The Smelling Bottles is a Sensorial Montessori material designed for children aged 3-6, crafted by Nienhuis Montessori to AMI standards.
This authentic Smelling Bottles set invites children to explore and refine their olfactory sense through careful discrimination of various scents. The wooden presentation tray holds pairs of bottles containing matching aromas, encouraging systematic sensory exploration and vocabulary development. Children develop concentration and sensory awareness as they identify, match, and describe different scents in this essential Montessori sensorial experience.
“The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge.”— Maria MontessoriThe Discovery of the Child
“Children display a universal love of mathematics, which is par excellence the science of precision, order, and intelligence.”
— Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child
The Smelling Bottles isolate the olfactory sense, allowing children to focus exclusively on distinguishing and matching scents without visual cues. This wooden presentation tray with its paired bottles creates a concrete experience for abstract sensory discrimination—each bottle contains a specific aroma that must be matched through smell alone. By removing other sensory input, the Smelling Bottles help children ages 3-6 develop acute awareness of subtle olfactory differences. The systematic pairing of scents in these bottles builds the child's ability to classify and categorize sensory information, a foundational skill for later academic learning. Each matching exercise with the Smelling Bottles strengthens neural pathways for sensory processing while expanding descriptive vocabulary. The wooden tray's organized presentation encourages methodical exploration, as children learn to work through each bottle systematically rather than randomly sampling scents.
Each order includes everything needed for proper presentation and long-term use.
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Invite the child to the table and show how to hold one bottle properly
Remove the lid and wave the bottle gently beneath your nose, inhaling slowly
Replace the lid and set the bottle aside. Select another bottle and smell it
Continue sampling bottles until finding a matching scent, then pair them together
Continue until all bottles are matched in pairs on the completion tray
Each material supports multiple areas of child development simultaneously.
Refines the sense of smell through careful comparison and matching of various scents.
Expands descriptive language as children learn to articulate different aromatic qualities.
Strengthens recall abilities through scent recognition and matching activities.
Develops focused attention as children carefully explore and compare subtle differences.
Designed for child-sized hands
Professional tips from AMI-trained guides to maximize the educational value of this material.
“Refresh scents monthly using cotton balls soaked in extracts or essential oils—label bottle bottoms for easy checking”
Start with strongly contrasting scents (mint vs vanilla) before introducing subtle differences
Keep a master list of current scents for quick reference when children ask for names
Store bottles away from direct sunlight to preserve scent integrity
Everything you need to know about this material.
The bottles come empty, allowing teachers to add their own scents using essential oils, extracts, or natural materials. Scents should be refreshed every 2-3 months or when they begin to fade. Popular choices include vanilla, peppermint, lavender, lemon, cinnamon, and rose.
Begin with 3-4 pairs of distinct scents. Demonstrate holding one bottle under your nose, inhaling gently, then finding its match. Show the child how to cleanse their palate between scents by breathing fresh air. Gradually increase difficulty by adding more pairs or using similar scents.
The bottles are made from child-safe materials with secure lids to prevent spills. The wooden tray is smooth and splinter-free. Always supervise initial use and ensure children understand to smell, not taste. Check that children don't have allergies to specific scents before use.
Yes, with careful scent selection. Avoid common allergens and strong synthetic fragrances. Use mild, natural scents and introduce them gradually. For highly sensitive children, start with very diluted scents or familiar food extracts. Always consult parents about known sensitivities.
Extensions include matching scents to pictures, creating scent memory games, exploring cultural scents, connecting to botany studies, graphing favorite scents, creative writing about smell memories, and making scent books. Children can also learn about how smell relates to taste and memory.
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