Who we are
There are a lot of different places to buy educational toys, games and Montessori materials - so why should you choose us? Located in Toronto, Canada, Thinkamajigs (formerly known as Perrytech Montessori) is part of a family business that has been supplying quality educational materials since 1963. Our family’s history with Montessori education spans four generations, starting with my grandmother who became a Montessori teacher in England after attending an introductory lecture given by Maria Montessori in 1923. My father, who founded our company, was a Montessori graduate, as are my younger sister and I, and my nephew graduated from Montessori school in 2012.
Noticing that there were very few suppliers of quality Montessori teaching materials at the time, in 1995 we created Perrytech Montessori and began offering Montessori materials made by a leading manufacturer. A short time later we expanded our range to include our own budget-conscious, self-branded line of Montessori materials, and we are constantly seeking out other opportunities to enhance our product line with fun, unique and inspirational products. In September 2016 we changed our name from Perrytech Montessori to Thinkamajigs to better reflect the broader range of educational toys, games and activities we carry in addition to traditional Montessori teaching materials.
~Christopher Perry, President
What we do
Our mission is to offer a wide variety of Montessori teaching materials, educational toys, games and related products that meet our standards of quality, durability and value, and to deliver those products to schools, daycares and individual parents with prompt, professional, friendly service. We will be easy to deal with. We will value your time and protect your privacy. And we will treat our customers the way we would want to be treated ourselves.
What you'll get
When you purchase from Thinkamajigs, you're investing in quality. Our products are thoughtfully designed and manufactured using premium woods, fabrics and other materials with certified non-toxic paints and finishes. We source our products from all over the world to offer you variety and value, delivered promptly and with no nonsense. When you purchase from Thinkamajigs you'll get great products at a great price with great service, because that's what we would want if we were the customer.
What people are saying about us
"I just received my order! I'm so happy with it!! Everything is just perfect. I'm very impressed by the excellent customer service, and the fast shipping!" - Valerie from Québec
"This is the second time I have ordered from Thinkamajigs, and I was very impressed with the quality, shipping and services from the first time I knew I was going to order from you again!" - Joannie from Ontario
"My wife and I are very impressed with your company and will definitely be buying from you again in the future." - Lukas from Ontario
"I am so happy with my order - everything from the packaging to the quality of my items. I am blown away!" - Courtney from Saskatchewan
"Thank you so much for the amazing customer service. I'm very appreciative!" - Erin from Maine
"I would like to add what a pleasure it is to shop on your website. You make buying materials so much easier!" - Mary from Ontario
"Thank you so much...I love the quality of the products!" - Sam from Saskatchewan
"Thank you again for the great customer service. I will be a returning customer in the near future and will recommend your store to friends and family." - Ashley from Ontario
"Just wanted to say thanks for the great customer service and the incredibly quick shipping. You beat the competitors by a million miles." - Kim from Québec
"Never seen a company who ships 400 dollars of stuff in one day. Will order again." - Rebecca from Ontario
"Thank you so much for the great quality and fast shipping." - Jill from Québec
"Your company made our new classrooms come to life. Always a pleasure doing business with you." - Terence from Alberta
"We really appreciate a company that not only has beautiful materials, but also great customer service!" - Elizabeth from Illinois
"Thanks a lot, you guys are amazing!" - Andrei from Ontario
"I have heard horror stories of other Montessori material suppliers that are incredibly difficult to deal with. Your fantastic level of customer service has won me over." - Adair from North Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm new to Montessori - what exactly is it?
The term "Montessori" refers to a method or style of teaching young children, which was developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori in the early 1900s. This short video provides a good introduction to what it's all about.
I'm concerned about privacy - what do you do to protect it?
Any credit card information you provide is encrypted by our payment processor - even we cannot see it apart from the transaction amount and the approval code. All personal information collected during ordering and check-out is used for the sole purpose of processing your order. Thinkamajigs does not and will not sell our customers' information or otherwise make it available to any third parties for any reason. Ever.
When will I receive my order?
Unless an item is clearly marked "out of stock", everything you see on our website is in stock and ready to go at our Toronto warehouse. Orders are typically filled and shipped out within one business day, often even on the same day you place your order. Delivery times vary depending on your location, but in general: Greater Toronto Area and southern Ontario = 1 to 2 business days; northern Ontario, Quebec & Manitoba = 2 to 3 days; prairie & maritime provinces = 3 to 4 days; British Columbia = 4 to 5 days. Shipping to the United States generally takes a week to 10 days, depending on the delivery location.
What payment options are available?
We accept Visa, MasterCard, PayPal and Apple Pay and G Pay. Canadian customers may also pay by personal or company cheque for established accounts. Orders from the United States will be charged in Canadian dollars; currency exchange rates will be determined by your credit card issuer, but you can get a rough idea of how it will work out using this currency converter. Extended terms may be available under certain circumstances – please contact us for details. All prices and shipping amounts are in Canadian dollars and are subject to change without notice.
Do you match prices?
Yes. We put a lot of effort into making sure our prices are competitive, but if you see a lower price from a Canadian-based competitor on products that are comparable to what we offer, simply let us know where you saw it and once we've verified it, we'll match it.
Why are the packing peanuts in my parcel kind of sticky sometimes?
Because they're made of cornstarch! We do everything we can to reduce our impact on the environment, so we use packing fill that is made of cornstarch instead of styrofoam. Cornstarch packing peanuts provide excellent protection during shipping, and they dissolve easily in water so they won't clog up landfill sites Try holding one in your hand under running tap water and see for yourself! A minor side-effect is that they can sometimes feel a bit tacky if they are exposed to humidity or condensation. The packing peanuts we use are biodegradable and can be disposed of in your green bin. Our boxes contain recycled materials and can be recycled again in your blue bin.
Can I come to your store to pick up my order or check stuff out before buying?
Yes, you can. If you live anywhere in Ontario and are placing an order online, you can choose pick-up by selecting "Standard shipping (I will pick up my order)" as your method of shipping when checking out. The operating hours at our Toronto warehouse can be somewhat irregular, and sometimes we need to step out during the day, so please call us at 1-800-363-3013 before dropping in so that we can make sure someone will be here to help you.
Do you offer classroom packages?
Yes, we do. We offer four different classroom packages ranging from basic (great for use at home or in a small daycare) up to a fully equipped professional classroom. Click here to see the details, or contact us to receive a printable PDF copy of each package's contents.
I'm missing some pieces - do you have any replacement parts?
We do keep an ever-changing supply of replacement parts on hand. Let us know what you're missing and we'll do our very best to find the parts you need. Please keep in mind, however, that sizes and colors may not match up exactly, particularly if your materials were originally purchased from another supplier.
What brands do you carry?
Aside from our own Thinkamajigs-branded products, we are proud to carry a growing list of different brands from around the world. Click here to see a list of all our brands and to sort products by brand name.