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A child's hand stacking pink blocks from a Pink Tower.A child's hand stacking pink blocks from a Pink Tower.

Nienhuis since 1929

We develop high quality Montessori materials that support children to explore the world. We follow the vision of Maria Montessori and contribute to a stimulating learning environment.

Nienhuis Montessori

Nienhuis Montessori was founded in 1929 by Albert Nienhuis, who collaborated with Maria Montessori to create materials reflecting her revolutionary approach to education.

For nearly 100 years, the company has focused on supporting the natural drive of children to develop. The materials of Nienhuis Montessori are enticing activity, stimulate independence, foster concentration, and facilitate an interdisciplinary learning designed to provide a stimulating child-centered learning environment. The company has combined educational knowledge with craftsmanship and technology. Nienhuis Montessori has a global footprint with our production facility in Sri Lanka and our offices and distribution centers in the Netherlands, United States, and China.

Nienhuis Montessori has been officially recognized and authorized by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) and is world’s leading brand for Montessori materials.

The Power of Montessori

Montessori education encourages children to learn at their own pace, fostering independence, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.
  1. A girl crouching in a Montessori environment, pouring water from an enamel bucket into a bowl.

    A prepared environment

    Montessori education seeks to provide children with environments ideally suited to each stage of development; this allows them to respond to the inner call of specific ‘sensitivities’ and gives them the freedom to act in accordance with their innate human tendencies. Nienhuis is fully aware that children learn through interaction with their direct environment.
  2. A girl traces a sandpaper letter on a pink board with her finger, concentrating on learning to write.

    The Montessori materials

    The child-sized Montessori materials entice activity. All the materials in a Montessori environment are designed for maximum independence in the child. By coming to rely on his own self-appraisal, the child develops a ‘friendly approach’ towards error, setting him on a path to self-improvement. Nienhuis Montessori is always taking this into consideration.
  3. A young child kneeling with the Montessori product 'Push Box' and concentrating on placing balls into a wooden box with round holes in a bright Montessori space.

    Mixed-age groups

    In contemporary society, we frequently engage with individuals of varying ages, both older or younger. A mixed-age environment is a fundamental aspect of Montessori education. The younger children within a group benefit from the presence of slightly more experienced and older role models. Conversely, the older children take on a role of responsibility; by sharing their knowledge with younger peers, they enhance their own self-confidence and comprehension in a manner that surpasses the effectiveness of traditional assessments.
  4. An enthusiastic child holding two wooden Nienhuis Sound box tubes, each with a colored top, in a Montessori environment.

    Freedom and responsibility

    Every child is given the freedom of choice. A child's engagement with their environment is most beneficial for personal development when it is based on self-selected interests and intrinsic motivation. By consistently making decisions, the child enhances its capacity to heed their own interests and impulses. However, the environment also imposes certain constraints, both natural and social, which provide the child with ongoing opportunities to practice self-regulation of those impulses.
An old photo of Maria Montessori with accompanying stamps and old class photos in the background.

Maria Montessori

Albert Nienhuis, in collaboration with Maria Montessori, created materials that support Maria's educational principles and vision, fostering a stimulating and child-centered learning environment.
More about Maria
A close-up of a child's finger touching a rough-smooth globe from Nienhuis.

Collaboration with AMI

With the AMI, we are working on strategic initiatives to make Montessori education accessible to children from all cultures and socio-economic backgrounds, focusing on innovation and the growth of a global network.
Read more about AMI
  1. Beauty and precision for the best educational value
  2. Personally selected by Maria Montessori and the AMI
  3. Highly committed to a safe and sustainable future
  4. Offering the widest and most innovative range