Montessori Color Tablets are more than just colorful wooden blocks—they’re tools for sensory exploration, cognitive development, and artistic expression. By incorporating these materials into our educational practices, we empower children to embark on a journey of discovery, curiosity, and self-discovery.

What are Montessori Color Tablets?

Montessori Color Tablets are a set of wooden tablets, each painted in a different primary or secondary color, ranging from vibrant reds and blues to soothing greens and purples. These tablets are presented in a set of three boxes, each containing tablets of varying shades and gradients, allowing children to explore and differentiate between different colors.

The primary purpose of Montessori Color Tablets is to refine a child’s visual discrimination skills and deepen their understanding of color. By engaging with these tactile materials, children develop their ability to identify, match, and classify colors, laying a solid foundation for future academic and artistic endeavors. Additionally, working with the Color Tablets fosters concentration, attention to detail, and the development of fine motor skills.

Montessori Color Tablets are typically introduced to children around the age of two to three years old, although this may vary depending on each child’s readiness and developmental stage. These materials are designed to meet the sensory needs of young children and can be enjoyed by toddlers and preschoolers alike.

The Montessori Color Table Boxes

In the Montessori Color Tablet set, there are 3 distinct boxes, each serving a specific purpose in a child’s sensory exploration and color recognition journey. These color tablet boxes provide children with a comprehensive and sequential exploration of color theory, from the fundamental primary colors to the more complex tertiary colors. Through hands-on interaction with these materials, children develop their visual discrimination skills, color recognition abilities, and appreciation for the rich and diverse world of color around them.

Box 1: Primary Color Tablets

• The first box contains primary color tablets, including red, blue, and yellow. It contains six color tablets: two red, two blue, and two yellow.
• These colors cannot be created by mixing other colors together and serve as the foundation for all other colors and provide children with an introduction to the basic building blocks of color theory.
• Through hands-on exploration with these tablets, children learn to identify and differentiate between primary colors, laying the groundwork for more complex color mixing and blending activities in the future.
• For example, children engage in pairing activities, where they match each primary color tablet with its corresponding color name card. This helps reinforce color recognition and language development.

Box 2: Secondary Color Tablets

• The second box consists of secondary color tablets, which are created by mixing two primary colors together. It contains 22 color tablets: a pair each of red, blue, yellow, orange, green, purple, brown, pink, gray, black and white.
• By exploring secondary colors, children deepen their understanding of color relationships and discover how different combinations of primary colors can produce new and vibrant hues.
• These color tablets demonstrate how combining two primary colors can create secondary colors which expand children’s color vocabulary and understanding of color mixing.
• Through pairing activities to match each secondary color tablet with its corresponding color name card, children gain the ability to identify and distinguish between secondary colors.

Box 3: Tertiary Color Tablets

• The third and final box contains tertiary color tablets, which are created by mixing a primary color with a secondary color. The box contains 63 tablets representing nine colors in 7 graded shades of: red, blue, yellow, green, purple, orange, brown, pink and gray.
• Tertiary colors are the intermediate hues between primary and secondary colors and offer children a more nuanced understanding of color gradients and variations. Tertiary colors are created by mixing a primary color with a secondary color, resulting in a wide range of nuanced shades.
• Children engage in grading activities, where they arrange the tertiary color tablets in a graduated sequence from lightest to darkest or vice versa. This activity hones their visual discrimination skills and perception of subtle color variations.

Presentation of the Montessori Color Tablets

The Montessori Color Tablets are “fan favorites” in Montessori classrooms around the world. Children love not only their appealing colors but also their potential for providing open-ended exploration of the world of colors around them. In a Montessori classroom, a trained guide introduces the Color Tablets to children in a carefully prepared environment conducive to exploration and discovery. Children are invited to engage with the tablets through various activities, such as matching tablets of the same color, arranging tablets in gradient order from light to dark, and naming each color as they work. Through these hands-on experiences, children develop a keen sense of visual discrimination and color recognition, honing their ability to perceive and appreciate the nuances of the world around them.

The Multiple Benefits of the Montessori Color Tablets

Within the Montessori Sensorial Curriculum, the Montessori Color Tablets serve multiple purposes:

1. Sensory Exploration: The Color Box Tablets provide children with a tactile and visual sensory experience as they explore the various colors and shades. This hands-on exploration helps refine their visual discrimination skills and enhances their sensitivity to color variations.
2. Color Recognition: By working with the Color Box Tablets, children learn to distinguish and identify different colors. They develop the ability to name each color accurately and describe its attributes, such as hue, intensity, and shade.
3. Grading and Matching: The Color Box Tablets offer opportunities for grading and matching activities. In grading activities, children arrange the tablets in a graduated sequence based on variations in hue or intensity. This helps them understand the concept of gradation and develop a sense of order. In matching activities, children pair tablets of the same color or shades, further honing their visual discrimination skills.
4. Preparation for Language and Math: Through the exploration of colors and shades, children lay the groundwork for language and math concepts. They expand their vocabulary as they learn color names and attributes, and they develop a basic understanding of concepts such as light and dark, more and less, and size gradation.
5. Preparation for Art and Design: Engaging with the Color Box Tablets sparks children’s creativity and lays the foundation for artistic expression. As they become familiar with different colors and shades, children may incorporate this knowledge into their artwork and design activities, fostering self-expression and aesthetic appreciation.

The Color Tablets also contribute significantly to the development of children’s fine motor skills. Here’s how:

1. Handling and Manipulation: Children engage in activities that involve picking up, holding, and manipulating the Color Tablets. These actions require precise finger movements, grip strength, and hand-eye coordination, all of which contribute to the refinement of fine motor skills.
2. Placement and Arrangement: When working with the Color Tablets, children often arrange them in specific patterns, sequences, or pairings. This process involves precise movements as they place each tablet in its designated position. By practicing these placement and arrangement tasks, children further develop their manual dexterity and spatial awareness.
3. Pincer Grip Development: Many Color Tablet activities require children to use their thumb and forefinger in a pincer grip to pick up and manipulate the tablets. This pincer grip is essential for various fine motor tasks, such as writing, drawing, and using utensils. Through repeated practice with the Color Tablets, children strengthen their pincer grip and refine their finger movements.
4. Control of Movement: As children engage with the Color Tablets, they learn to control their hand movements with precision and accuracy. They must carefully place each tablet in its designated position, requiring a steady hand and controlled motions. This process helps children develop greater control over their fine motor movements, leading to increased coordination and accuracy.

An Incredibly Fun and Powerful Learning Material

In closing, the Montessori Color Tablets provide children with a comprehensive and sequential exploration of color theory, from the fundamental primary colors to the more complex tertiary colors. Through hands-on interaction with these materials, children develop their visual discrimination skills, color recognition abilities, build their fine motor skills, and develop an appreciation for the rich and diverse world of color around them.

Still Curious?

The best way to really understand the Montessori Color Tablets is to see them used in action.  Schedule a visit to watch children using them in the classroom or attend a parent education session.