If you have one or more of the traditional Montessori sensorial materials, you undoubtedly want to encourage the best possible use of the material. Extensions can create more interest as well as add a new level of difficulty for your child or students who need a more advanced activity.
Some of the most likely sensorial materials to be purchased are the Montessori size materials: the cylinder blocks, knobless cylinders, pink tower, brown stair, and red rods.
Some Examples of Sensorial Size Extensions:
The Montessori Learning Center of Dundee has lots of photos of extensions of pink tower, brown stair, and knobless cylinders from years of teaching in a Montessori school.
Pink Tower Extension (Photo from Our Country Road)
Our Country Road shows the pink tower used with pink tower cards from Montessori Print Shop.
Smiling Like Sunshine shows extensions with the pink tower and brown stair.
Pink Tower and Brown Stair Extension (Photo by Natasa at Leptir)
Leptir has posts with many photos and directions for the pink tower and brown stairs, red rods, knobbed and knobless cylinders and other sensorial extensions.
Lapappadolce has lots of pink tower and brown stair extensions along with free printables.
Red Rods Extension (Photo from Montessori MOMents)
The Montessori MOMents photo shows a popular red rods extension. The blog is no longer available.
Montessori with Myra has a number of sensorial extensions.
Early Education with Antek and Kuba has inspiring pink tower and brown stair extensions.
Knobless Cylinder Pattern Cards 2 (Image from Montessori Print Shop)
Montessori Print Shop has a number of inexpensive sensorial materials (go to Montessori Print Shop and search for “sensorial materials”) and with extensions for sensorial activities.
I have a post with lots of amazing sensorial extension printables available for purchase from Montessori Print Shop.
I also have a post about preparing Montessori sensorial extensions with Spielgaben materials.
Wikisori has a number of extensions.
Montessori Works has free sensorial extension cards.
My sensorial posts often have extensions of activities.
If you have John Bowman’s eBook Montessori at Home: The Complete Guide to Doing Montessori Early Learning Activities at Home, you’ll find lots of easy-to-prepare extensions for sensorial activities.
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
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Thank you for linking to Montessori MOMents. I love this post and can’t wait to share it with JR. He loves seeing other children doing the same works as him. It’s his window into other school rooms. 🙂
Thanks, Lori! I love that you show posts with ideas for extensions to JR! That’s such a great idea to have him connect with other children in that way! 🙂
Wonderful ideas, as always. I would love to get my hands on some of those traditional Montessori items! I’m going to have to get creative and make some!
Thanks so much for your kind comment! I love finding all these amazing ideas around the blogosphere! If you (or someone else you know) are handy with carpentry, you can definitely make lots of beautiful traditional Montessori materials at home. I have lots of links to resources here: https://livingmontessorinow.com/2010/09/23/how-to-make-your-own-montessori-materials/ 🙂
Hi!
Love the sensorial materials! I have a free knobless cylinder-printable here:
http://forskoleburken.blogspot.com/2010/01/en-till.html
Maria
Thanks so much for your comment, Maria! And thank you for the link! I just added it to my post! 🙂
I love seeing the sensory materials in action! The kids loved the pink tower so much that I cant wait to add more to our classroom. Thank you for the shout out!
Thanks for your comment – and for sharing your kids’ experiences with the pink tower! 🙂
HI Deb,
Thanks for the post. Sensorial is my favourite. I’m biased, i know 🙂
Thanks, Jessica! Montessori sensorial materials are awesome, aren’t they?! 🙂
Lots of interesting post!!! Love it so much I enjoyed your posts!!
Thanks, Alison! I had fun finding so many great resources online! 🙂
Thank you, Deb, for finding a good way to share my well used photos!
Carolyn
My pleasure, Carolyn! You have photos of so many wonderful extensions, and I’m hoping Montessori homeschoolers will get lots of use out of them! 🙂
thank you 🙂