🧺 Working with Trays in the Montessori Infant Community

In the Infant Community (18 to 36 months), every detail of the environment is carefully designed to meet the real needs of the child. At this stage, young children show a deep interest in imitating the actions of adults, exploring with their hands, and repeating activities that allow them to develop independence and self-mastery.

One of the most characteristic forms of work in this environment is working with trays – a simple yet profoundly meaningful practice within the Montessori approach.

🌿 What is Tray Work?

Trays provide an orderly and accessible way to present activities to children. Each tray contains all the materials required to complete a specific task, carefully prepared by the adult to invite autonomous exploration.

These trays may include everyday materials – such as small jugs, tongs, spoons, or bowls – and activities related to practical life, motor coordination, language, or sensory development.

Examples include:
• Transferring objects from one bowl to another.
• Opening and closing jars.
• Sorting items by colour or size.
• Pouring water using a sponge or a small jug.

Each activity is presented individually, clearly, and beautifully, encouraging in the child a sense of concentration, order, and independence.

🧠 Learning through Action

At this stage of development, the child learns through doing – through direct, hands-on experience. By manipulating objects, the child observes, compares, repeats, and refines their own movements.

Working with trays allows the child to experience cause and effect, develop fine motor skills, and build the foundations for sustained attention.

Moreover, every small achievement – pouring without spilling, returning objects to their place, completing a task unaided – reinforces confidence and a sense of personal competence.

💬 The Role of the Adult

The adult, or Montessori guide, plays an essential yet discreet role. Their task is to prepare the environment, offer a clear and unhurried presentation of the activity, and then step back respectfully, allowing the child to work freely.

The adult does not correct or interrupt, but observes. Their silence and patience are a gesture of trust in the child’s abilities.

🌱 A Path Towards Independence

Working with trays is not an isolated technique, but part of a broader vision: education for independence.
When a child can choose their activity, carry their tray, complete the task, and return the materials to their place, they are not only developing motor skills but also practising self-control, responsibility, and respect for their surroundings.

Each tray represents a small opportunity to grow, to discover, and to feel capable.

✨ Learning through Order and Beauty

At Mountain Peak Montessori School, we believe that true learning arises from the connection between the mind, the heart, and the hands.
Working with trays embodies the Montessori spirit: an education that respects individual rhythm, encourages concentration, and nurtures the joy of learning.

“What the hand does, the mind remembers.”
— Maria Montessori