Box with Bins

The Box with Bins is an early developmental Montessori material designed to strengthen an infant’s fine motor skills, hand–eye coordination, and object permanence understanding through simple yet purposeful actions. The material consists of a wooden box fitted with three hinged drawers (bins) that arc outward when pulled, creating an engaging movement that encourages exploration.

Infants place objects into the drawers and then pull them open to retrieve the items, reinforcing grasping, releasing, pulling, and wrist rotation. This repeated action helps refine early motor patterns essential for later writing, manipulation, and self-care skills. The drawers can be filled with objects of different primary colours, offering an early introduction to colour recognition and classification.

As the child progresses, the number of objects in each drawer can be gradually increased, adding complexity and promoting problem-solving, concentration, and memory. The Box with Bins is ideal for infants beginning to explore cause and effect relationships and developing early cognitive and physical control.

Key Benefits & Learning Outcomes

• Enhances grasping, releasing, pulling, and wrist-rotation movements
• Improves hand–eye coordination and overall fine motor development
• Introduces early object permanence through repeated retrieval activities
• Supports primary colour recognition when coloured objects are used
• Builds concentration, memory, and the ability to complete a sequence of actions
• Allows progressive difficulty by increasing the number and variety of objects
• Encourages early independence and exploration

Design & Material

• Structure: Wooden box with three hinged drawers that arch outward
• Components: Three bins designed for placing and retrieving small objects
• Material: High-quality, child-safe wood with smooth edges and durable hinges
• Use Case: Ideal for infants beginning motor development and sensory exploration
• Age Group: 6 months+