Home / Blog / What is the montessori bookcase and why to choose it

What is the montessori bookcase and why to choose it

06 / 02 / 2024

Paola di Ettomio

The Montessori bookcase, created  following Maria Montessori's pedagogical directions, is a child-friendly piece of furniture. It presents low shelves, so that the little ones can reach them on their own, picking up, putting away and organizing books, puppets and toys in total autonomy.  This structure fosters children's autonomy, as well as a sense of responsibility for their own belongings.

 

We, at Ettomio, truly understanding the real benefits of this furniture complement, we also strongly have wanted to design "our own," and we did it our way!

 In fact, Liblola, in addition to having all the basic features of a front bookcase, is designed to adapt to the needs of growing children. 

 

How did we do that? We made each individual shelf adjustable in inclination, so each one of them can be used either vertically (as a front displayer) or horizontally, as a counter or shelf. In this way the bookshelf can both serve as a space for storing books and making them accessible, but also as a storage space for different objects: toy boxes, crayons and arts and crafts equipment, games and boxes with great little treasures inside.

What are the benefits of choosing a montessori bookcase

Montessori bookcases are designed to encourage curiosity and independence in young children. Together with their low height, they feature open shelves where the books can be arranged along the side of the cover, rather than on the spine. This way children will easily be able to recognize their favorite reading and grab them themselves with their chubby little hands, on their own, without always having to rely on an adult.

A Montessori bookcase offers many benefits for children:

  • It promotes independence. Children can access resources on their own, making their own choices without interference. In this way, they also learn to have more self-confidence and to take care of their own objects. 
  • Enhances cognitive development. The Montessori bookcase is designed to stimulate children's minds and foster an early interest in reading, which will open their minds and also help them in learning language.
  • Motor development and coordination: by having to choose "on their own," children will learn that their every movement and choice has a consequence, and this will really make them proud to grow up!

Liblola: the montessori bookcase  from 'ettomio 

Liblola is the evolutionary montessori bookcase that was born from the encounter between designers, craftsmen and... parents themselves. By organizing focus groups, we were able to bring together several requests that appeared among parents but were not answered by any bookcase on the market. In fact, the problem raised by parents was related to the durability of the Montessori bookcase: while it is true that it is a very useful object in the early years, it is then a little-useful clutter by age of 3-4, when the children are grown and therefore ready to use classic shelves to store and organize their books.  

 Liblola can be exploited from the age 0 up to... forever, simply by modifying it in a few moves. 


In addition to having shelves that can be rotated and adjusted independently of each other, our Liblola can be configured as you wish. It can be used in various ways:

> as a bookshelf, where each shelf can be the valuable space to arrange containers, books, games. 

> as a "mixed" version with one part front display and one-part horizontal version. 

> each shelf can also be removed to make the compartment more spacious and thus also becoming a useful piece of furniture for storing a school bag,  

> it can even turn 🌟into a mini closet for the entryway, where to hang jackets and store children's shoes.


Basically, this is what designing developmental furniture means to us: giving the possibility to create different combinations that not only stimulate creativity in us, but also allow us to meet so many needs of use and forever!

Liblola is both developmental and sustainable

 At 'ettomio, we firmly believe in a circular economy model, which aims to use natural resources while minimizing pollution and avoiding waste. This is why we use only natural and non-toxic raw materials, trying to reduce waste production as much as possible and, or, work firsthand to reinvent and reuse them (such as with our Zero Waste line of accessories). 

 We also promote a sustainable short supply chain, relying on our trusted craftsmen who create products totally made in Italy. In compliance with this philosophy, our furniture is made to last as long as possible, accompanying children from when they take their first steps to when they become young adults ready to explore the world. We do this out of love for the environment and for the future of our children.

Our Montessori bookcases guarantee:

  • Highest quality of materials. The wood we use is all FSC, the leading international certification for wood products. What does it guarantee? That the wood sourcing comes only from forests managed according to strict and special regulations to protect the land and those who work in them.
  • Long life and easy cleaning: wooden furniture is then waterproofed (with natural and EN 71-certified paints or oils) to make it last longer and to allow for quick and easy cleaning.
  • Safety for children and the environment: all the materials used are natural, including the finishes made using either a water-based or oil-based varnish, both of which are totally non-toxic and therefore environmentally friendly and harmless to children's health. The structure is extremely solid and features rounded corners.


If you are thinking of furnishing your children's bedroom according to Maria Montessori's precepts, the Montessori bookcase is a must-have item. It has the great advantage of being able to be transformed as the child grows, avoiding the need to buy a new piece of furniture as time goes by. Above all, however, it is a choice that allows you to stimulate the cognitive development of little ones, who will feel encouraged to test their skills, soon becoming more independent and confident.


One of the greatest satisfactions for a parent is watching their children play and learn new things independently. Try to imagine your child picking up his favorite booklet and starting to leaf through it. And who later puts it away to grab his favorite puppet and invent an imaginative game. This is exactly what happens with a Montessori library. Thanks to its special structure it allows even the littlest ones to touch, move and rearrange their books, games and creative materials by themselves. With the great advantage that, as they grow, they can easily be transformed according to new needs. This is why this great little piece of furniture cannot be missing from a bedroom: it is made specifically to help children develop curiosity, independence and self-confidence, accompanying them in their daily discoveries.