Montessori Inspired Seed Exploration Tray

If you’ve been with us for a while you’ll know that growing vegetables is a big part of our summer rhythm. You’ll have heard all about veg patch and probably know more than you want to know about our hens.

Gardening is such a long process, especially for a toddler. Alfie’s not quite 3 so a growing season one eight of his life – the equivalent of 4 years for me as a 30 year old! Planting seeds is over and done with in an afternoon or two and I wanted to draw out the process to help him recognise seeds and make the connection between seed and plant.

I put together this tray to allow for longer periods of exploration and some repetition. On the tray are four jars of seeds and a picture representation of each vegetable. I’ve paired it with the book My First Discoveries – Vegetables.

How We’ve Been Using Our Vegetable Seeds Tray

The tray itself was used for between 10 and 15 minutes a day this week while the book has been browsed several times and brought to me for discussion frequently.

The jars keep the seeds safe and accessible and allow for some sensory play as they all sound and feel unique. It also means that India (10 months) can have a look at them too though I try where possible to keep her focussed on her own work, an impossible task!

There is also a small dish on a higher shelf which allows Alfie the fine motor work of unscrewing jars, pouring and pinching the seeds and more sensory exploration as he hears them in a new way, feels them and sniffs them (yes seeds have scents!)

The book has been really invaluable, the illustrations are so accurate and entailed they’re almost photographic! Alfie loves the transparent pages which were a great surprise for him.

The Dilemma of Shelf Work

Honestly, I was hesitate to provide work like this. It felt slightly inauthentic and a bit adult-led but Alfie loved it. It perfectly aligned with his interests and allowed him to stretch his knowledge without much intervention for me.