How do young children learn through their senses?
Young children learn through their senses by touching, seeing, hearing, smelling and tasting the world, building the mental categories they later name with words and numbers. Montessori's sensorial materials isolate one sense and one quality at a time so children can refine perception and organise experience.
What this means in practice
Montessori described sensorial materials as keys to the world.
Sensory learning examples
- Touch: rough/smooth boards
- Sight: colour grading
- Hearing: sound matching
- Smell: spice bottles
- Taste: tasting jars
- Weight: baric tablets
From senses to concepts
Grading the red rods becomes understanding length, measurement and number.
Practical next steps
- Offer sensorial activities daily.
- Isolate one quality.
- Name what children perceive.
- Link to maths and language.
ExampleAfter grading fabrics, a child describes her mother's sari as 'smooth and soft'.
What to keep in mind
Some children are sensitive to certain sensations; respect this.
Common follow-up questions
Is sensory learning only for toddlers?
It continues through early childhood.
Does it help reading?
Auditory discrimination supports phonics.
Sources
Examples are educational illustrations with made-up names. How these answers are prepared.