DIY Montessori Sorting Tray

Montessori Activities

Recently I went out thrifting and found this Mancala board for $2. Mancala is available at any store with a board game section. It is also a cheap and common find at thrift stores.

Originally purchased for a fun game, I opened the game up and saw, to my delight, two sorting trays.  Simple, inexpensive, and made of wood, what could be better?

This DIY is simple. All you need to do is unscrew or pry the hinge between the two boards, and you will get two sorting trays. The remaining holes are very small, but can be sanded down if needed.

The nice thing about this sorting tray is that the compartments have rounded circular bottoms, which makes it easy to pick up any objects in the trays.

Sorting in the classroom can be a preliminary work as well as a sensorial work.  Visual sorting is a great preliminary work for children new to the primary room or work for the toddlers.

From coins to pasta, beans and grains, sorting helps children identify things that are alike and different and helps them refine their stereognostic sense (the sense of judging sizes and shapes through touch alone).

The best thing about this upcycle? You have an extra one to give to a fellow parent and/or a fellow educator!