The Top Five Pieces of Furniture you Need in your Montessori Home
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We have invested in many pieces of Montessori-inspired furniture to give our children more independence. Read on for a list of our top five most-used pieces that I highly recommend.
What is Montessori furniture?
The Montessori philosophy is all about preparing the environment in order for children to be as independent and self-motivated as possible. Often what comes to mind when you think of Montessori is wooden furniture, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be wooden as long as the furniture is well built and makes the home environment more accessible to young children. A few well-built pieces of furniture can go a long way in helping your children to help themselves.
Our Most Used Pieces of Montessori Furniture
1) Low Mirror
When we first brought Ryaan and Dayna home as newborns, they didn’t need much. In their awake time, they alternated between being in our arms and laying down on the floor on their topponcino.
While laying down and exploring, we had a low mirror placed in front of them so they could observe themselves. Babies love looking at faces more than anything else, so the mirror provides this as a constant for them to study.
They do not begin to recognize themselves in the mirror till 18 months of age, but the mirror provides interesting stimulation and develops their cognition. As your baby makes a movement, the baby in the mirror makes the same movement, introducing them to the concept of cause and effect from very early on.
Our kids had a mirror low on the ground in their movement area till about 18 months, after which we converted it into a standing mirror in their dressing area to encourage independent dressing. Here are some recommendations for low mirrors in your movement area.
TTS Freestanding Mirror
This is the mirror we used when our kids were babies and is still used in our dressing area.
Pros
Sturdy and long-lasting
Convertible - can be used horizontally or vertically
Cons
Large; takes up a fair bit of space
Pricey
Montessori Spruce Mirror
This mirror on Etsy looks ideal for a Montessori environment and might be one that I consider if I were looking for a freestanding mirror again. Options were much more limited when I was looking nearly six years ago!
Pros
Comes with attachments to hold various baby mobiles and to add a pull-up bar
Convertible - can be used vertically or horizontally
Cons
Expensive
Heather Adjustable Montessori Mirror
Here is another excellent mirror available on Etsy. It is more compact than the previous options, which is great for tighter spaces.
Pros
Compact
Convertible - can be used vertically or horizontally
Cons
it may be too small for some
Large Montessori Mirror
This mirror is a great option if you don’t have much floor space available and prefer something wall-mounted. It is also great for those with older active children who might try to knock the mirror over. It also comes with a handlebar that your baby can use to pull himself up, which is great for upper body strength and coordination.
Pros
Saves floor space since it’s wall mounted
Comes with a pull-up bar for when the baby is ready to stand
Cons
Expensive
2) Montessori Floor Bed
In Montessori, we try not to place infants in restrictive spaces, so they have the freedom to explore and develop according to their inner guide. While safe and convenient for parents, a crib may not necessarily serve the child's needs.
Placing a mattress on the floor or a low bed frame on the ground offers the baby a place to sleep and crawl on and off as desired. A mattress on the floor worked very well for both Ryaan and Dayna.
The one thing to note about a floor bed or mattress is that it shouldn’t be too high, so if kids roll off it at night by accident, it isn’t much of a fall. We always have a rug at the base of the mattress to cushion the fall. Both my kids fell off the first few nights but quickly learned the boundaries of the mattress and how to climb back onto it.
Jay Be Core Kids Pocket Sprung Mattress
This is the mattress we used and continue to use for our kids. It is firm which makes it safe for young children, and is a single-bed size. We used it on the floor initially, and now Ryaan has a single bed on which we use the mattress.
Pros
Firm mattress, good support while kids sleep
Arrives vacuum packed and rolled up
Cons
Expensive
Toddler Floor Bed with Slats
While a mattress on the floor serves the purpose, a well-made bed frame adds sophistication and beauty to any kid’s room. This one from Etsy is gorgeous and has slats all around to reduce the amount of accidental rolling off happening at night.
Pros
Beautiful, adds a touch of class to any room
Sturdy and well made
Slats help to reduce rolling off at night
Available in many different sizes
Cons
Expensive
BareBaby Minimalist Montessori Floor Bed
I love this minimalist floor bed frame to keep the mattress off the floor without adding too much height or bulk. If I had kids again, I’d most definitely purchase this for their rooms. It can even be personalised and have an integrated night light added.
Pros
beautiful, minimalist design that doesn’t add bulk
can be personalised with the child’s name
integrated night light as an option
Cons
expensive
3) Montessori Learning Tower (a.k.a. Kitchen Helper)
If you have been reading about Montessori at home or been to a Montessori home, you would definitely have come across the Montessori learning tower. It is a mainstay in almost all Montessori homes, and for good reason.
A learning tower is essentially a step stool with an extension above it to keep children standing safely without fear of falling over. It is a piece of furniture that allows parents to involve their children in cooking and other kitchen tasks easily and safely. It also goes by the names kitchen helper or toddler tower.
While a chair or regular step stool serves a similar function and is probably much cheaper, the learning tower is great as there is less fear of the child falling over while the parent is engaged in other tasks. If you can afford one, then I definitely think a learning tower is a great investment in your Montessori home. Standing in a learning tower puts children at counter height so they can help with kitchen tasks and develop independent cooking skills.
3 in 1 Transformable Helper Tower
We bought our learning tower from Etsy years ago, and it is still going strong. Both Ryaan and Dayna have used it since they could stand independently. The exact one we bought isn’t available, but here is a similar version. I love it because it converts into a table and slide too.
Pros
sturdy and well built
looks beautiful and will blend well into any home
multipurpose - converts into a table and slide
various colour options are available
Cons
expensive
Folding Kitchen Helper Tower
This is another gorgeous option for a learning tower. It has a sleek design with several colour options, and the best part is that it folds flat and can be stored away when not in use.
Pros
compact, sleek design
several colour options
folds flat for storage
Cons
doesn’t convert into a table
expensive
Kitchen Helper for Children
This more affordable alternative from Amazon is height adjustable, so can grow with your child.
Pros
Affordable
Adjustable height
Cons
Doesn’t convert into a table
4) Table and Chair Set
Once children are a bit older (around 2.5 to 3 years old) and begin concentrating for short periods, a table and chair set are useful. When setting up Montessori work for children in trays on a shelf, it is useful to have a table and chair nearby so they can choose their work and sit down in a designated place to work on it. A rug on the floor is another option, but I find that some work like writing or arts and crafts are better suited to being done at a table.
Ikea LATT Children’s Table with Two Chairs
The Ikea LATT children’s table is the best and most commonly used table and chair set I’ve seen used in homes with young children. We have had a set in our home for many years, and it is still going strong. The tables and chairs are light enough that even the youngest toddlers can lift them on their own, yet they are strong enough to withstand the weight of most adults.
Pros
Lightweight and easy to move around
Sturdy
Can accommodate two children comfortably
Affordable
Cons
None that I can think of
Ikea FLISAT Children’s Table
The Ikea FLISAT table is another great staple in a home with young children. It is great because the table has inserts for storage boxes which can also be used as sensory or sand/water trays, and have lids that cover the baskets when they aren’t in use. I tried desperately to find this table when I was looking for one for our home but it wasn’t in stock anywhere in the UK at the time. If I was doing it all over again and this table were available, it would definitely be my first choice.
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/flisat-childrens-table-50298418/
Pros
Lightweight
Storage bins which can be used for sensory or sand/water play
Affordable
Cons
None that I can think of
5) Wardrobe
One of the Montessori principles is to offer children choices so that they feel in control. Dressing is often an area that can cause many tantrums and disagreements because children do not feel in control and dislike being told what to wear. Offering children a few acceptable outfit choices makes them feel in control and keeps us happier as parents when tantrums are avoided.
Also, having an open wardrobe at a child’s height helps to encourage them to choose their outfit and try to dress independently. We started off with a small dressing-up wardrobe for Ryaan, then invested in more sturdy open wardrobes for both children once Dayna was born.
Liberty House Toys Children's White Wooden Dress Up with Storage Bins
This was the dressing-up wardrobe we initially bought to see if an open wardrobe would work in our home. We wanted something low investment, in case Ryaan didn’t take to it. This dressing-up wardrobe served us well for about two years, after which it started to become a little wobbly.
Pros
affordable
doesn’t take up much space
perfect height for toddlers
has a mirror for children to see their reflection while getting dressed up
comes with storage bins
Cons
not very sturdy
cannot hold much weight
Kindergardrobe Montessori Clothing Rack Type B
Once Dayna was born, we needed a second wardrobe, and Ryaan’s dressing-up wardrobe had gotten pretty wobbly by then. We decided to invest in two of these beautiful clothing racks from Etsy. They fit perfectly in our space and are so sturdy. Their minimalist design would look beautiful in any room too.
Pros
sturdy and well-built
minimalist design looks gorgeous
rounded corners so there’s no chance of kids getting scratched
modular design with several options to fit your space and needs
Cons
expensive
heavy
requires a fair bit of self-assembly
Wooden Clothes Rack for Children
This wooden clothes rack from Amazon is simply designed and beautiful. I love that it has a fixed number of slots for hangers so that I know when to stop buying clothes for the children! It is also sleek and compact, making it perfect for tight spaces.
Pros
sleek, compact design that doesn’t take up much space
fixed number of slots for hangers, so clothes are always well spaced out
Cons
Expensive for what it is
I hope these recommendations have been helpful when looking for key pieces of furniture for your Montessori home.