Botany Cabinet
The botany cabinet is a chest of drawers holding 14 to 24 green leaf shapes in frames, for children of about 3.5 to 6 to trace, name and match to real leaves. It costs $129.95 to $381.95 at the US sellers we checked on October 5, 2026. Pressed leaves glued on cards cover the same lessons for almost nothing.
The first lesson with it is Botany Cabinet: Leaf Shapes. Not sure your child is ready for it? Two minutes of questions place your child on the sequence.
| Area | Cultural |
|---|---|
| Used in | |
| From age | 3.5 to 6 years |
| Make it | Hard to make accurately |
| Buy it | About $130 to $382 (noted ) |
What the botany cabinet is for
It works like the geometric cabinet. The child lifts a leaf shape out, traces its edge and the frame, learns its name, and then looks for real leaves of the same shape outdoors.
The botany cabinet isn't in Montessori's books from 1912 to 1917. It's a later material that borrows the form of her plane geometric insets.
| Part | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Cabinet | Three drawers at most makers; four at The Montessori Room |
| Leaf shapes | 18 at Montessori Outlet and Nienhuis, 14 at Alison's, 24 at The Montessori Room |
| Size | Nienhuis's is 49 by 34 by 16 cm; Alison's 19 by 13 by 5 inches |
| Cards | Leaf shape cards, sold separately, for matching |
The lessons that use the botany cabinet
Botany Cabinet: Leaf Shapes
3.5 to 6 yearsLifting flat green leaf shapes out of their frames, tracing their edges, and then finding real leaves of the same shape outdoors.
Buying one: 4 listings checked October 5, 2026
| Seller and set | Made of | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Montessori OutletBotany Cabinet (510600010)Three drawers, 18 leaf insets and frames. Market price shown $374.45. In stock. | Baltic birch plywood, German beech | $129.95 |
| Alison's MontessoriLeaf Cabinet (B01)Sale price; regular $180.00. Three drawers, 14 leaf insets and frames. 19 by 13 by 5 inches. Made in Thailand. | Wood | $162.00 |
| NienhuisBotany Cabinet (004100)Three drawers, 18 leaf insets and frames. 49 by 34 by 16 cm. US store price. | HDF, beech plywood | $381.95 |
| The Montessori RoomBotany Leaf Cabinet with Insets (B005)Canadian store. Four drawers, 24 leaf insets and frames. In stock. | Beech, mahogany finish | $199.99 CAD |
- Count the shapes before you buy: 14 at Alison's, 18 at Montessori Outlet and Nienhuis, 24 at The Montessori Room. The usual set is 18.
- Montessori Outlet's $129.95 cabinet has the same 18 shapes as Nienhuis's at $381.95.
- This is a nice-to-have. Pressed real leaves on cards teach the same shapes, and the walk to collect them is half the lesson.
- Montessori Services' leaf shape cards were listed as no longer available, so they're not in the table.
Making the botany cabinet at home
What to gather
- Real leaves of different shapes, collected on a walk
- Heavy books or a flower press, and newspaper
- White card, glue and clear contact paper
- A pencil for tracing
| Piece | Size and marking | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf cards | About 12 by 12 cm white card | One per leaf shape |
| Outline cards | Same size, the leaf traced in pencil and inked | One per leaf shape |
- 1Press each leaf flat between newspaper under heavy books for about a week.
- 2Glue each pressed leaf to a card and cover it with clear contact paper.
- 3Trace the same leaf on a second card and ink the line.
- 4Write the shape's name on the back of each card, for the adult.
- 5Use the pairs for matching, and the outline cards for matching fresh leaves outdoors.
Keeping a full set on the shelf
- Keep the cabinet's drawers closed and the knobs glued tight.
- Replace pressed leaves when they crack or fade.
Questions parents ask about the botany cabinet
How many leaves are in a Montessori botany cabinet?
Usually 18 in three drawers. Alison's has 14, and The Montessori Room's larger cabinet has 24 in four drawers.
Is a botany cabinet necessary?
No. Pressed leaves on cards and outline cards teach the same shapes. The cabinet adds the frames, which control the fit.
What comes with a botany cabinet?
The cabinet and the leaf shapes in their frames. Shape cards and control charts are usually sold separately.
Before the botany cabinet, make sure the work before it is solid. The geometric cabinet (plane geometric insets) lesson lists the signs that a child is ready to move on.