It’s Montessori Education Week, a perfect time to focus on practical life materials from Montessori Services! Montessori Services has been a favorite Montessori supplier of mine since I first worked in Montessori schools that purchased many of their materials from Montessori Services.
When I started my own Montessori school in 1980, Montessori Services was the company I ordered rugs, trays, and numerous practical life materials from. When I homeschooled my kids, I used those same materials, still in great condition after eight years of use in my Montessori school.
Whether you’re a Montessori teacher or homeschooler, you’ll find lots and lots of wonderful materials through Montessori Services! While practical life materials of all types have always been a specialty of Montessori Services, you can find everything from books to elementary materials. Parents using Montessori principles at home will find lots to offer through Montessori Services or its partner site, For Small Hands, which specializes in child-size tools and materials for families.
My Impressions of the Spooning and Small Tong Activities
I always loved Montessori Services trays, containers, and utensils … and these were the usual high quality I expect from Montessori Services. When I opened the spooning and small tong activities for review, it took me approximately 5 minutes to set up all 5 trays. Every utensil, tray, and grain or pompom was included (along with plenty of extra grains and pompoms for refills).
NOTE: For a preschool, it’s best to place the transferring tool vertically between the small containers to enable right- or left-handed children to easily grasp the tool. If you have right-handed children in a homeschool, it works well to place the tool vertically or as pictured.
Spooning Activities from Montessori Services
Spooning Activities
The spooning assortment contains:
- Demi-spoon
- Wooden mustard spoon
- Mini-ladle
- 2 glass bowls
- 2 wooden dishes
- 2 small soufflé dishes
- Clear acrylic tray
- 2 medium-size trays
- Grains to transfer
I couldn’t help but think how cute the split-pea spooning activity would be for St. Patrick’s Day!
Small Tongs Activities from Montessori Services
Small Tongs Activities
The small tong activities set contains:
- Strawberry huller
- Sugar tong
- 2 oyster cups
- 2 lotus dishes
- Clear acrylic tray
- Medium-size tray
- Pom poms and black beans to transfer
I’m impressed with the variety of small and medium trays and small containers in the sets, which can be used for numerous activities of all types. Small and medium trays are often difficult to find, and these are attractive as well as easily stackable for storage. It would be simple to rotate the objects to transfer throughout the year and according to the holiday. These are extremely versatile and useful sets!
Disclosure: I received the spooning activities set and small tongs activities set in order to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and any opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Now for the Giveaway: The giveaway is now closed.
What You Will Win: 1 lucky winner in the U.S. or Canada will win both the Montessori Services Spooning Activities Set (ARV $32) AND the Small Tong Activities Set (ARV $20)!
Who is Eligible:
This giveaway is open to anyone 18 and older in the U.S. and Canada. The first entry is mandatory. You must leave a blog post comment telling why you want to win (and be sure to say you did that on the Rafflecopter form)! After you’ve completed your mandatory entry, there are lots of optional entries. You have many chances to win! (Note: For the extra entries, you may count ways of following that you already do. For example, if you previously “liked” Living Montessori Now on Facebook, you may still count that for your “like” Living Montessori Now on Facebook entry!)
It’s easy to enter giveaways with Rafflecopter! Just follow the directions to enter. You must complete the Mandatory Entry to qualify for any additional entries. The giveaway closes 10:01pm MST on Thursday, March 8. Best of luck! 🙂
Here’s a 45-second video with quick directions for entering through Rafflecopter:
How to Enter Rafflecopter Giveaways from Rafflecopter on Vimeo.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
UPDATE:
It’s Friday morning, March 9. I enjoyed reading all your comments and really appreciated the 1,217 entries! A winner has been selected using Random.org through Rafflecopter!
The winner of the Montessori Services Spooning Activities and Small Tongs Activities is Pia from Learning Montessori!
I’m so happy for Pia, who had multiple entries! (Note: Pia, you have 48 hours to respond to my email, or a new winner will be chosen.)
The comment for Pia’s mandatory entry (why she wanted to win) said:
“I always look for simple, quality materials to add to our practical life shelves and montessori services offer just that.”
CONGRATULATIONS, Pia!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH to Montessori Services for sponsoring the giveaway – and thank you to everyone who entered!
I would love to win this! I did many activities like this with my first 4 children without knowing it was Montessori. I have a toddler, and another due in June, and am filling up bins and totes with Montessori activities for the new batch of learners.
well they are playing with our japanese stoneware, and I’m always thinking they will break a bowl one of these days, so the best thing I like about your is that they look more kidproof!
I would love to win this. I am a dedicated Private Nanny with Montessori values, and I am grateful for any tools I can bring into the home with me. Also, we are planning to start up our own family and I look forward to Motherhood and teaching my own children with love. 😉
I would love to win these for my 2 year old! He loves new things and it would be so fun for him!
hmmm…at montessori services there is so much that i adore. everything from the beautiful quality puzzles (that my kids have been loving!) to the practical life materials that make me wish i were little. it is all so fabulous!
I LOVE the bolt sets at Montessori Services because I have 4 daycare boys that would think those are really cool. In fact I am going to buy some this month. 🙂
Practical life skills are so important…these would be beautiful to have for my children to learn
I would LOVE to win these! I am planning to start a Montessori Co-op at our church, and I know these practical life materials would get much use and much love.
I would love to have these and put them you good use with my young ones.
I love Montessori! I worked at a Montessori school for 3 1/2 years and left a year ago when I had my daughter. I am a stay at home mom who cares for other young children in my home. I have trying to find and create early toddler Montessori works for her and the other children. I would love to have these materials and would be so excited to put them to use!
My toddler girls would love to use these at home.
I would so love to win this. We are just starting out homeschooling and this would help to flesh out our classroom nicely!
Oh my, do I ever want to win this! I am a public school kindergarten teacher who is desperately trying to incorporate as many Montessori methods into my classroom as I can. I did a lot of research on Montessori methods while working on my graduate degree, and just wish there was a way I could open a M. school here. My school budget (and home!) is tight, so this would be a wonderful addition to my classroom materials. I have soo many ideas on ways to incorporate these. Additionally, I am a mom to a 5 year old preschooler that I “Montessori” homeschool in the afternoons to supplement her current curriculum. We could do lots this summer and spring break.
To start doing more of these activities with my daughter and my son as soon as he is old enough
I would love to win the spooning and tong activity set for my daughters. I have always homeschooled my 4 girls. My older two are in high school but my younger two are just starting and I really like the Montessori principles and would like to educate them this way.
Wow! This product looks really cool:
http://www.montessoriservices.com/preparing-the-environment/furniture/toddler-handwashing-table
I hope we can order that for our twin toddlers because I like how it would keep the bowl and pitcher in place but make it easy for the kids to hang up things on the side. Very well designed!
I’d love to start setting up a Montessori environment at home with our twin toddlers! They do seem to love activities that involve their sensory and motor skills; I’m hoping to also encourage practical skills as well.
These would be fantastic for my preschooler with sensory challenges!
I just started looking into Montessori teaching for my preschool. This would be AWESOME to win to get me started. Thank you for the opportunity to win this.
i want to start my toddler with some pouring activities so i really hope to win!!!!!