SENSORIAL
, INDEX
Introduction to Sensorial…………………………………………………………….......1
Three Period Lesson…………………………………………………………………......4
Senses……………………………………………………………………………………7
Visual Sense……………………………………………………………………..8
Tactile Sense……………………………………………………………………64
Auditory Sense………………………………………………………………….85
Gustatory Sense………………………………………………………………....93
Olfactory Sense…………………………………………………………………96
Stereognostic Sense……………………………………………………………100
Questions……………………………………………………………………………...112
, INTRODUCTION TO SENSORIAL
“The training and sharpening of the senses have the obvious advantage of enlarging the
field of perception and of offering and over more solid foundation for intellectual
growth. The intellect builds up its store of practical ideas through contact with, and
exploration of its environment. Without such concepts the intellect would lack precision
and inspiration in its abstract operations”
(The Discovery of the Child, Maria Montessori)
Maria Montessori introduced the Sensorial area in the Children´s house because the
child, through his senses, absorbs all the impressions from his environment. The child
thanks to these absorptions develops and gains a lot of knowledge of everything that
surrounds him, so the child learns through his senses, he is a “sensorial explorer”.
As we know, the children have this sensitive period for refinement of the senses
that guides the child to use his senses correctly. The refinement of the senses develops
naturally and, is how the child understands and perceives the world noticing the difference
between things in their environment. This aids to build the child´s intelligence.
The Sensorial materials have been designed to respond to the natural development
of the child. Maria Montessori wanted to present the real world to the children and also,
the key to explore it.
In the Children's house it is really important to present the activities of Practical life
before continuing with the sensorial to have the capacity to use the materials of this area.
Maria Montessori designed materials for all of the senses: visual, tactile, auditory,
olfactory, gustatory and stereognostic.
The visual sense, two eyes to collect information of the environment, by seeing
different details like size, shapes and colour. An example of activity would be the cylinder
blocks.
The tactile sense, the skin has tactile receptors, through which the child can feel and
distinguish the texture, temperature and weight of the materials. An example would be
the tactile tablets.
Olfactory sense, which organ is the nose, able to smell. An example would be the
smelling boxes.
1
, In the gustatory sense, the child uses his tongue to taste. An example of activity
would be the tasting jars.
Auditory Sense allows us to recognise sounds, and the organs that we use are the
ears. These organs allow us to distinguish music, human speech, noise, silence and more.
An example would be the sound boxes.
The stereognostic sense has to do with knowing all around, so touching and moving
at the same time. An example would be the stereognostic bags. In this activity the child
feels, while using a blindfold, what it is inside the bag.
Continuing with the general aims, sensorial materials have direct and indirect aims.
An example of direct aim of the tactile tablets is the discrimination of texture; and the
indirect aim of it is preparing the child for writing. Both aims have to take into count the
following points: enabling the mind to organize, order and classify the stream of
impressions he is receiving from the environment; refining the senses; building a store of
abstract concepts; building intelligence; offering the key for further exploration;
increasing perception of the world; becoming a foundation for future learning; and being
an aid in detecting possible defects.
Enabling the mind to organize, order and classify the stream of impressions the
child is receiving from the environment means that the child is able to create an order in
his mind thanks to the sensorial material.
The refinement of the senses means that the child works with the materials in a
efficiently and precise way becoming more aware about everything.
Building a store of abstract concepts means that the child keeps in his brain not
physically represented concepts and understands them.
Sensorial materials help to build the child´s intelligence. He must be aware of what
it is in the world, increasing his perception; and also make connections. The adult gives
the key to explore all the qualities around him guiding his exploration.
Furthermore, becoming a foundation for future learning, teaching to observe,
compare, discriminate and make conclusions. And finally, being an aid in detecting
possible defects, in other words if the child has a problem with a sense.
Sensorial materials also have some common features like, isolation of a quality,
isolation of a sense, aesthetic pleasing, attractive and scientifically designed, materials
2
, INDEX
Introduction to Sensorial…………………………………………………………….......1
Three Period Lesson…………………………………………………………………......4
Senses……………………………………………………………………………………7
Visual Sense……………………………………………………………………..8
Tactile Sense……………………………………………………………………64
Auditory Sense………………………………………………………………….85
Gustatory Sense………………………………………………………………....93
Olfactory Sense…………………………………………………………………96
Stereognostic Sense……………………………………………………………100
Questions……………………………………………………………………………...112
, INTRODUCTION TO SENSORIAL
“The training and sharpening of the senses have the obvious advantage of enlarging the
field of perception and of offering and over more solid foundation for intellectual
growth. The intellect builds up its store of practical ideas through contact with, and
exploration of its environment. Without such concepts the intellect would lack precision
and inspiration in its abstract operations”
(The Discovery of the Child, Maria Montessori)
Maria Montessori introduced the Sensorial area in the Children´s house because the
child, through his senses, absorbs all the impressions from his environment. The child
thanks to these absorptions develops and gains a lot of knowledge of everything that
surrounds him, so the child learns through his senses, he is a “sensorial explorer”.
As we know, the children have this sensitive period for refinement of the senses
that guides the child to use his senses correctly. The refinement of the senses develops
naturally and, is how the child understands and perceives the world noticing the difference
between things in their environment. This aids to build the child´s intelligence.
The Sensorial materials have been designed to respond to the natural development
of the child. Maria Montessori wanted to present the real world to the children and also,
the key to explore it.
In the Children's house it is really important to present the activities of Practical life
before continuing with the sensorial to have the capacity to use the materials of this area.
Maria Montessori designed materials for all of the senses: visual, tactile, auditory,
olfactory, gustatory and stereognostic.
The visual sense, two eyes to collect information of the environment, by seeing
different details like size, shapes and colour. An example of activity would be the cylinder
blocks.
The tactile sense, the skin has tactile receptors, through which the child can feel and
distinguish the texture, temperature and weight of the materials. An example would be
the tactile tablets.
Olfactory sense, which organ is the nose, able to smell. An example would be the
smelling boxes.
1
, In the gustatory sense, the child uses his tongue to taste. An example of activity
would be the tasting jars.
Auditory Sense allows us to recognise sounds, and the organs that we use are the
ears. These organs allow us to distinguish music, human speech, noise, silence and more.
An example would be the sound boxes.
The stereognostic sense has to do with knowing all around, so touching and moving
at the same time. An example would be the stereognostic bags. In this activity the child
feels, while using a blindfold, what it is inside the bag.
Continuing with the general aims, sensorial materials have direct and indirect aims.
An example of direct aim of the tactile tablets is the discrimination of texture; and the
indirect aim of it is preparing the child for writing. Both aims have to take into count the
following points: enabling the mind to organize, order and classify the stream of
impressions he is receiving from the environment; refining the senses; building a store of
abstract concepts; building intelligence; offering the key for further exploration;
increasing perception of the world; becoming a foundation for future learning; and being
an aid in detecting possible defects.
Enabling the mind to organize, order and classify the stream of impressions the
child is receiving from the environment means that the child is able to create an order in
his mind thanks to the sensorial material.
The refinement of the senses means that the child works with the materials in a
efficiently and precise way becoming more aware about everything.
Building a store of abstract concepts means that the child keeps in his brain not
physically represented concepts and understands them.
Sensorial materials help to build the child´s intelligence. He must be aware of what
it is in the world, increasing his perception; and also make connections. The adult gives
the key to explore all the qualities around him guiding his exploration.
Furthermore, becoming a foundation for future learning, teaching to observe,
compare, discriminate and make conclusions. And finally, being an aid in detecting
possible defects, in other words if the child has a problem with a sense.
Sensorial materials also have some common features like, isolation of a quality,
isolation of a sense, aesthetic pleasing, attractive and scientifically designed, materials
2
