Understanding your Guidepost materials kit
Thank you for your purchase of a Guidepost Montessori kit! Our Montessori materials are at the core of our curriculum that powers Guidepost programs everywhere, and we are excited to be sharing them with you.
powering at-home learning.
Whether you are currently homeschooling or looking to supplement your child's learning, Guidepost Montessori kits are helping parents everywhere to deliver joyful learning together.
This page was created for you - it is filled with instructional videos and resources to guide you through integrating this material into your child’s self-directed schoolwork. If you have questions or are looking for more resources we would love to help. Just reach out to kits@guidepostmontessori.com
A welcome from our team before you start
Dear parents and caregivers,
We are thrilled that you have chosen Guidepost Montessori kits for your child's at-home learning. Your child will soon learn how to work with these new tools, and you will discover the power of hands-on learning through materials designed specifically for them.
Montessori materials are designed to allow for a child to work independently. They are intentionally designed to allow a child to recognize when something is not correct, and to correct it themselves. The emphasis is always on keeping alive the spark of curiosity, supporting and encouraging independence and nurturing each child's inherent desire to learn.
This means the work needs to be set up in a way that the child can correct herself when she makes mistakes. In a Montessori classroom, the role of the adult is to keenly observe each child’s interests and abilities, and introduce the next series of lessons and concepts when a child shows he or she is ready to move onto the next level. Your role as a parent or caregiver is equally as important in introducing your child to materials in your Guidepost kit. You will be the one to prepare the learning environment for your child at home, and help introduce materials in a developmentally appropriate sequence. To get the most out of learning with your Guidepost kit, we highly encourage you to read through the resources on this page, and set aside dedicated time to absorb the content. This means reading through the individual guide to each material in your kit to understand the intentionally behind how it is designed, how to introduce it to your child, and prerequisite skills to help you assess your child's level and readiness.
We promise It's not as daunting as it seems! Learning to work with our kits can be a curious and exciting journey for adults who have not previously worked with Montessori materials and we welcome you to lean in, remind you that making mistakes is ok, and that learning how to learn together with your child is part of what makes the process special.
unboxing your kit.
We highly suggest that before opening your kit, you identify a tidy space with enough room to lay out the contents and ensure nothing will get lost.
You have ordered one of our four kits:
- Early Years Sensorial I Kit (ages 3-4)
- Early Years Sensorial II Kit (ages 4-5)
- Early Years Numeracy Kit (ages 3-4)
- Early Years Operations Kit (ages 4-5)
- Lower Elementary Kit (ages 5 - 8)
- Upper Elementary Kit (ages 9 - 12)
Based on your kit, skip to the relevant section below to get started.
Early Years Sensorial Kit I
This kit contains five Sensorial materials to refine your child’s senses, coordinate their movements, and introduce them to new concepts and vocabulary. As you unbox the kit, lay out the materials one by one and match them to the names below:
- Cylinder Blocks (No. 1)
- Fabrics Box
- Geometric Shape Insets
- Binomial Cube
- Constructive Triangles: 1st Rectangular Box
Get Started with Sensorial Kit I
Select an image below to explore a detailed material guide with sample lessons and tips for integrating each material into your child’s self-directed work.
Early Years Sensorial Kit II
This kit contains four Sensorial materials to refine your child’s senses, coordinate their movements, and introduce them to new concepts and vocabulary. As you unbox the kit, lay out the materials one by one and match them to the names below:
- Mini Geometric Solids
- Color Box No. 3
- Trinomial Cube
- Constructive Triangles: Large Hexagonal Box
Get started with Sensorial Kit II
Select an image below to explore a detailed material guide with sample lessons and tips for integrating each material into your child’s self-directed work.
Early Years Numeracy Kit
This kit contains 5 materials that launch your child’s exploration into the 4 operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. As you unbox the kit, lay out the materials one by one and match them to the names below:
- Sandpaper Numerals
- Mini Spindle Boxes with 45 Spindles
- Numbers and Counters
- Teen Beads and Boards
Get started with the Numeracy Kit
Select an image below to explore a detailed material guide with sample lessons and tips for integrating each material into your child’s self-directed schoolwork. We suggest reading the individual material guides in the sequence below in order to understand prerequisite concepts or skills needed to introduce each material.
Early Years Operations Kit
This kit contains five materials that are individually packaged and labeled within your Guidepost box. Start by laying out the materials one by one, matching the label on each material to the names below:
- Golden Bead Set
- Beaded 1000 Cube
- Stamp Game
- Addition and Subtraction Strip Board
- Short Bead Chains, Bead Squares, and Arrows for Short Bead Chains
Get started with the Operations Kit
Select an image below to explore a detailed material guide with sample lessons and tips for integrating each material into your child’s self-directed schoolwork. We suggest reading the individual material guides in the sequence below in order to understand prerequisite concepts or skills needed to introduce each material.
Lower Elementary Kit
The Lower Elementary kit contains eight materials that are individually packaged and labeled within your Guidepost box. Start by laying out the materials one by one, matching the label on each material to the names below:
- Golden Bead Set
- Stamp Game
- Decanomial Bead Bars
- Geometric Box of Sticks & Working Board
- Labeled Fraction Circles 1-10ths
- The Checkerboard
- Grammar Stencils
- Sentence Analysis Movable Pieces
Get started with Lower Elementary
Select an image below to explore a detailed material guide with sample lessons and tips for integrating each material into your child’s self-directed schoolwork. We suggest reading the individual material guides in the sequence below in order to understand prerequisite concepts or skills needed to introduce each material.
suggested reading sequence for lower elementary .
Our team of admissions specialists are ready to meet you and get you started on your journey within the Guidepost community. We're here to provide your family with the information and confidence you need to enroll in one of our programs.
Golden Bead Set.
Stamp Game.
Decanomial Bead Bars.
Geometric Sticks.
Fraction Circles 1-10ths.
The Checkerboard.
Grammar Stencils.
Sentence Analysis Movable Pieces.
Upper Elementary Kit
The Lower Elementary kit contains eight materials that are individually packaged and labeled within your Guidepost box. Start by laying out the materials one by one, matching the label on each material to the names below:
- Golden Bead Set for Upper Elementary
- Decanomial Bead Bars
- Labeled Fraction Circles 1-10ths
- Algebraic Peg Board and Pegs
- Large Bead Frame
- Decimal Fraction Material
- Grammar Stencils
- Sentence Analysis Movable Pieces
Get started with Upper Elementary
Select an image below to explore a detailed material guide with sample lessons and tips for integrating each material into your child’s self-directed schoolwork. We suggest reading the individual material guides in the sequence below in order to understand prerequisite concepts or skills needed to introduce each material.
suggested reading sequence for upper elementary.
Our team of admissions specialists are ready to meet you and get you started on your journey within the Guidepost community. We're here to provide your family with the information and confidence you need to enroll in one of our programs.
Golden Bead Set.
Decanomial Bead Bars.
Fraction Circles 1-10ths.
Algebraic Peg Board and Pegs.
Large Bead Frame.
Decimal Fraction Material.
Grammar Stencils.
Sentence Analysis Movable Pieces.
preparing the learning environment.
Cultivating a home learning space can feel like a big undertaking, but the simple goal is to create a learning environment where children can explore, discover and be creative. Start with these 5 steps and click on more tips & tricks to keep reading.
- Choose a dedicated learning space: Do you have a specific room that is conducive to learning? The ideal space should have enough room for your child to move around freely and work comfortably. Think about the importance of having the right table height or supportive chair for your everyday work, and giving the same thoughtfulness to preparing your child's learning environment.
- Promote independence through organization: Have a clear strategy for where materials will be kept whether on shelves, cubbies, a table, drawers, or bins. Having materials in a consistent space encourages children to independently choose materials and put them away at the end of working.
- Don't start from scratch: You might already have a dedicated play area in your home - think about how you can modify the existing space to promote deeper, focused learning. Is there an opportunity to de-clutter other play toys or set up a dedicated work table?
- You are not striving for perfection: Throw out any preconceptions of what a home learning environment should look like. The perfect learning environment is not on Instagram, but in the inviting, calm energy of a space prepared for the child.
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