Land and Water Form Trays
Land and water forms are trays in pairs, such as island and lake or peninsula and gulf, that a child of 3 to 5.5 fills with blue water to see each shape. The first set of three pairs costs $143.80 at Nienhuis and all five pairs $81.00 at Alison's, on October 2, 2026. Clay in shallow dishes works at home.
The first lesson with it is Land and Water Forms. 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 to 5.5 years |
| Make it | Easy to make at home |
| Buy it | About $37 to $144 (noted ) |
What the land and water form trays are for
Each pair is a pair of opposites. An island is land with water all round; a lake is water with land all round. Pour water into both trays and the child watches the same outline turn into its opposite.
The trays are a later material and aren't in Montessori's 1912 to 1917 books. Her 1917 book has the idea outdoors: children build a lake, an island, a peninsula, a river. They model hills in clay, then draw round the clay to read the map it leaves.
| Part | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Trays | About 20 by 20 by 4 cm at Nienhuis and Montessori Outlet; Alison's are 5 by 6.5 inches |
| First set | Lake with island; gulf with peninsula; strait with isthmus |
| Second set | System of lakes with archipelago; bay with cape |
| Land | Raised, brown or green |
| Water | Tinted with one drop of blue food coloring, poured from a small pitcher |
The lessons that use the land and water form trays
Land and Water Forms
3 to 5.5 yearsPouring water into shallow trays that model an island and a lake, a peninsula and a gulf, and other paired forms, so a child can see each one in three dimensions.
Three-Part Cards: Land and Water Forms
4 to 6.5 yearsMatching picture cards and word labels, then checking them against control cards, worked here with the land and water forms the child already knows.
Buying one: 4 listings checked October 2, 2026
| Seller and set | Made of | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Montessori Outlet2nd Set of Land and Water Form Trays (510700410)Second set only: system of lakes with archipelago, and bay with cape. 20 by 20 by 4 cm. Market price shown $101.15. In stock. | Not stated | $36.95 |
| Alison's MontessoriLand and Water Form Trays (G12)Sale price; regular $90.00. All ten forms in five pairs; each tray 5 by 6.5 inches. | Plastic | $81.00 |
| NienhuisLand And Water Form Trays: Set 1 (022700)Six trays, 20 by 20 by 4 cm: lake, island, gulf, peninsula, strait, isthmus. | Polymer (HDPE) | $143.80 |
| The Montessori RoomLand and Water Form Trays, Set 1 (G230)Canadian store. Six forms; Set 2, with four, is $59.99 CAD. | Plastic | $39.99 CAD |
- Start with the first set. Island and lake come first, and Montessori Outlet's $36.95 listing is the second set only, a later purchase.
- Alison's $81.00 set has all five pairs in smaller trays, 5 by 6.5 inches. Nienhuis's first set alone is $143.80 for six trays 20 cm square.
- Plastic is the practical choice for trays that hold water, and every listing that names its material is plastic.
- Kid Advance's and Adena's pages would not load for us, and Montessori Services had cards but no trays.
Making the land and water form trays at home
What to gather
- Six shallow waterproof dishes about 20 cm across, such as foil trays or plastic lids
- Air-dry clay or plasticine
- Brown or green acrylic paint and a waterproof varnish, for air-dry clay
- Blue food coloring and a small pitcher
- A sponge and a towel for spills
| Piece | Size and marking | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Island and lake | A mound in the middle; a rim round a hollow | 2 dishes |
| Peninsula and gulf | A tongue of land into water; water reaching into land | 2 dishes |
| Isthmus and strait | A neck of land between two waters; a channel between two lands | 2 dishes |
- 1Shape the land in each dish 2 to 3 cm high and press it hard to the bottom, so water can't creep underneath.
- 2Check each pair against the other: the island's outline should match the lake's hollow.
- 3Let air-dry clay dry fully, then paint the land and seal it with waterproof varnish.
- 4Tint a pitcher of water with one drop of blue food coloring.
- 5Pour slowly into the low part of each dish until the water meets the edge of the land.
Keeping a full set on the shelf
- Empty and dry every tray after the lesson. Standing water within a toddler's reach is a drowning risk.
- One drop of food coloring is plenty; it stains wood and fabric. Keep a towel under the trays.
Questions parents ask about the land and water form trays
How many land and water forms are there?
Ten, in five pairs: island with lake; peninsula with gulf; isthmus with strait; cape with bay; archipelago with system of lakes. Alison's sells all ten in one set; Nienhuis, Montessori Outlet and The Montessori Room split them into two.
Can I make land and water forms with clay?
Yes. Clay pressed into shallow waterproof dishes holds water well enough for the lesson, and Montessori's 1917 book already had children model land in clay. The build above gives the steps.
Plastic or wooden trays?
Plastic. The trays hold water every lesson, and every listing we found that names a material is plastic. Painted wood swells and stains.
Before the land and water form trays, make sure the work before it is solid. The sandpaper globe lesson lists the signs that a child is ready to move on.