Must Toys Be "Educational"? "I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn." —Albert Einstein Many of us have seen a young child more interested in the wrapping paper than the gift; or watched as a child played with just a string and a popsicle stick or a large empty box. Maria Montessori observed the same phenomenon at her first job as a doctor in an Italian asylum; the children had no toys, so they played with the crumbs under the dinner table. ...

Here is an interesting article on a child's need for order in his or her world.  At Prairieland Montessori, you will notice how each material on the shelves is precisely displayed.  This article will help explain why. http://montessoritraining.blogspot.ca/2014/06/understanding-childs-sense-of-order-in.html#.U5jT8lJdWqI