Montessori in a Minute: Thermic Tablets

Sensorial Work in a Montessori environment nurtures a child's natural sense of wonder. In early childhood, before a child develops words to ask questions, they rely on sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell to understand their world. Our teachers know that for Toddlers, Bridge Primary, and Primary students, the senses are powerful tools sharpened through exploration and observation. One of the most exciting Sensorial tools for our youngest learners is the Thermic Tablets. This material helps children finely tune their sense of touch and distinguish between warm and cold.

What Are They and How Do They Work?

Teachers present our youngest students (usually age 2 to 4) with a box containing six pairs of tablets made of different materials, such as wood, felt, cork, marble, and iron. Each differs in its heat-conducting properties. Children learn to match tablets that feel the same temperature and order the tablets from warmest to coolest.

When a teacher introduces the tablets, they discuss the various materials and describe how the tablets feel to the touch. A teacher may ask a student to put on a blindfold as the teacher arranges the tablets, so a child is only using their sense of touch to discern the temperature difference. Key questions are: Which tablets feel warmer? Which feels cooler? Which is the warmest, the coolest? And, which ones match?

• One set of tablets is arranged as the control, while the second set is shuffled and placed elsewhere on the workspace, typically below the control row. 

• The child begins with a tablet on the far left, using their finger or wrist to sense its temperature. 

• The child tests the remaining tablets one by one until finding the match.

The Importance of the Thermic Tablets

Like many Montessori Sensorial materials, the matching element of this work promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and increased memory. The Thermic Tablets also encourage language development. Through the repetition and mastery of Thermic Tablets and similar materials, students naturally refine their language skills and vocabulary. They use more precise description words, such as "rough," "smooth," and "cooler" or "warmer," as they engage their senses and describe the materials.

The Montessori in a Minute Series

The Montessori In A Minute series regularly explores the unique benefits of Montessori philosophy, its fundamental materials, and areas of the classroom. For all parents at Hudson Montessori School (Jersey City, New Jersey), we host Montessori Parent Education Events annually to teach parents about the Montessori method and how students learn using a Montessori framework. At Hudson Montessori, a child’s education is a partnership between school and home, working together to support a student’s learning journey.

Hudson Montessori School, located in downtown Jersey City, serves children aged 2 to 8th grade. The teachers use an interdisciplinary, theme-based learning approach grounded in the Montessori philosophy and methodology to foster a love of learning in their students. Its STEM-certified campus is the only one of its kind in New Jersey, featuring STEM-certified teachers who meet the highest standards set by the National Institute for STEM Education. The school welcomes parents to attend an open house to learn more about the school’s programs.