appropriate, open-ended, and encourage independent exploration. Many are made of natural wood, are free of harmful chemicals, and are designed with babies’ safety and curiosity in mind.
If you’re looking to start incorporating Montessori into your baby’s playtime, these are simple, beautiful, and actually useful options to begin with.
♥Montessori Mama Wooden 5-Piece Collection
This beautifully crafted set is a favorite among parents for good reason. It includes five classic Montessori-inspired toys – a push toy, enclosed ball roller, slide rattle, wood ball rattle, and bell rattle, each designed to support sensory exploration, grasping, and early motor skill development. Made from smooth, non-toxic wood, they’re safe for mouthing and durable enough to last beyond the baby stage. Reviewers love the quality and say even young babies are drawn to the sounds, textures, and movement. A wonderful first set for Montessori play!
♥Kileubuto Montessori Fine Motor Color Sorting Toy
This colorful wooden sorting toy is all about hands-on learning through focused play. Babies and toddlers naturally love inserting objects into holes and this toy turns that instinct into a developmental win by building fine motor skills, pincer grasp, hand-eye coordination, color matching, and problem-solving.
It includes wooden sticks, rings, and a large sorting cylinder, all made from smooth, non-toxic wood with rounded edges. The upgraded sizes make it safe for little ones starting at 6 months, and the multiple ways to play like color matching or using the included dice for game-style challenges, make it versatile enough to grow with your child through toddlerhood.
Bonus: it comes with a canvas drawstring pouch for easy storage and travel.
♥5-Piece Wooden Baby Rattle and Teether Set
This sweet little bundle of wooden rattles and teethers is perfect for babies 3 months and up. Each piece is crafted with natural wood, smooth edges, and just the right size for tiny hands to grasp and explore. They double as soothing teethers and early sensory toys, helping develop motor skills while offering safe relief for sore gums. Parents love the minimalist look and quality craftsmanship plus, the variety keeps things interesting for curious little ones.
♥8-Piece Montessori Wooden Rattles & Teethers Set
This beautifully curated set includes a mix of wooden rattles, teethers, and sensory toys designed specifically for newborns and young babies. Each piece encourages grasping, shaking, and mouthing supporting early motor development and sensory exploration in a safe, natural way. The variety in shapes and sounds keeps babies engaged, and the neutral, wooden aesthetic fits right into any Montessori-style play space. A thoughtful gift option or starter set for Montessori-inspired homes.
♥Montessori Peekaboo Spinning Drum
This interactive spinning drum is a favorite among Montessori-inspired toys for babies around 6–12 months. As little hands push or bat the drum, it spins and reveals colorful panels, perfect for practicing cause and effect, visual tracking, and gross motor coordination. It’s also just the right height for babies learning to sit up or push up during tummy time. The gentle motion and soft colors keep things interesting without overstimulation, making it a great pick for purposeful play.
♥Hahaland Baby Surprise Barn with Stuffed Farm Animals
Featuring a charming barn and six plush farm animals, this set offers a delightful sensory experience. Each animal has unique textures and sounds, including crinkles and rattles, to engage infants. The barn includes openings for fill-and-spill play, promoting motor skills and understanding of cause and effect. Additionally, a side mirror fosters self-recognition and awareness.
♥Kizfarm Montessori 8-in-1 Activity Cube
This multifunctional Montessori-inspired cube packs so much learning into one compact, thoughtfully designed toy. With eight activities including shape sorting, stacking, a ball drop, coin bank, spinning gear, color matching stick drop, carrot harvest, and even a mini clock- it’s perfect for keeping little hands and minds busy. Each activity targets key developmental areas like fine motor skills, color and shape recognition and problem-solving.
Parents love the clever foldable design, which doubles as a storage box when not in use. It also includes a cloth drawstring bag for the smaller pieces which is a lifesaver when it comes to staying organized. Made from smooth, baby-safe wood and coated with non-toxic paint, this set is both safe and durable.
♥Skrtuan Wooden Carrot Harvest Game – Montessori Sorting Toy
This adorable carrot harvest game is both playful and educational, making it a great introduction to Montessori learning through hands-on play. With seven wooden carrots in different sizes, little ones practice matching, pulling, and sorting – perfect for building fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and early size recognition. Made from sturdy pine wood with smooth edges and water-based paint.
♥Fortella 6-in-1 Montessori Learning Box
This beautifully designed wooden set is packed with purpose and perfect for toddlers who are ready to explore more complex skills. It includes six different activities in one compact box: a latches box, pull-along trolley, nuts and bolts, harmonica, rainbow stacker, and building blocks. Each activity supports a different area of early development, from fine motor skills and color recognition to early music and imaginative play.
What makes this set extra helpful is the parent guide that comes with it offering tips and developmental insights so you can really make the most of each activity. Made with FSC-certified wood and painted with non-toxic, water-based paints, it’s safe, durable, and truly made to last through all the toddler stages. If you’re looking for a gift that’s both fun and packed with Montessori learning, this one checks every box.
♥Montessori Mama 4-in-1 Wooden Animal Puzzle
Designed with toddlers in mind, this 4-in-1 wooden puzzle features four favorite animals: owl, bear, elephant, and lion, each with large, chunky pieces that are easy for little hands to grab and place. It’s perfect for beginners just getting into puzzles, and helps build fine motor skills, spatial awareness, and early problem-solving in a gentle, age-appropriate way.
Made from smooth, high-quality wood with rounded edges, it’s safe, durable, and thoughtfully designed to minimize mess by keeping all the pieces on a single bottom board. Montessori-friendly and fun, this puzzle makes a great gift for any curious toddler starting their learning journey through play.
♥Melissa & Doug First Shapes Jumbo Knob Puzzle
This classic wooden puzzle is perfect for introducing little ones to the world of shapes, problem-solving, and spatial awareness. Each piece features an extra-large wooden knob- just right for tiny hands still mastering the art of grasping. The bright, high-contrast illustrations underneath each shape help with visual matching and memory, making it an ideal first puzzle for babies around 12 months and up.
Parents love its durability and simplicity, it’s safe, sturdy, and designed to help toddlers focus on one task at a time, in true Montessori fashion. A wonderful starter puzzle that builds confidence while keeping play calm and purposeful.
♥Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack & Baby’s First Blocks Set
This classic 2-in-1 set includes two timeless developmental toys: the iconic Rock-a-Stack and Baby’s First Blocks. Both are ideal for babies starting around 6 months, offering fun, purposeful play that builds early skills like grasping, stacking, sorting, and problem-solving.
The Rock-a-Stack’s colorful rings and rocking base help babies practice hand-eye coordination and size recognition, while the shape sorter introduces concepts like matching, spatial awareness, and fine motor control. Parents love that both toys are simple, engaging, and durable and they fit beautifully into a Montessori-style play space when used intentionally. Bonus: the block bucket has a lid and handle for easy cleanup and carry-along fun!
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