Trays are a staple in Montessori learning environments, and they are used in almost every area of the classroom! They can offer both organizational and developmental benefits to children at every stage. Trays can be a helpful resource in home learning environments as well.
What are some of the benefits of using trays with children?
Trays help keep materials organized on the shelves, so that children can see which materials are part of the same activity. This makes it easy for children to see what the available options are, and to choose what to work on next. It also makes clean-up easy when children are ready to return materials to the shelf.
By using trays, young children are able to take responsibility for their materials and independently complete a work cycle, often with minimal or no assistance from an adult! The independent completion of a work cycle - bringing their materials to a table or work rug, engaging in the activity, and bringing their materials back to the shelf - can be a big confidence-booster for children, as they often like to proclaim, "I did it myself!"
Trays can help young children develop focus and concentration, by isolating the materials from one activity at a time. By limiting the amount of materials in a child’s workspace (their table or work rug) we can help them reduce distractions and increase their concentration.
Trays can support children in establishing a sense of order. In Montessori environments, materials are set up from left to right, so that children can easily see the sequence of materials, and indirectly practice their left-to-right tracking skills. This will help them when learning to read and write. After completing an activity, a child can return the materials to the tray to bring it back to the same spot on the shelf, helping maintain order on the shelves and provide predictability in the classroom layout.
One of the first activities children practice when they enter a Montessori toddler or primary classroom is carrying a tray. The skill of carrying a tray, which may seem easy for an adult, requires a great deal of strength, coordination, spatial awareness and balance for a young child. This is an essential skill that children will utilize throughout their time in the classroom, so practicing this when they first join can prepare them to engage with more of the learning materials in the environment.
Trays make it easy to set up materials in a way that allows children to identify and correct their errors independently. By isolating materials for one activity on a tray, children can identify when materials need replenishing. By setting up materials in sequential order on a tray, children can see the sequence of steps in the activity without having to ask an adult.
We are so excited to launch our own wooden Montessori trays for schools and home learning environments in the coming weeks!