I cannot believe how quickly the holidays are approaching already for this year! I'm busying making my children's lists and shopping for everyone on my lists. And as much as I love a good deal at some of the larger retailers, nothing beats finding some truly unique finds that smaller businesses are able to offer! I wanted to share a few finds that are new to me in 2022.
These aren't necessarily on our lists at this time, but are Montessori friendly items that just look super fun and often downright beautiful. I hope that you'll find inspiration and ideas here, but also maybe some smaller options for shopping this holiday season.
Montessori Friendly Small Shop Holiday Gifts 2022
I've broken it down by general age here, make sure to follow your own child's interests and developmental readiness when shopping for gifts this holiday season!
For the Home
Just some fun finds for Montessori homes!
Large Bookshelf - love a large forward facing bookcase for those of us with lots of ages and kids
Mindful Advent Cards - these are so lovely for everyone!
Perpetual Calendar - we absolutely love this calendar
Large Bolga Basket - perfect for blocks, collections of toys or stuffies!
Rudie Nudie Playmat - this looks perfect for everything from diaper free play, picnics, and sensory play
Hand carved Picture Frames - what a beautiful way to display art
Babies
Oh I just love babies! There are so many awesome options out there for even the youngest of Montessori children. All the snuggles, love, and fun!
Pat Bells - adding these for babies but these are really great for babies on through childhood
Crinkle Paper - I'm obsessed, we own so much of their crinkle paper and it's always loved
Rainbow Bell Rattle - how fun is this! It's really hard to find good rattles with bells kids can see and touch
Climbing Arch - perfect for pulling to stand and starting to climb, a nice alternative to a triangle
Chime Mobile - one of Penelope's favorites and truly a beautiful sound
Fabric Baby Ball - I love a good baby ball! This looks so pretty
Toddlers
Toddlers are such a fun age to shop for! All the excitement and all the fun learning and play opportunities. Here are a few finds from small shops that look so cool for this age!
Stamp and Rollers - I love these, they come in lots of varieties and look like a fun alternative to traditional playdough tools
Knobbed Weather Puzzle - Love this for older toddlers, simple but beautiful
Chunky Boat Puzzle - I love the natural style of this chunky puzzle, this type of puzzle is getting harder to find
Sequencing Board - another older toddler find, I love the simple sequencing skill and puzzle
Silicone and Wood Blocks - I'm obsessed with this combo!
Locking Shape Sorter Box - how fun is this!? Simple shape sorting with a twist
Preschool
By preschool age (3-6) there are so many amazing things that Montessori kids can be working on. Some might be interested in big movements and others might be into refining their fine motor. Some might be just starting puzzles and others doing hundreds of pieces. Follow your child!
Rainbow Lacing Board - I love rainbows and I love that this is a bit more a bigger lacing challenge that isn't quite sewing
Fun Shaped Crayons - A unique way art option and fun stocking stuffer
DIY Kaleidoscope - This is so beautiful and I love that you could use nature or fun art/sensory materials to change it up
Number Pounding/Counting Board - I love the mix of maximum effort and math here!
Wooden Stencils - these look like a great at home alternative to the metal insets, large simple shapes that are easy to handle
First Pocket Knife - great for older preschoolers who are starting to get more into woodworking and whittling
Elementary
It's hard to find general ideas for second plane of development (ages 6-12) kids since their interests vary so wildly! I like to try to find things that will spark their imagination, creativity, and be hands on. Here are a few beautiful finds from small shops that I think would be really popular with a lot of elementary kids.
Wooden Maze - this looks like a fun screen free challenge for a younger elementary kid
Wiggle Coins - cute ideas to encourage movement, this shop actually has several really fun coin sets
Constellation Tiles - pair these with a book of fables on how these stars got their names and my kids would be in heaven
Customized Pencils - my bigs would LOVE these so much, I might actually get some for stockings
Black Paper Sketch Book - pair this with some super thin gel pens!
Paper Slingshots - fun, creative, and a little bit of risk is just right for the second plane
Please remember that there are TONS of other small shops that could have been featured here. I just listed a few that caught my eye and I thought would be fun for a wide variety of kids.
Please remember that there are TONS of other small shops that could have been featured here. I just listed a few that caught my eye and I thought would be fun for a wide variety of kids.
Shop our other small shop guides: 2020 | 2021
