Rainy Days: 10 Montessori-Inspired Activities to Do at Home with a 1–3 Year Old

It's been raining for three days, the park looks like a lake and your toddler has started scaling the sofa. We've all been there.

The good news: you don't need expensive kit to keep them busy. Montessori is built on a simple idea: let children do things for themselves, with real objects, at their own pace. Here are ten easy activities you can set up with what you already have at home.

A few principles before you start

• One activity at a time, laid out on a tray or small mat.
• Show slowly, with few words, then step back.
• Embrace the mess: spilling is part of learning.
• Tidy up together at the end. That's an activity in itself!

And always: stay close and attentive, especially with small objects.

From 12 months

1. The treasure basket

Fill a basket with everyday objects in different materials: a wooden spoon, a small whisk, a brush, a silk scarf, a wool ball. Your baby explores, compares, mouths. It's a real sensory feast.

2. In and out

A shoebox with a hole cut in the lid, a few large balls or oversized bottle caps. Making something disappear, then finding it again: at this age, it's practically magic.

3. A book to handle

A felt book with hook-and-loop pieces is a wonderful companion for grey days. Peeling off, sticking back, finding the right spot: these small movements build the pincer grip and hand-eye coordination. And since felt doesn't mind drool or tugging, you can leave it within reach without a second thought.

From 18 months

4. Pouring and transferring

Two bowls, a large spoon and some big dry pasta shapes. Once they've got the hang of it, move on to a small jug and a little water, with a towel under the tray.

5. Washing vegetables

A bowl of water, a small brush, a few potatoes. Your child helps with dinner and feels useful, which matters enormously at this age.

6. Sorting

Sorting socks by colour, separating spoons from forks (wooden or plastic): sorting is a Montessori classic, and a great way to start naming colours.

7. Watering the plants

A small watering can, two or three houseplants. Show how much water to use, then let them do it. A few drops on the floor? Grab a sponge and carry on.

From 2 years

8. Making their own snack

A butter knife, a ripe banana, a chopping board. Slicing it yourself makes a snack infinitely tastier.

9. Folding tea towels

Show how to fold a tea towel in half, then in quarters. The result will be wonky, and that's just fine: it's the concentration that counts.

10. A little reading nook

A cushion, a blanket, a basket with just three or four books that you rotate each week. Less choice means more attention. This corner quickly becomes the go-to refuge on rainy afternoons.

What if they're not interested?

That's completely normal. Toddlers choose what interests them, when it interests them. Put the activity away and offer it again another day. Watching what truly draws them in is already Montessori in action.

A final word

Rainy days aren't wasted days. They're often the ones where we slow down, reconnect, and discover our child is capable of far more than we imagined.

To complete your reading nook, discover our felt books in our shop.