Sensorial Work: New Patterns with Standard Equipment

Most of you have worked with the standard Red Rods presentation in the Sensorial section of your Montessori room at home or school.

Once your child has mastered the Red Rods and moved onto the Number Rods, try these expansion exercises by introducing him or her to different ways of using the same material.

Here are a few ideas to get your child started:

1. Try pairing the rods to create different length combinations. How many pairs do you get?
2. Mix and match other combinations of rods. What happens?
3. What other shapes can be formed with the rods? Do they stack?
4. How long are all the rods put end to end? Use a measuring tape to find out.
5. What patterns can be made with the rods? Draw the results to scale using a measuring tape or yardstick, markers, paper, and tape.


Your child can add the Number Rods (Red and Blue) to the exercise, too!

Just starting a Montessori curriculum? Read a sample from our Montessori Curriculum on our site.

Photo credit: Nienhuis