Geometric Solids take kids from “square, circle, triangle” to “cube, sphere, pyramid”. A Tactile, Spatial, Visual sensory experience that fosters all sorts of smart cognitive connections.
“Geometric Solids” in Simple Montessori Language means “a set of kiddo-tangible blocks in precisely measured three-dimensional geometric shapes”.
That’s way better than reading illustrations of 3D shapes in a 2D book, wouldn’t you say?
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Best Geometric Solids You Can Buy
- (01) Elite Montessori Essential Blue Geometric Solids with Wooden Stands
- (02) Learning Resources Plain Wood Geometric Solids Basic Set
- (03) Learning Resources Mini GeoSolids (32 Piece, 8 Shapes, 4 Sizes)
- (04) Hands & Woods Premium Alder / Oak / Ash / Beech Geometric Solids Set
- (05) hand2mind Foam Geometric Solid Blocks (Primary Color / Wood-Look)
- (06) Learning Resources “View-Thru” Translucent Color Geometric Solids
- (07) Bonus: Geometric Solids Printable Flashcards & Activities
(01) Elite Montessori Essential Blue Geometric Solids with Wooden Stands
This elite Montessori kit contains the 10 blue geometric solids figures with their bases and storage box. It is made entirely of wood and non-toxic paint. The figures are suitable for children from 3 years and the storage box measures 10 x 16 inches.
The bases included are to classify the ovoid objects, so the child must fit by shape and size one by one to achieve perfection. We will work geometry and recognition of solids through touch without looking.
(02) Learning Resources Plain Wood Geometric Solids Basic Set
Learning Resources set of 12 unpainted wood geometric solids is the perfect sized for a single child who wants a good range and complexity of shapes.
The original Montessori geometric solids is based on 10 shapes and often holds 4 sizes of each shape. Learning Resources brand offers the less-complex end of this range — so it’s the perfect starters set too.
Plastic isn’t my favorite material, but I’ll admit the wide-mouth storage tub makes storage “easiest in class”.
(03) Learning Resources Primary Color Mini GeoSolids (32 Piece, 8 Shapes, 4 Sizes)
This variation of the geometric solids game includes a set of 32 pieces, with 8 geometric shapes: triangular prism, cube, cone, cylinder, rectangular prism, hexagonal prism, triangular pyramid and square pyramid and four sizes for each one. All the pieces are made of plastic in bright colors and not monochromatic like the original game.
With this version, in addition to identifying the solid figures through touch, we work on size discrimination, since each figure comes in 4 different sizes. Due to the number of pieces, it can be presented to several children and they can work on cooperation and segmentation in teams. This game is suitable for children from 5 years old.
(04) Hands & Woods Premium Alder / Oak / Ash / Beech Geometric Solids Set
This set of 10 geometric solids is a completely handmade version made of oak, ash, pine, beech and acacia wood. It comes in natural wood color and the representative solid figures are triangular prism, rectangular prism, cube, cylinder, cone, triangular pyramid, square pyramid, sphere, ellipsoid and ovoid.
This alternative allows children to work on their sensory capacity with stenognathic exercises, allowing brain connections with the musculature through touch. This version does not include the wooden bases to classify the figures, but it is undoubtedly a very detailed resource for sensory practice.
(05) hand2mind Foam Geometric Solid Blocks (Primary Color / Wood-Look)
This set from hand2mind presents geometric solids in foam format, with 12 shapes in cubes, cylinders, prisms, pyramid, sphere, hemisphere, cone and rectangular solids. It comes in the primary colors, yellow, blue and red, and each shape measures approximately 2 to 3 inches. The manipulation of this game with foam represents for the child a different touch to wood, ideal to combine with the set of wooden geometric solids.
The game can include a classification by shape and color, in addition to the already known work of the stenognostic sensory area.
(06) Learning Resources “View-Thru” Translucent Color Geometric Solids
The Learning Resources brand offers the geometric solids game with 14 plastic pieces in bright colors, suitable for children from 8 years old.
The figures are presented in large and small shapes: cube, rectangle, triangular prism and cylinder. It also includes pentagonal prism, triangular pyramid, square pyramid, cone, sphere and hemisphere.
An advantage of this game is that it adds the concept of volume. As the plastic figures are transparent, they can be filled with solids or liquids and practice the concepts of half full, full, empty. Also work the comparative between shapes and measures, since these pieces have relative sizes, that is, the small ones are exactly half the size of their large counterparts.
(07) Bonus: Geometric Solids Printable Flashcards & Activities
Montessori Geometric Solids Nomenclature PDF → jojobi on Etsy
This set of printable cards is ideal for use as an additional resource to the geometric solids game. It contains 10 cards representing the shapes ellipsoid, ovoid, triangular pyramid, square pyramid, cone, sphere, cube, rectangular prism, triangular prism and cylinder.
Each shape has a control card, a picture card and a word card. With the cards we can tell the children to match the shapes, to classify the images with the objects according to their shape and to match them with examples of everyday objects similar to the solid shapes we are showing them. It is recommended to laminate the cards for durability. It is sent as a pdf file ready to print and cut out.
Geometric Solids Control Chart Digital Download → Montessori Print Shop on Etsy
I love this downloadable set because it brings everyday objects for children to sort and identify them according to the geometric shape they resemble. It involves dexterity and mental quickness to match shapes to real objects.
The kit comes with 10 labeled geometric solid cards, 30 picture cards for sorting and 1 checkerboard.
It is shipped in pdf format, ready to print in full color.
Objects for sorting include sphere, cone, ovoid, cube, square-based pyramid, triangular prism, rectangular prism, cylinder, ellipsoid and triangle-based pyramid.
Practical Object Geometric Shapes Printable Cards → Montessori Factory on Etsy
A beautiful, colorful, fun and super visual set of flashcards, so that children can identify solid geometric figures directly with everyday objects in 3D. The images are not flat, which makes it easy to conceptualize the terms. There are 30 images, one per card, and each card has 3 descriptions: the image, the name and the figure it belongs to.
Examples of practical life objects included are:
- SPHERE: Bubbles, Globe, Lamp, Marbles, Soccer ball
- CUBE: Cardboard box, Ice cube, Rubik’s cube
- RECTANGULAR PRISM: Cornflakes box, Dressing table, Lego-style blocks, Matches
- CYLINDER: Paper towel: Battery, Candle, Coca-Cola can, Can of beans (Uh oh!)
- CONE: Ice cream cone, Birthday hat, Paper cone
What are Montessori Geometric Solids?
Geometric solids are an enriching open-ended material, really like all Montessori materials. Very useful and with various ways to work with them.
The original Montessori Geometric Solids material consists of ten geometric bodies, painted blue: sphere, cube, cone, ellipsoid, ovoid, cylinder, triangular prism, triangular pyramid, quadrangular prism, and quadrangular pyramid.
They are placed in a basket with an attractive cloth and are accompanied by a wooden box with their respective bases on which the solids are placed. The bases are: circle, square, equilateral triangle, isosceles triangle, acute-angled and rectangle. Each base is painted blue on its perimeter, matching the color of the solids.
It is presented to children from approximately 3 and a half years of age, and works the sensory area in the recognition of objects through touch.
Nowadays, the greater toy market picked up on the original Geometric Solid’s developmental benefits, and created all sorts of fun, educational, and great-to-look-at Montessori-inspired geometric block toys.
What do Geometric Solids teach my child?
Geometric solids teach kids how to recognize three-dimensional objects (think “cube, sphere, pyramid”) through two main sensory methods: [A] SIGHT “know the shape just by looking at it”, and [B] TOUCH “know the shape by touching it with eyes closed”.
The main purpose is for them to grasp solids by touch and to perfect their stereognostic sense, for example, the solids are covered with a cloth and they are asked to insert their hand and select a round figure, or to select the triangle, or to identify the ovoid, or to draw 3 figures with edges. The evolution with the figures is by sections and little by little the difficulty is increased.
When the child is already very familiar with the solids, we can start using the bases that come with the game. We take them out of the box and place them horizontally on a carpet, we will tell the child that we are going to check which solid fits in those bases. We are going to take them out one by one and check which base each one fits in. The child will realize that spherical bodies do not have bases.
It is a material that, although it may not seem like it, has many possibilities. You can also play memory games, place them one by one in a basket and check which ones roll and which ones don’t, identify the geometric figures in a tangible plane.
