App review by Mieke VanderBorght, Common Sense Education | Updated July 2017
Montessori Preschool
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Montessori Preschool

Play mini-games for coins in classic Montessori classroom

Get it now
  • Download on Google Play
  • Download from App Store
  • Download on Amazon
Learning rating
Editorial review by Common Sense Education
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Not yet rated Expert evaluation by Common Sense
Grades
Pre-K–K This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.
Subjects & Skills
Arts, English Language Arts, Math, Science
Price:  Free to try $6.99 per month subscription or $59.99 per year. Free 7-day trial available.
Platforms:  Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Kindle Fire
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Take a look inside

5 images
Topics align with the fundamentals of the Montessori Method.
Mini-games are clearly Montessori-inspired.
Fundamental math skills are incorporated into the app.
Kids can practice life skills like sorting and applying logic.
Kids earn coins for completing mini-games.

Pros: Commonly known Montessori work is incorporated into fun activities.

Cons: Some instruction icons are tiny; it may be hard for some kids to see them.

Bottom Line: Terrific mini-games; use of coin rewards not aligned with the Montessori Method.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Teachers can use Montessori Preschool as a supplement to traditional hands-on Montessori work. Playing these Montessori games in digital form helps present them in an alternate way prior to (or after) introducing the hands-on work. This is especially for kids who struggle with fine motor skills, concentration in busy classrooms, or other group-learning scenarios. Because games are leveled and increase in difficulty as kids level up, kids should play individually on separate devices. If teachers create an account, they can access Montessori Preschool from up to seven devices.

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Standards:

Montessori Preschool is a subscription-based app for kids age 3 to 7 with activities designed by certified Montessori teachers. The activities in math, language, practical life, and art align with the fundamentals of the Montessori Method: self-correction, autonomy, self-confidence, and adaptability. Kids can learn numbers and basic math, practice handwriting and spelling, learn geometric shapes, feed a fish and clean its tank, and more. Kids earn coins by completing activities and can use the coins to decorate their classroom or dress their avatar. If teachers create an account, they can access a dashboard that tracks kids' progress and suggests an appropriate next activity.

Kids can practice early literacy and math skills with Montessori Preschool. Topics like basic geometry vocabulary and shapes identification, art, practical life skills, and geography learning are appropriate for kids age 3 to 7. They also present experiences with the fundamentals of Montessori learning: self-correction, autonomy, self-confidence, and adaptability. However, the use of coins as rewards doesn't align with Montessori fundamentals, so purists might not love that feature.

The app is good for preschoolers who need supplemental practice in foundational math and language concepts presented in a mini-game format. Some games or instructions aren't as well-designed as others, and sometimes kids may struggle to figure out what they're supposed to do in a game. Teachers should be available to help kids when needed. In as much as the Montessori method can be replicated through a screen, Montessori Preschool does a pretty good job. 

Overall Rating
Engagement Would it motivate students and hold their interest? Is it visually appealing? Would it inspire teachers to try something new or change their instruction?

Kids' avatars walk about the beautiful classroom playing fun mini-games. Access new content monthly.

Pedagogy Does the tool help teachers promote a more student-centered experience? Will students gain conceptual understanding or think critically? Does it deepen teachers’ pedagogical thinking?

The activities in math, language, practical life, and art are designed to align with the fundamentals of the Montessori Method: self-correction, autonomy, self-confidence, and adaptability.

Support Can students and teachers get assistance when they need it? Is it created with people of different abilities and backgrounds in mind? Is learning reinforced and extended beyond the digital experience?

An on-screen hand shows kids what to do. Some step-by-step icons may be too small for kids to tell what they represent.

Common Sense reviewer
Mieke VanderBorght Researcher
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Key Standards Supported

Geometry

  • K.G.1

    Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to.

  • K.G.2

    Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall size.

  • K.G.3

    Identify shapes as two-dimensional (lying in a plane, “flat”) or three- dimensional (“solid”).

Number And Operations In Base Ten

  • K.NBT.1

    Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into ten ones and some further ones, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record each composition or decomposition by a drawing or equation (e.g., 18 = 10 + 8); understand that these numbers are composed of ten ones and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones.

Operations And Algebraic Thinking

  • K.OA.1

    Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings2, sounds (e.g., claps), acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations.

  • K.OA.2

    Solve addition and subtraction word problems, and add and subtract within 10, e.g., by using objects or drawings to represent the problem.

  • K.OA.3

    Decompose numbers less than or equal to 10 into pairs in more than one way, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record each decomposition by a drawing or equation (e.g., 5 = 2 + 3 and 5 = 4 + 1).

  • K.OA.4

    For any number from 1 to 9, find the number that makes 10 when added to the given number, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record the answer with a drawing or equation.

  • K.OA.5

    Fluently add and subtract within 5.

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Key Standards Supported

Reading Foundational Skills

  • RF.K.1

    Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.

  • RF.K.1a

    Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page.

  • RF.K.1b

    Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters.

  • RF.K.1c

    Understand that words are separated by spaces in print.

  • RF.K.1d

    Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

  • RF.K.2

    Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

  • RF.K.2a

    Recognize and produce rhyming words.

  • RF.K.2b

    Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words.

  • RF.K.2c

    Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words.

  • RF.K.2d

    Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonent-vowel-consonent, or CVC) words.* (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

  • RF.K.2e

    Add or substitute individual sounds (phonemes) in simple, one-syllable words to make new words.

  • RF.K.3

    Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

  • RF.K.3a

    Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sound for each consonant.

  • RF.K.3b

    Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.

  • RF.K.3c

    Read common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does).

  • RF.K.3d

    Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

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