This is a classic Montessori toy for enhancing your child’s pincer grasp, fine motor skills and hand mobility. Working with this material strengthens the wrist, which is vital for controlling the hand during future tasks like writing.

Recommended age period

The Montessori Curved Dowel Stacker is suitable for toddlers (1 year +). It can be used for as long as the child shows interest.

How to introduce the activity to my child? 

Stacking toys are an essential part of a toddler’s development. They provide a fun and engaging way for children to learn and develop their skills. Have your toddler start with the green rings, progressing to the orange rings. Demonstrate how to hold the base with one hand and place the ring on the dowel with other hand encouraging them to use both hands in sync.

Try to give your toddler lots of uninterrupted time to work for as long as they like. And remember – they don’t have to use all of the pieces at first.

What will my child learn?

This stacker is a simple yet beautiful product for toddlers to exercise their hand eye coordination ability from simple actions and to help them focus at the center of each piece. Children develop independence and a sense of order.

Fine Motor Skills

All sorts of grasping, flexing, rotating, manipulating, and coordinating hand skills are needed to stack the rings on the dowel. Manipulating the rings requires precise finger movements and control.

The curved dowel helps improve dexterity and develop a slightly different grasp than a traditional stacking toy as it creates an added challenge for the child. Developing these fine motor skills early is essential as they lay the foundation for future tasks such as writing or tying shoelaces.

Advancement of Midline Crossing

The wooden stacker has been designed to help with the advancement of midline crossing, which is an important developmental skill needed for reading and writing. Midline crossing is when one hand unconsciously moves across to the other side of the body to work there. Before this ability is developed, a child will tend to use their right hand on the right side of their body and their left hand on the left.

Visual and Spatial Perception

Stacking also works on depth perception, hand-eye coordination, and understanding where your body is in space.  As you put each piece on top of the other, you have to visually gauge where to place each piece both in relation to yourself, and in relation to the other pieces.

Language Concepts⁠ & Vocabulary Development

The stacker offers so much learning and language in a playful way. In/out, on/off, up/down, big(ger)/small(er) etc. along with introducing children to different colors and basic math concepts.

A great toy with even greater results!

What is included?

Six brightly colored wooden rings, three each in green & orange and a wooden base with a curved dowel to place the rings on.

What is it made of?

Handcrafted by Indian artisans, this beautiful set is made from Ivory wood and Birchply and colored with water based, non-toxic, child safe paints.

Dimensions

Care instructions

Wooden toys are beautiful and durable. Toys made of natural materials bring your little one a little closer to the nature by nourishing the child’s senses.

Wood has natural anti-bacterial properties, so keeping them clean is simple and you can even get your kids involved in the process. Here are some tips that can come handy while taking care of the wooden toys –

1. Wooden toys can be wiped with a dry cloth for daily maintenance and cleaning.
2. No Soaking. Never submerge wooden toys in the water; to clean or otherwise. The wood can soak up the water which can gradually lead to cracks.
3. Instead, a slightly damp cloth or sponge can be used to remove dirt or dust and then the toy should be air dried.
4. While drying the toys, do not leave them in a direct sunlight. Sunlight can cause the colors to fade and long exposure to the sunlight and air might damage the wood.
5. Every once in a while, you may want to moisturize wooden toys when it starts to look dry or dull. Coconut oil or olive oil can be applied sparingly with a washcloth. Then let it dry.

Note

• During its lifetime, a tree is subjected to many natural forces that cause variations in wood grain, color, knots, splits, and stains. These variations are not defects. They enhance the beauty of the wood and add to the characteristic of the handcrafted toys making each toy unique.
• As with any baby toy or accessory, please use only under adult supervision.
• Always inspect for damage prior to use.