The Imbucare Box with Cube is a classic Montessori toddler material that bridges the gap between the simple “ball drop” and more complex shapes like the rectangular prism. It is typically introduced around 12 to 18 months.
While a ball can be dropped into a circular hole from any direction, a cube requires the child to understand corners and edges. It is the Child’s first introduction to the concept that an object must be “aligned” to fit through a space.
€17.59
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Purchase this item and get 1 Bead - a worth of Spatial Awareness: The Child begins to perceive the relationship between a 3D object (the cube) and a 2D opening (the square hole).
Wrist and Finger Coordination: The child must use a palmar grasp to hold the cube and may need to slightly rotate their wrist to get the square faces of the cube to line up with the hole.
Concentration and Order: Like all Imbucare boxes, the repetitive nature of “find, drop, retrieve” helps the toddler build a sense of order and lengthens their attention span.
Selection: The Child picks up the wooden cube.
Trial and Error: Initially, the Child might try to push a corner of the cube into the hole. Because it won’t fit, the Child must manipulate the cube, turning and flipping it, until a flat face aligns with the square opening.
The Drop: The cube falls through, making a satisfying clunk sound.
The Retrieval: The Child opens the door to find the cube and repeats the cycle.
In the Montessori curriculum, the cube is considered more difficult than the ball but slightly easier than the rectangular prism for one specific reason:
Symmetry: A cube is perfectly symmetrical. No matter which face is pointing down, it will fit into the square hole.
The Next Step: Once the Child masters the cube, they are ready for the Rectangular Prism, where they must realize that only the ends (or the sides) fit the specific slot provided.
| Material | Difficulty | Concept Learned |
| Ball Box | Beginner | Object Permanence (It’s still there!) |
| Cube Box | Intermediate | Alignment (I have to turn it to fit.) |
| Rectangular Prism | Advanced | Dimension (It only fits one specific way.) |
Contents of the Imbucare Box with Cube:
Size: 12cm x 12cm x 8.5cm / (4¾” x 4¾” x 3¼”)
One of the attractions to the Montessori Method is the extensive use of wood.
We use several types of wood, sourced from renewable sources, in the production of our Montessori Materials.
We ensure that the coatings and inks used are not only eco-friendly, but also non-toxic.
Our wooden products are manufactured by responsible partner factories both locally and abroad and ensure that fair labour practices are adopted.
Care instructions for Childrens House Wooden Materials:
Order R1000 worth of items to qualify for free shipping to your door anywhere in South Africa.
Transit times depend on your location:
Feel free to email us should you require any further information.
We offer free delivery to the USA:
Should you require further information about shipping charges, please feel free to contact us at info@childrenshouse.co.za
Further Reading and Resources:
Imbucare Box with Cube – Voila Montessori
| Weight | 0.35 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 12.5 × 12.5 × 9.5 cm |
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My twins absolutely loved this. This product came beautifully and neatly wrapped. The wood is durable and it is light enough that they can carry it around and manipulate it themselves.
Strongly built apparatus. Works for the toddler class.
The finish of the equipment is really smooth, perfect for my daughter.
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roxiba87 –
My twins absolutely loved this. This product came beautifully and neatly wrapped. The wood is durable and it is light enough that they can carry it around and manipulate it themselves.
Maxine Hardy (verified owner) –
Strongly built apparatus. Works for the toddler class.
Deirdre Viljoen (verified owner) –
The finish of the equipment is really smooth, perfect for my daughter.