Our products are inspired by Montessori principles — independence, practical life skills and child-sized tools — and modernised to suit real family life today. We also draw on complementary approaches like RIE, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia, so you don't need a home classroom to bring these ideas into everyday routines.

Most of our range is designed for children aged roughly 1 to 5+ years, spanning first foods through to independent mealtimes and early kitchen participation. Individual products may have a more specific recommended age range (for example, our knives are generally suited to children from around 3 years with supervision) — this is noted on each product page.

Our placemats and silicone tools are made from high-quality, food-grade silicone that is free from BPA, PVC, lead and phthalates. It's a non-toxic, inert material that won't leach chemicals, making it a safe choice for little ones at mealtimes.

When we describe a product as "low tox," we mean we've chosen materials — like food-grade silicone, glass and stainless steel — over conventional plastics, and avoided nasties such as BPA, PVC, lead and phthalates wherever possible, so you can feel good about what's on your child's table.

Yes — our child-safe knives are purpose-built to let kids cut soft foods (like bananas, strawberries or cooked pasta) without cutting fingers. They're made from BPA-free materials with a serrated, blunt-tipped edge designed for little hands. As with all our kitchen tools, adult supervision is required, and the knife should be used on age-appropriate, soft foods only.

Yes. Our Mini Chef tools (spoon, spatula, ladle, whisk, tongs, brush and rolling pin) are made from 100% non-toxic, child-friendly, FDA-approved silicone and are designed to be genuinely functional — not just for pretend play. As they're real tools, please always supervise your child during use and inspect items for wear or damage before each use.

No. Our silicone products are free from BPA, PVC, lead and phthalates, and our glassware and stainless steel pieces are chosen with the same low-tox standards in mind. If you have a specific material question about a product, our team is always happy to help — just reach out.

Yes, always. Our tools are designed to be safe and age-appropriate, but they are real, functional items — not toys — and adult supervision is required at all times, particularly with knives, glassware and kitchen tools.

We offer a few sizes to suit different chairs and stages:

• Mini Silicone Placemat — a compact option, great for smaller trays or travel.
• Original Silicone Placemat — our most popular, everyday size.
• Original+ Silicone Placemat — a slightly larger option for bigger trays or older kids.

Each product page lists exact dimensions — pop your highchair tray measurements alongside these to find your best fit, or message us and we'll help you choose.

Our placemats are designed with defined wells to hold bowls, plates and cups securely in place during mealtimes. Suction-based dishes may not always suction directly to the silicone surface itself, but the raised sections are shaped to keep dishes steady and reduce spills either way.

Our Baby's First Silicone Cutlery is designed for babies starting solids and self-feeding, with a soft, gum-friendly grip. Our Soft Grip Toddler Cutlery is designed for toddlers building fine motor control and independence at the table. If you're unsure, we're happy to recommend a starting point based on your child's age and stage.

Both! Every product is available individually, and we also offer curated mealtime and Mini Chef bundles at a small saving if you'd like to set up everything at once.

Simply wipe down after use, hand wash with mild detergent, or pop it on the top rack of your dishwasher. We recommend a mild (rather than heavily fragranced) detergent, as strong cleaning products can occasionally leave odours trapped in the silicone's texture.

Our silicone products are dishwasher safe (top rack recommended) and, being food-safe silicone, are generally safe for baking, freezing and reheating too, as it's a non-toxic, inert material that won't release chemicals when heated. Always check the specific product page for care instructions, as this can vary by item — for example, our glassware and stainless steel pieces have their own care guidelines.

With normal use and care, our silicone products are built to last through years of mealtimes, snack times and kitchen adventures. Food-grade silicone is naturally hard-wearing and resistant to cracking, staining and odour retention when cared for as recommended above.

Please inspect all kitchen tools for damage or excessive wear before each use, and replace any item that shows cracking, splitting or damage. If you notice a fault that isn't due to normal wear and tear, get in touch — see our Returns & Faulty Items section below.

Yes. Our store uses secure, encrypted checkout, so your payment and personal details are protected every step of the way.

Yes — simply enter your discount code at checkout in the promo code field before completing your order. Only one code can typically be used per order. If you have a gift card, this can also be applied at checkout.

If your order hasn't been processed or shipped yet, we'll do our best to update or cancel it — email us at hello@montessorimates.com.au as soon as possible with your order number. Once an order has shipped, it can no longer be changed or cancelled, but our returns process will apply instead.

Of course! Just pop a note in the order comments at checkout (or email us after ordering) and we'll leave pricing off your packing slip.

We offer flat-rate shipping of $14.95 AUD Australia-wide, and free shipping on all orders over $129 AUD. Express shipping is also available at checkout for an additional $10. Please note flat and free rates apply to metro areas — some remote and regional postcodes (including parts of NT, regional WA, SA, QLD and TAS) may incur an additional freight cost.

Orders are processed within 72 hours (excluding weekends). Once shipped, standard delivery generally takes 1–5 business days to major cities, and 3–7 business days for regional areas outside CBDs (rural areas may take a little longer). During sale periods and the Christmas rush, please allow an extra 7–10 business days.

Yes! We ship worldwide with flat-rate international shipping:

• New Zealand — $25 AUD
• Asia Pacific — $35 AUD
• UK & Europe — $50 AUD
• US & Canada — $59 AUD
• Rest of the world — quote provided on request

International orders are processed within 48 hours and typically arrive within 7–20 business days (please allow 10–28 days during Christmas and major sale periods). Please note international customers are responsible for any customs duties or import taxes charged by their country.

You'll receive an email with your tracking number as soon as your order ships, so you can follow its journey right to your door.

If you've changed your mind, you can request a return within 7 days of receiving your order. To be eligible, items must be unused, undamaged and in their original packaging, and are not sale or customised items. Please note return shipping is at the customer's cost, and a 20% restocking fee applies to change-of-mind returns. We're unable to offer a refund simply because you've changed your mind about style or found the item cheaper elsewhere — but if there's ever a problem with your order, we want to know about it.

We're so sorry! Please email hello@montessorimates.com.au within 7 days of delivery with your order number and a photo of the damage or fault, and we'll arrange a repair, replacement or refund as quickly as possible.

Email us at hello@montessorimates.com.au with your order number and reason for return, and our team will send you instructions on where to send your item. Once your return is received and approved, refunds are processed within 7 business days.

Absolutely — nothing in our policy overrides the protections you're entitled to under Australian Consumer Law, which apply regardless of our standard returns terms above.

Yes! We love partnering with retailers, educators and schools. Approved stockists receive access to exclusive trade pricing, marketing materials and more — our wholesale program is now open to both Australian and international applicants. You can apply via our Wholesale page, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Yes, special pricing is available for educators and schools purchasing in bulk — just reach out to hello@montessorimates.com.au and let us know what you're after.

Yes! If you love sharing our products with your community, we'd love to have you on board. Details are available on our affiliate page, or email us to find out more.