Purposeful Materials for Montessori Classrooms

Natural Sands and Wooden Toys and Trays

Montessori classrooms are thoughtfully designed to support hands-on learning, independence, and a deep connection to the natural world. At Jurassic Sands, we offer 10 all-natural, dye- and dust-free sensory sands, wooden trays, and sustainably crafted wooden toys—materials that align beautifully with the Montessori approach to purposeful, real-world exploration.

Sensory Sands

Sensorial exploration is a cornerstone of Montessori education, helping children refine their senses and build focus through tactile experience. Our collection of 10 natural sands—each unique in texture, color, and origin—invites children to observe, compare, and connect with materials from the earth.

• Vanilla Shore & White Velvet: Ideal for tracing letters or shapes in our all-natural wooden writing trays.
• Golden Cambrian & Mojave Beige: Use in Practical Life activities like scooping, pouring, and sweeping to develop fine motor skills and coordination.
• Riverbed & Original Jurassic: Incorporate into Cultural Area work—add fossils or rocks for geology-inspired excavation trays.

Wooden Toys

Simple, beautiful, and open-ended, our all-natural wooden toys support a child’s natural drive to explore and create. True to Montessori principles, these toys encourage independence, concentration, and discovery through purposeful play, all while nurturing fine motor development and imagination.

Dino Stomps

Dino Stomps are a set of 5 beautifully crafted, all-natural wooden toy set featuring five dinosaurs—Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex, Velociraptor, Triceratops, and Brachiosaurus—each paired with its matching footprint. One side shows a realistic dinosaur illustration, while the reverse reveals a fossil version, encouraging visual recognition and scientific thinking. Children can match each dinosaur to its corresponding footprint and stamp tracks into sand for a tactile, immersive experience.

Montessori Activity Idea: In the Cultural Area, set up a dinosaur track exploration tray using Jurassic Sands. Children can first match the dinosaurs to their footprint (one-to-one correspondence) and then stamp each dinosaur track into the sand to observe the footprints they make. Add a world map to spark discussions about where these dinosaurs once lived, integrating geography, science, and sensorial discovery in one inviting hands-on activity.

Handheld Wooden Sand Sifters (Set of 4)

The Handheld Wooden Sand Sifters (Set of 4) are crafted from all-natural wood and sized just right for small hands. Each sifter features a different screen size, allowing children to explore a range of textures and filtering effects with any of our 10 natural Jurassic Sands. These durable, beautifully simple tools encourage hands-on discovery, motor control, and focused observation—ideal for Montessori classrooms that value purposeful, tactile learning.

Montessori Activity Idea: Introduce the sifters in the Sensorial Area by preparing a sand tray with hidden natural objects like pebbles, fossils, or shells. Children can explore how each screen size separates different materials, sparking questions about size, weight, and texture. Extend the work by offering sorting trays or classifying cards, connecting the experience to early science, classification, and language development through open-ended, real-world exploration.

Wooden Trays

Our beautifully crafted wooden trays invite purposeful sensory exploration and support hands-on Montessori activities, from early literacy to open-ended sensory play.

Writing Trays

Our all-natural wooden writing trays provide a purposeful platform for children to practice pre-writing and handwriting skills in a sensory-rich, inviting way. Each tray includes a stencil, our ultra-soft White Velvet sensory sand, a complete set of alphabet letters (uppercase and lowercase), numbers 0-9, and extra vowels (uppercase and lowercase). Thoughtfully sized and crafted, these trays create an engaging, tactile experience that naturally supports motor skills development, concentration, and early literacy.

Montessori Activity Idea: Introduce writing trays in the Language Area by providing the included stencil and letters alongside trays filled with White Velvet sand. Children can trace letters and numbers in the sand with their fingers or a wooden stylus, reinforcing formation and phonetic awareness through tactile exploration. This simple yet powerful activity naturally aligns with Montessori principles of sensory learning, independence, and repetition in skill-building.

Sensory Trays

Our oval wooden sensory tray features a deep, spacious design perfect for containing sand, toys, and other sensory materials, along with a convenient lid for easy storage and organization. Ideal for open-ended exploration, it fosters focused engagement, motor development, and practical life skills.

Montessori Activity Idea: Set up the sensory tray in the Practical Life or Sensorial Area filled with Jurassic Sands, small wooden tools, natural elements like shells or rocks, and scoops or sifters. Encourage children to explore textures, practice scooping, pouring, sorting, and organizing, promoting independence, sensory refinement, and fine motor coordination.