Confusion. If I could sum up the Montessori Shapes set from the ShillerLearning Language Arts Kit A with one word, it would be confusion. “Why is there a math manipulative in my language arts set?” We promise it’s not a mistake.
This key component of a Montessori education fits in quite well with language arts once you understand what the shapes are actually for, and it’s main purpose is not to help kids learn their shapes (although that is a very welcome bonus!).
What Are the Montessori Shape Insets?
The Montessori shape insets are blue shapes that fit into a pink frame. ShillerLearning’s high-quality metal insets are built to hold up to the wear and tear of many children. Our set includes 10 shapes, each with a knob on the back to help develop fine motor skills and muscle tone.
Shapes are generally kept out on a shelf, placed next to one another so each individual shape can be seen. Many families keep white paper cut to the same size as the pink borders, along with colored pencils, right next to the shapes for convenient, self-directed work.
What Are They Actually For?
The shape insets are a handwriting preparation tool. Students practice tracing the shapes, both around the outside of the blue shape and the inside of the pink outline. While students get the added benefit of learning their shapes, they’re also building pencil grip, pencil control, and hand-eye coordination.
Students are instructed to trace from top to bottom and left to right, which trains the eye-tracking and hand movements later used in reading and writing. Tracing the frames and shapes also involves crossing the midline, an important early education milestone that promotes coordination and communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
What the Research Says
The connection between physical letter formation and reading readiness isn’t just Montessori philosophy — it’s backed by neuroscience.
This is precisely why Montessori introduced the metal insets over a century ago: the act of physically tracing shapes, with the resistance of a knobbed frame, builds the neural pathways and motor memory that underpin both handwriting and reading. The shape insets aren’t a detour from language arts. They’re the foundation.
The Skills Being Built
- Pencil grip and pencil pressure control
- Hand-eye coordination
- Left-to-right eye tracking for reading
- Straight and curved line formation
- Crossing the midline for brain hemisphere coordination
- Fine motor muscle tone via the knobbed shapes
- Artistic expression through color, shading, and pattern
- Focus and concentration through self-directed work
How ShillerLearning Uses the Shape Insets
ShillerLearning includes these shapes in Language Arts Kit A. We begin by introducing the child to the shapes using the 3-period lesson. Next, each shape is inspected, traced, and interacted with. Students then practice different strokes with each shape, and finally work on making each shape independently.
While we incorporate these shapes in Language Arts Kit A, school-aged children continue to enjoy them for art creations for years after their “official” use.
Need help incorporating the 3-period lesson into your homeschooling? Check out How the 3-Period Lesson Changed My Homeschool for tips and inspiration.
See the Montessori shape insets in action inside Language Arts Kit A.
Explore Language Arts Kit A →
