Montessori Sensorial Knobless Cylinders teach toddlers and preschoolers to discriminate using a visual sense between height and diameter of solid 3D shapes.
Montessori Sensorial Knobless cylinders consist of four sets of ten cylinders in each set, varying in height and/or diameter. Each set is in a separate wood box with a lid painted the same color as the cylinders: red, green, yellow, and blue.
- Yellow cylinders vary in height and diameter.
- Green cylinders vary in height and diameter.
- Red cylinders vary in diameter only (height remains constant).
- Blue cylinders vary in height (thickness/the diameter is the same).
Benefits of Montessori Sensorial Knobless Cylinders
The purpose of these cylinders is to develop child’s fine-motor movements, concentration, hand-eye coordination, and visual perception of dimension. The material also provides experiences of seriation and gives the child basic language important in maths.
The control of error
The control of error: (a) visual ~ the child can discern irregularities in the seriation (can be checked by running a finger on top of cylinders), or (b) physical: if the tower topples.
AGE TO INTRODUCE
You can introduce this Montessori sensorial material starting at two and a half years of age. Since these cylinders do not have a knob, they require a more advanced pincer grip control. I love this material since there are so many extensions and numerous pattern options you can introduce. For example, the sequence cards vary in the degree of difficulty, so your child even beyond three years of age can still enjoy these cylinders.
HOW TO PRESENT Montessori Knobless Cylinders
Presentation: For example, selecting the yellow box. Show the child how to carry the box using two hands cupped around the box. Remove the cylinders one by one grasping them over the top with your dominant hand, using the pincer grip. Show the child how to grade the cylinders from biggest to smallest in a horizontal line. Then, invite the child to grade the cylinders.
Alternatively, you can invite the child to build a standing tower with the cylinders starting with the largest cylinders first. (If the activity is not done on a table, you may use the lid of the box as a base.)
Lastly, the child can use more than one set of cylinders together to discover different properties such as similarities and differences in dimensions between the cylinders. This is where you would use sequence, pattern, and comparison cards.
Sequence, pattern, & comparison cards
Below are patterns Adrian did starting at 2 ½ years of age. (Please, note, that simple seriation can be introduced as early as two years of age.)
Knobless Cylinder Comparison Cards
Below, Adrian at 36 months, is using 4th set Knobless Cylinder Comparison Cards:
When combining more than one set, the child should sort the sets individually first.
The child can self-check by running a finger across the cylinders to confirm seriation.
Below are Extensions Adrian had done at 4 years old (11/3/2017).












PRESENTING Montessori SENSORIAL MATERIALS
Generally, you would start introducing sensorial activities to a toddler at about two years of age in the following order:
Which Montessori Sensorial Knobless Cylinders presentation was your favorite?
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27 Comments
Merci pour les cartes
HI!!! thanks a lot for your blog! It is possible to have in pdf your cards please?
Thank you! Did you find them?
I would love to download the pdfs if possible! Thanks for sharing 😀
oh Sorry I find thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ahh so glad you did!
I cannot see how to download the comparison cards
Where can I find these cards?:) Can you help me?
Hi! Where did you find the cards? I’d love to have these for my classroom
Hi, same question as others. Where do we find these cards? Are they on your site?
Hi, I will email you where you can fin them 🙂
Hi I would like know where you got those cards, would appreciate your sharing.
Thank you
I emailed you the link 🙂
Hi Anya, your website is beautiful! Can you email me the pdf for the knobless cylinder cards please? Thank you!
Where can I obtain the Knobless cylinder comparison cards?
I emailed you the link 🙂
where can i find the cards
I emailed you the link 🙂 Anya
Would you mind sending me the knobless cylinder comparison cards?
Hi there! Loved these extension activities. Would you mind sharing the pdf version of these cards?
Hi Anya, I would love to get these card extensions for the knobless cylinders. Thank you for your help.
Hi Anya
I am also looking fot the card extensions (beautiful ones) for the knobless cylinders, please! And thak you so much for your help!!
Please email where I can find the cards. Thank you
Please can you share the link for the knobless cylinder comparison cards.
Hello, i would really appreciate it, if you would send me the cards. We could really use them in my kindergarten class 😉 thank you.
Hi, can you tell me where I can find the cards extensions for the knobless cylinders please
Hello Anya! I love the extension cards! can you please email me the link for the same? I would really like to use them in my montessori classroom. Many Thanks! 🙂