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From Puzzle to Project: Sequencing Skills in Montessori

  • Writer: Your Friends at Superspace
    Your Friends at Superspace
  • Jul 14
  • 3 min read

Updated: Jul 23


Montessori children learn in sequence. When they plan a Superspace structure—from base to apex—they practice sequencing, problem-solving, and cognitive planning. And it’s all tactile: built by them, for them.



Montessori education is built on a foundation of order, intention, and self-direction. Every shelf, every work mat, every tray supports a learning sequence. Superspace’s large, tactile panels fit beautifully into this vision. Each build becomes a mini-project: children visualize, plan, and execute—all while embodying that Montessori magic.


Planning in Motion


Recent research confirms what Montessori teachers often see: children are natural sequence-builders. Schroër, Freier, and Sodian (2022) studied preschoolers building toy houses and noted that even 3- and 4-year-olds mapped out their action steps—like “first I’ll gather panels, then I’ll attach walls, then add windows.” They weren’t just stacking blocks—they were managing multi-step goals. That mirrors exactly what happens when a child plans their Superspace creation: base first, walls second, roof last.


This multi-level sequencing is not accidental—it’s developmental. Montessori environments lay the groundwork so children can engage with planning implicitly.


A child carefully plans and constructs a play structure, demonstrating early skills in planning and executive function through creative play.
A child carefully plans and constructs a play structure, demonstrating early skills in planning and executive function through creative play.

Moving and Thinking Together


We often separate movement from thinking—but they’re deeply linked. Ludyga et al. (2020) demonstrated that children who can hold patterns in their working memory—like remembering a block sequence—performed movement tasks more accurately. That shows cognition and gross motor planning work hand in hand. Encouraging children to replicate, mirror, or extend a structure isn’t just spatial—it’s cognitive muscle-building.


Superspace panels require both memory and coordination: building, backing up, adjusting. That’s purposeful movement at scale.


Strong Foundations = Strong Minds


Fundamental motor skills aren’t just for the body—they predict cognitive control abilities like inhibition and working memory. In a 2022 study, Han and colleagues found that children scoring higher in object control (placing tiles, balancing panels) consistently scored better on executive function tests. The bigger the panel, the more coordination needed—and the more brain circuits get built.


With Superspace, children aren’t fiddling with tiny blocks—they’re lifting, aligning, balancing. That scale encourages spatial awareness and cognitive flow.


Montessori Meets Superspace


This modern learning in tactile form. Montessori environments emphasize sequence: the way trays are arranged, steps of a grace-and-courtesy lesson, the order in which a material is used. Superspace complements that beautifully. A child can:


  1. Visualize a plan (I want a cave).

  2. Gather panels (base first).

  3. Build up (walls, then add ledges or windows).

  4. Refine (adjust height, angle, add roles).


That’s thoughtful, kinesthetic, scaffolded learning in motion.


Practical Project Ideas


Let’s make it real for classrooms and homeschools:


  • Blueprint Builds: Children sketch their build on paper, then bring it to life with Superspace. Reflection journaling afterward connects planning to action.

  • Mirror & Extend: One child builds a half-panel structure. A peer duplicates or modifies it. Watch spatial language come alive.

  • Memory Builds: Using a simple template, children recreate a tower from memory—a real-world test of working memory and sequencing.


Each of these routines supports independence, sequence thinking, and durable cognitive skills. And yes, they all fit into your prepared environment—not separate or extra.


Why It Matters


Sequencing isn’t just about builds. It’s about life skills—following steps in a recipe, organizing a desk, executing a plan. When students regularly practice this with Superspace, they strengthen the brains they’ll use for everything: reading comprehension, executive control, and even social collaboration.


That’s the Montessori promise made physical, visible, and tangible.


A young child demonstrates gross motor planning skills by carefully pulling apart two panels on the floor.
A young child demonstrates gross motor planning skills by carefully pulling apart two panels on the floor.

Here’s to turning every puzzle into a project—sequence by tactile sequence.


📚 References


Schroër, L., Freier, N. G., & Sodian, B. (2022). Multilevel goal management in preschoolers' toy house constructions. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 214, 105387.


Ludyga, S., Gerber, M., Kamijo, K., Brand, S., Pühse, U., & Holsboer‑Trachsler, E. (2020). The role of executive functions for motor performance in preschool children. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1552. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01552


Han, X., Zhao, M., Kong, Z., & Xie, J. (2022). Association between fundamental motor skills and executive function in preschool children: A cross‑sectional study. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 978994. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.978994

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