Toddler

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  See the Guided Lesson Plan

Montessori toddler vocabulary cards show real, background-free photographs of familiar things (farm animals, fruit, and vegetables) for children about 12 months to 3 years old. Use these to name, talk about, and compare with the real objects. They are made for Montessori Young Child's (Toddler) Communities and are used with the first two periods of the three-period lesson to build spoken vocabulary, the foundation for later reading comprehension.

What's in this collection

• Farm Animal Toddler Cards (12 cards)
• Fruit Toddler Cards (12 cards)
• Vegetables Toddler Cards (12 cards)
• Toddler Collection: all three packets (36 cards) at a bundle discount

Every card:

• Shows one real photograph with no background, so the object is easy to see and name
• Shows objects in proportion to each other (the cow is larger than the chicken; the peach is smaller than the pineapple)
• Is large for small hands, approx. 5½" x 8½"
• Has the name printed on the back for the adult
• Is laminated with extra-sturdy 8 mil food-grade laminate and has rounded corners

Each packet comes in a sturdy, clear reclosable bag for storage (not for children's use) and includes a detailed lesson plan. All cards are eco-made in the USA and are CPSIA compliant.

Why toddler vocabulary cards matter for language development

The vocabulary a young child builds will ultimately become one of the strands that supports their reading comprehension (Scarborough, 2001). A child learns a word by experiencing the thing it names while hearing someone name it. We can extend language exposure with language cards. These cards help children transition to the understanding that a three-dimensional object can be represented in a two-dimensional form. 

The purpose of toddler vocabulary cards is to:

• Develop and enrich a child’s vocabulary
• Directly prepare the child for conversation and self-expression 
• Indirectly prepare the child for reading and writing       

Reference:

Scarborough, H. S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities: Evidence, theory, and practice. In S. B. Neuman & D. K. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook of early literacy research (pp. 97–110). Guilford Press.

How do you use Montessori toddler vocabulary cards?

In a Montessori toddler environment, children usually work with real objects first, then replicas, then objects matched to cards, and finally cards alone. Choose 3 to 8 cards, sit at the child's eye level, and speak clearly so the child can see your mouth move. Give the lesson only as long as the child is interested.

1. Naming. Say the name of each picture clearly while the child touches, holds, or places the card. 
2. Recognition. This is the most important period. Ask the child to do something with each card while you repeat its name: "Can you put the lettuce on the mat?" "Will you hand me the carrot?" Repetition and movement build the link between the picture and the word.

Note that we typically only give the first two periods of the 3-period lesson with toddlers. We save the third period (producing the vocabulary after we ask "what's this?") until they're ready to succeed at that level.

What comes next

When a child is ready for more words and has mastered the use of these cards (uses them carefully, understands how to use them), continue with our vocabulary cards, matching cards, and sorting cards, or browse all vocabulary and oral language materials. To see how oral language fits into the full sequence, read about the Montessori Science of Reading.