Material name: The Bells (Montessori Bells)
Area: Sensorial (Auditory) & Music
Purpose & developmental benefits:
The Bells refine the child’s auditory sense and musical perception through listening, comparing pitch, and ordering musical notes. Each bell represents a specific pitch, allowing children to distinguish high and low sounds, develop accurate listening, and become familiar with the musical scale in a natural, sensorial way. This material forms an important bridge between the senses, music, and language.
Skills supported:
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Discriminates and remembers pitch differences (low vs. high sounds)
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Matches bells of the same pitch
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Orders pitches in ascending and descending scales
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Develops focused listening, concentration, and auditory memory
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Refines hand–eye coordination and control when striking and damping the bells
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Builds a foundation for music education and basic music theory: note recognition, scales, and simple melody creation
Recommended age:
3–6 years (Casa), with continued use in 6–12 years for deeper music theory and composition work
Material & design:
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A standard Nienhuis set consisting of 13 pairs of bells (26 bells total), forming a chromatic scale starting from Middle C (Do)
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Control set: bells mounted on black and white bases, corresponding to piano keys (black for sharps/flats, white for natural notes)
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Working set: bells on natural or varnished wooden bases for ear-based matching
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Includes two mallets and a damper
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Materials: beech wood, metal, and felt
Use in the classroom / at home:
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Children listen to and play the scale on the control set to form an auditory impression of gradation
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Mix the working bells and match them to the control bells by pitch
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Arrange the bells from lowest to highest pitch
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Extensions: Three contrasting bells, creating simple melodies, recognizing intervals, and progressing toward basic musical notation
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Requires a quiet environment and guidance in gentle striking and proper use of the damper to stop the sound after each note
