By embracing Montessori principles at home, you create an environment that encourages self-directed learning, hands-on exploration and independence in daily life.
'I bought one tray and
as soon as I had it on our shelf, I knew I needed more '- Kirsten
‘I can't believe how it has changed our lives. It's one of those things where you don't know how life-changing it is until you use it the way it is intended.
They are definitely a lifestyle piece.’ - Katie
The MALALA Tray - the perfect gateway to a world of learning, nurturing your child's focus and concentration in a noisy world.
Montessori fosters a love of learning that goes beyond traditional education methods, allowing children to develop at their own pace and discover their passions.
Nicola CPurchased the whole set in dusty green True to size, use and colour. Robust and simple to use we would recommend!
Linh QThese seagrass weaving looms are a great combination of fun, aesthetics and connecting with nature! It's a great meditative activity for both kids and adults.
Sylvia ArotinI absolutely love the trays and bowls we purchased. It's almost impossible to find the perfect size tray with or without handles that
are not too deep, Elephlay nailed it. With a variety of trays and bowls we
are easily able to display activities easily and efficiently with such an
aesthetic beauty - perfection!
Eunjin KangOur playroom looks so tidy and simple yet really beautiful with the trays and baskets on the shelf. It makes it easier to cleanup the space at the end of the day. The bowls are perfect for sorting activity and transferring activity. Trays are easy for toddlers to handle and carry. I highly recommend this collection!!
Guide & GrowThe quality and craftsmanship of the Elephlay products are outstanding. Their design and functionality suits a Montessori or any environment perfectly. We are so happy with our products and have had so many compliments on them already! Would highly recommend and purchase again!
Maria NMy kids love using these baskets to harvest garden produce. It's perfectly sized for storing their nature finds, all while running up and down hills without the goods spilling! Even I love to use them when the children aren't there!
Amy KI bought the baskets to hold books next to my daughter's bed and it works really well to keep things tidy and organised. My daughter also finds it really easy to find the books she wants to read.
Tran QThese trays come in a great range of sizing, perfect for placing a single or few focus items into a tray for meditation & fun activities. Accidentally dropped one of the trays and true to their description, the spun bamboo was light and durable - definitely kid friendly!
Eunjin KangThis cute little basket is perfect size for my 2 year old and she loves to pick flowers from the garden and it's so cute watching my daughter carrying the basket around the garden. Love it!
Tran QSimple geometric design that is light weight and looks beautiful. It allows alot of versatility and creativity with weaving activities. I love that they are multi-fuctional and I can also use these as a decorative table placemats!
Nikki WebberRecently purchased for my 3 & 6 yo to help organise and give order to their play. Since Initial use we have noticed less mess as it help our little ones understand one thing at a time and to put the activity on the tray and return it…. It also allows them to carry intricate play or lots of loose ends without leaving a trail throughout the house. These are hard wearing, as my 3yo has really given these a robust run through without any shows of wear! They are also elegantly designed to the point we can see future use past babies and my 6yo instructs her friends on how to use them when visiting without any embarrassment. We are looking forward to so much future use!
Child-led play
Handmade
Natural
'It's almost impossible to find the perfect size tray with or without handles that are not too deep, Elephlay nailed it... perfection” – Sylvia Arotin, @guideandgrow
Hi! We're Phuong and Victor.
We’ve discovered that if you can get on top of your play space, the rest of your home will follow. And if you can get on top of your home, you can spend less time cleaning and more time connecting with your children – creating memories and helping them be their best.
Whether or not you’re aware, invisible systems are at work in your play space, affecting your child’s development, behaviours and feelings. We can help you reset your play space to harness the power of these invisible systems to work for you, not against you.
Our approach is centred around fostering children's focus, curiosity, drive and respect - the foundational skills required of tomorrow's changemakers.
Most baskets and trays aren't designed for children's use, which has a significant impact on how children engage with their play space.
For example, while IKEA offers a wide range of furniture and storage solutions, their baskets and trays are not specifically designed with children and Montessori principles in mind.
We have trialled and tested countless baskets and trays and have found that:
We have carefully observed the effect of different baskets and trays on children and have designed our products to meet their needs. We have meticulously tested and refined every aspect of our designs to give you the best baskets and trays, made for little hands.
Our products are not mass produced but rather, expertly handmade by Vietnamese artisans.
Displaying toys in baskets and trays is beneficial for children of all ages.
We find that children ages 1-4 gravitate towards tray activities while children ages 1-10+ benefit from open-ended toys being stored in our baskets.
Baskets
Our baskets are great for storing toys and children's belongings from birth.
Once your child is on the move, they will appreciate how easy it is to find what they're looking for when their belongings are stored in storage designed to suit their needs. You might even be surprised at how early they'll learn to put things back, thanks to our purposeful designs.
Trays
Our trays are great for confident walkers. Our small Malala tray, for instance, is small and light. Its tray lip has been thoughtfully designed to prevent materials from falling out as your child toddles to their destination.
We also have a variety of larger and versatile trays that are perfect for displaying more complex activities for older children.
No. If you're relatively new to Montessori, you will start seeing positive changes even if you start with just one tray or basket.
If you're further along in your Montessori journey, you may already have a large collection of trays and baskets. Our minimalist sets replace the need for dozens of mismatched trays and baskets, so you'll always have the perfect one to display any activity.
Our baskets are ideal for keeping things tidy. They are perfect for storing open-ended toys like lego, train tracks and wooden blocks.
Our trays are ideal for getting your child excited about hands-on learning through play. They are perfect for displaying activities with multiple components.
We recommend a mix of both trays and baskets depending on the current developmental needs of your child.
Simply display your toys and activities inside our trays and baskets to start seeing and feeling the positive difference of an elephlay home.
Montessori education offers a unique approach that focuses on nurturing your child's natural curiosity, independence, and love for learning.
By embracing Montessori principles at home, you create an environment that encourages self-directed learning, hands-on exploration and independence in daily life.
Montessori fosters a love of learning that goes beyond traditional education methods, allowing children to develop at their own pace and discover their passions.
Did you know the following people got their start with a Montessori education?
And so many more who are at the top of their industries!
If you want to create a home that nurtures your child's independence, confidence, contribution, cooperation, and love of learning, then a Montessori home is the perfect choice for you.
While much parenting advice focuses on the parent-child relationship, a Montessori home recognises the connection between parent, child and environment.
At elephlay, we help you harness the power of your home environment to build solid foundations through play that will help your child thrive in life.
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Respect underpins empathy, which compels action. In a world that is rapidly changing and increasingly interconnected, respect and empathy are more important than ever for making positive change in the...
We were all born with internal drive but it’s fragile. It can be encouraged or suppressed by the experiences we provide to our children. So how can we foster drive...
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