and see if he can indicate the object he had previously held. When he
has mastered this, give the game another turn by asking him to find by
means of touch alone, while the eyes are still closed, the object that
he has been feeling, after it is restored to the pile of other objects.
Still another turn can be given by first letting him see the object,
without touching it, then having him close his eyes, and by touch alone
select it from the pile. A set of wooden forms, such as spheres, cubes,
pyramids, cones, cylinders, and similar, but truncated, forms, can be
obtained at any school supply store. To these can be added common
household objects such as small frames, vases, napkin rings, spoons,
forks, and other similar things, as well as some of the forms included
in a complete set of the Montessori material.

The Montessori weighted forms are excellent for training his muscular
recognition of difference of weight, and an excellent way is to put
various quantities of birdshot into half a dozen exactly similar little
rubber balls that can be purchased at any toy store for two cents
apiece. Then hand the boy one of the weighted balls, and after he has
felt its weight put it back with the other similar-appearing balls and
see if he can again discover it. An outfit for training his tactile
sense can be made in any home by collecting duplicate pieces of cloth
having different textures; such as velvet, rough woolen tweeds or
homespun, silk, satin, cambric, muslin, etc., and pasting one set on
cards. Also by stretching on a wooden frame, strings of varying sizes,
weaves, and twists, and having a bunch of duplicates from which he can
select, by sight and touch alone, the pieces that correspond, each to
each, with those on the frame or on the cards. If there is a guitar, or
mandolin, or zither, or a piano, available, perhaps, by and by, the
mother can teach the child to recognize the difference in the vibratory
sensation perceived by his fingers touching the body of the instrument