Dr. Montessori designed materials and techniques which allowed children to learn effortlessly and with ability to absorb knowledge from their surroundings. This system encourages children to use their senses to learn in an environment rich in Montessori materials. Dr. Montessori believed that we have to teach ourselves, and the motivation should come from within us by a natural curiosity and love for knowledge. The goal of early childhood education should be to cultivate his or her natural desire to learn.

In a Montessori classroom, this objective is approached in two ways. First, by allowing each child to experience the excitement of learning by his own choice, and second, by helping him to perfect all his abilities at a maximum level in future learning situations.

A child's mind is like a sponge which can absorb information from the environment. Dr. Montessori called it the "absorbent mind". With this ability, a child could learn by handling Montessori materials that demonstrate basic educational information.