According to Dr. Maria Montessori, sensorial experiences begin right when a child is born. Children use their senses in order to study their environment. By participating in sensory activities, children can consciously obtain clear information that helps them classify their surroundings. These classifications serve as stepping stones to organized intelligence, which gives children the ability to adapt to their environment.

Why Sensorial Work is Important

Sensorial activities are used in Montessori learning to help children in discrimination and order. They also help broaden and refine a child’s senses. When a child combines Montessori designed materials with sensorial work, it helps them become more logical, perceptive, and aware.

Dr. Montessori developed the concept of sensorial work long before sensory play was put into practice. In Montessori philosophy, the child is considered the “sensorial explorer” and learns to perceive qualities through sensorial experiences.

Sensorial Materials

Many Montessori materials, for example the Pink Tower in the photo above, are designed to assist in visual discrimination by allowing a child to recognize differences in dimension, length, width, and size. Montessori activities such as the Brown Stair, Red Rods, Knobbed Cylinders, and Color Tablets can also enhance the visual sense.

The auditory sense is also developed in sensory materials like Sound Cylinders and Bells, while the tactical sense is sharpened through the use of Touch Tablets and Fabric Feel. A child differentiates tastes by strengthening their gustatory sense through activities such as food preparation and food tasting. Using Montessori materials such as Scent Bottles can help a child differentiate smells with their olfactory sense.

Silverline’s Mission

At Silverline Montessori, we understand that children can obtain limitless amounts of knowledge during their formative years. It is especially important to develop a child’s senses between birth and age 6. This is why we emphasize helping children understand the world around them by using sensory materials in our classrooms. These sensorial activities help develop important lifelong skills such as logic, awareness, and perception.