Land and Water Forms

The Land and Water Forms are plastic trays that help a child recognize and name different land formations and types of bodies of water they may encounter in life. It’s just one presentation included in the physical geography (versus political geography) area of the Montessori classroom.

The material often includes a pitcher for water, designated cloths to clean up any spills, and a bucket to dispose of the used water. As the child pours water into the mold, he or she is able to observe the places where water is, and the places where it is not.

Let’s look at an example of a strait.

As a child carefully pours water into the form, the water pools in the center. A teacher might explain that a strait is a narrow passage of water, with land on either side.

The child is able to easily discriminate the difference between land and water, and is now able to name this type of water form: “It’s a strait!”

Other forms included in the material are island, lake, peninsula, gulf, and isthmus.