Since a child naturally uses all his powers of observation during her/his early years, it is the ideal time to give the child equipment which would sharpen his senses and enable him to understand the many impressions he receives through them. 

The sensorial materials in the Montessori classroom help the child to become aware of details by offering her, at first, strongly contrasted sensations.

 

Each of the sensorial materials isolates one defining quality such as color, weight, shape, texture, size, sound, smell, etc. The equipment emphasizes this one particular quality by eliminating or minimizing other differences. Thus, the sound boxes are all the same size, shape, color, and texture; they differ only in the sounds made when a child shakes them.