Knobbed Puzzles

Montessori Knobbed Puzzles include different animals, such as frog and horse, and plant life, like tree and leaf. Once a child is presented with the proper way to use the puzzle, they will typically be invited to use any of the puzzles in the set.

A child might work with the same puzzle over and over, or choose to work with a different puzzle each time. The knob prepares a child’s hand to hold a pencil, and manipulation of the small puzzle pieces helps hone manual dexterity.

In the Montessori Primary classroom, a child will learn the names of things before reading them on a label. In the case of this frog puzzle, they might work with a guide on naming parts of the body, such as head or hind legs.

Once the child is confident with the names, they can work with labels to read the names they are already comfortable with. This process differs at the elementary level, when children will read labels with names that are entirely unfamiliar to them.

The Knobbed Puzzles, like many Montessori materials, have layers of engagement. From a child’s first experience of manipulating the knobbed pieces, to practicing literacy by reading labels, the knobbed puzzles are a well-loved material in the Montessori classroom.