MONTESSORI COLOR TABLETS

Montessori Color tablet boxes are available in three sizes. Each one contains a limitless opportunity for exploration.

•Visual discrimination of color

•Introduction to primary colors

•Sensory refinement

•Order, control & concentration.

 

MATERIAL:

Wooden tablets, all the same size and shape, with end bars long

enough for holding the tablets without touching the colored part of the tablet.

BOX 1

The wooden box contains pairs of the primary colors; 2 red, 2

yellow, and 2 blue tablets.

BOX 2

Contains 22 tablets, representing the full color range, with pairs

of each of the following colors: red, blue, yellow, orange,

purple, green, pink, grey, brown, black, and white.

BOX 3

A box with 9 partitions, each partition holding 7 tablets in

shades of one color. Seven shades of each of the following:

crimson red, scarlet red (both shading to pink), blue, yellow,

purple, green, orange, brown, and grey. There is only a slight

difference between any two shades in succession in order to

educate the eyes to see very slight variations of hue.

The colors used must not be crude or too bright. It is important

to give the children the most beautiful examples of color. If

possible, wind the tablets with embroidery silks. Silk takes the

dye to produce the most beautiful colors. Children appreciate the

beauty of these colors and the aesthetic sense is awakened.

Children will also enjoy the smooth texture of the silk.

PURPOSE:

To give the full color range

To make the child aware of color and lead him to observe the

environment with intelligence

To help the child to appreciate beauty

To prepare the child for art work

AGE:

2^1/₂ years onwards

PRESENTATION:

Children’s tables should be of neutral coloring for least

distraction. The teacher takes Box 1 to the child’s table. She

sits beside the child and takes the tablets out of the box,

holding them by their wooden ends. she lays them in mixed order,

but parallel to each other, in front of the child on the table.

The tablets are positioned so that the wooden ends are at the top

and bottom of the tablets (instead of to the right and left).

PREPARATION:

The teacher gives the child a lesson in holding the tablets

without touching the colored part. She picks a tablet up carefully

by the wooden end and says, “Look, I can hold this tablet like

this, and I do not touch the beautiful color. Look, I can hold this

one too. Show me if you can hold this one without touching the

color.”

BOX 1:

 

The child practices a little with the teacher, and then the teacher

shows him or her how to pair the colors. She picks up any tablet, places

it in front of the child, and asks him or her to find another that is the same.

(The names of the colors are not used at this point, as the child

may not know the names of the colors.) If the child selects the

correct tablet, the teacher looks at the two tablets saying, “Yes,

these are the same. We will put them together.” She places them

toward the top of the table. She puts another tablet in front of

the child and asks him or her to find the matching one. When the child does so,

the two are put side by side. “Yes, these are the same so we will

put them together.” The second pair is placed under the first. The

third pair is placed under the second pair.

If the child hands the wrong color at any point, the teacher

would not accept it. She would lay the two side by side, consider

them and say, “No, these are not the same. Find one just the same

as this one.” (She puts the one she first asked for in front of

the child.)

When the exercise is completed, the pairs are mixed and the

exercise repeated. When the child understands the exercise, he or she can

work alone.

BOX 2:

 

When the child can do Box 1 easily, half of Box 2 may be given.

(Some children can manage the whole box.) The exercise is the same,

so the normal child should not need another lesson. When he or she can

pair these six colors easily, the teacher can give the child all 11

pairs to work with.

BOX 3:

 

The teacher takes the box to the child’s table and sits beside him or her,

taking out seven shades of one color and laying them in mixed order

on the table in front of the child.

The teacher asks the child to find the darkest shade. The teacher

puts this to the left and asks the child to find the darkest of those

remaining. The teacher puts this next to the first, and so on, so

that seven shades are arranged from dark to light in a ribbon of

color. Some help may have to be given as this exercise is very

difficult.

The teacher takes out another group of seven shades of color and helps

the child to arrange them from dark to light under the first color. The

teacher continues to give help until the child understands the exercise

and can work alone.

Note: The teacher does not correct the child if he makes mistakes

when working alone. No one can teach another to see color. By working

with the material, the child perfects him or herself. This is especially true when

working with Color Box 3. Never mix all the colors in box 3. Only mix

shades of one color.

VOCABULARY:

For Boxes 1 and 2 – The names of the colors

For Box 3: Light – Dark

Light – Lighter – Lightest

Dark – Darker – Darkest