Constructive Triangles, Ages 3-5

The Constructive Triangles is a set of five boxes housing multiple wooden triangles of different colors and shapes.  The Constructive Triangles Set is part of the Montessori Sensorial area for primary classrooms (ages 3-6).  They are designed with bright colors, black outlines, pointy vertices, and sharp edges to stimulate children’s senses.  Children as young as age three are introduced to this material.  They receive not only sensorial impressions but also an early introduction to geometrical shapes and language. As with all the Montessori materials, the Constructive Triangles material is presented sequentially: 

• Box 1 – Triangular Box
• Box 2 – Large Hexagonal Box
• Box 3 – Small Hexagonal Box
• Box 4 – Rectangular Box 1 (color-mixed triangles)
• Box 5 – Rectangular Box 2 (blue triangles)

When children show signs of readiness, they are individually invited to observe the presentations designed to demonstrate how different shapes can be constructed only using triangles (right-angled triangles, scalenes triangles, isosceles triangles, or equilateral triangles).   Following the numerous presentations, the material is always replaced on the shelf in the sensorial area of the classroom, where children can choose to practice forming new shapes using various triangles.  

When working with the Constructive Triangles, part of the learning process is to let children explore and intuitively discover how new shapes can be formed using the triangles.  Each box contains different triangles with various colors and specifically-placed bold outlines to guide children’s eyes and fingers.  By observing the adults tracing outlines and inscribed shapes, children also begin to become creative with shapes.  They can form a rhombus, a parallelogram, a trapezoid, or a hexagon. 

At Alison’s Montessori, we aim to optimize your time as a guide and to provide children additional tools to maximize their learning experience. Our new set of Constructive Triangles Task Cards is designed to compliment the classic Constructive Triangles. The set of Constructive Triangles Task Cards consists of 40 cards divided into five sections covering each of the Constructive Triangle Boxes. The Task Cards are meant to be used by the adult, with the child (none reader or emergent reader), in a less formal manner. You may invite children to select a box of their choice and read the cards as they perform the tasks. If the control for errors on the back consists of a written answer, you may read it aloud. For visual control for errors, you may hand out the card to the children so that they can compare it to their work. If they are uncertain about the task to perform, you may provide guidance by pointing at shapes or using eliciting questions. The goal is to offer extended work to children and an opportunity to use cognitive reasoning and interact with the material. We are not concerned with accuracy at this age. The Constructive Triangles Value Line (also available in Premium Quality) will be actively used when accompanied by the Constructive Triangles Task Cards. They are easy to follow and lead children to integrate knowledge through repetition.

For more Montessori complete sets and curriculum materials, visit our website at www.alisonsmontessori.com.