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Showing posts from 2019

The Easiest Toddler Christmas Tree

'Tis the season for little hand to want to touch your Christmas tree! And, hey, I'm all for exploration of beautiful and real objects for children. Therefore, we let even our toddlers help to decorate our real tree. But, once that is over, the tree is only for exploring with our eyes (and noses!) We don't decorate and redecorate it but use it as an opportunity to practice patience, waiting and self control. 

This is no easy task for a younger child! Over the last couple years, it has been easier at our house with a toddler tree! I'm sure you have seen tons of versions of toddler trees on the internet, but this idea works so well here that I had to share. 
It's simple to set up! Just a small tree (you choose the size you want for the space) and a basket of pom-poms! We use a 24" prelighted tree and large poms for ours but really it can work at any scale. The poms stick to the branches so even the youngest toddler can put them on, and they can be removed super …
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Movement Quotes to Consider - Montessori Baby Week 13

This week something new and exciting has started happening with Teddy - wiggly little movements are starting to make progress. He isn't rolling yet, but all of a sudden he is on the move. You put him down on one spot and find that he is slowly but surely making his way to somewhere else. At this point, I think it's just exploring his ability to move and not intentionally moving toward one object in particular. He may not actually be trying to move either, but his more intentional movement are getting him places. It's been fun to watch (especially after Gus who struggled with movement.) 

In these pictures Teddy was put horizontal with the mirror under the mobile. And over the course of 30 minutes, he moved himself all the way around and eventually off of the rug completely. It was fantastic to watch. In honor of all this movement, I wanted to share a few quotes on why I see movement as such a big milestone and how to support it going forward. 
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DIY Book Making Kit Idea

Last night Nora says to me, "Mom, I have so many ideas but I don't know how to make a book." This simple statement made me leap for joy because sitting right now in my closet is a book making kit that I'm giving her for Christmas. I can't wait to give it to her and see all the ways she uses it to create. I remember how much interest Henry had in making books around this age and how helpful having all those supplies in one place would have been for him.


If you have a child that is right on the cusp of moving to writing/creating more purposefully with paper and pen, this might be the perfect way to introduce it. 
The kit itself is really pretty simple! I used this simple stacking organizer to collect the materials. A more open divided tray could also work, but I didn't want Gus (and soon Teddy) to be able to easily open or dump the work. Plus with the top, Nora will be able to carry around.


I included some supplies to make and decorate books in the divided. Th…
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Week By Week Activities for Newborns - Montessori Baby Week 12

Now that Teddy has hit 12 weeks, I wanted to do a little activity recap from his time as a newborn. Sometimes it can feel like we have to do so much with our babies, but I don't want it to feel like this with this list. This was just one thing we did that week. The majority of the time, Teddy spent nursing, sleeping, and snuggling. 
Also, looking at this list, don't think he only did these activities that week. Many are on going even now. The time indicates when I introduced the activity, not the duration of the work. Remember too, this is Teddy's timeline! Your child might have different interests, skills, or timetable. 
With all that said, here's Teddy's activities for the first 12 weeks of life: 

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Birth to Week 1: Snuggling on the Topponcino
1 Week Old: DIY Munari Inspired Mobile | Munari Mobile
2 Weeks Old: Tummy Time with Black and White Images {we used this book}


3 Weeks Old: Outdoor Walks and Naps
4 Weeks Old: …
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Preparing Your Environment for Independence with Washi Tape

Let's talk about my new favorite hack for preparing our home environment for independence! Washi tape! A simple little roll of paper tape is helping to give my children more independence than ever before by providing a visual clue of what my children can and cannot use within the environment. This has been especially important in our multi-children, non-readers environment. 
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Basically, what I'm doing is labeling items with the washi tape! In our house, Gus is fox and Nora is flamingos (Henry has globes but as a reader he doesn't really need a visual clue.) I place the washi tape on something that they need help remember which is theres. This way they can use the item without needing to ask which is theres or even with any adult led direction. I use this tape specifically because it comes in a variety of patterns and it comes off surfaces cleanly. 

So, a couple examples. One, Gus and Nora have very different hair types s…
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Developing the Senses - Visual

I've said this before, but  developing the senses is such an important concept in Montessori that I want to talk about it again (and likely again and again!) It is through the senses that children learn, grow and develop. This learning does not stop at the doors of the classroom, or magically appear when a child enters school. It's through the senses that a child is constantly and continuously developing -- from birth.  The training of the senses must begin in the formative period of life if we wish to perfect them later through education and make sense of them in any particular human skill. Maria Montessori Last time I dove into the sense of hearing, but here I want to examine the visual sense. A child's sense of vision will be so important for so much learning. Now, I'm not talking eye sight here, but their ability to track objects, to identify subtle differences, to focus on specific parts of an object - to use their eyes for deeper evaluation.


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2019 Christmas Presents

In the past, I've often shared what was on my kids' gift lists, but this year I thought I would actually share a few of the purchases I actually made since I got my shopping done earlier than I normally do. If you are looking for some Montessori friendly ideas, I hope this gives you some inspiration.  

Henry This year, Henry almost 9-years-old! (How did that happen?!) He was my easiest to shop for since he has some strong play preferences and interests. The fossil set will be perfect for his interest in rocks/gems/geography. I'm pairing with a book so he can research more on the subject. Lego is an all time favorite, and so are play silks! The castle was something he asked for specifically. The game is something I think he and Nora will both love! 
Fossil Set + Book | Guess Who | Lego Bases | Playmobil Castle | Black Play Silk 
Nora This year Nora is 5.5-years-old! She was by far my hardest to shop for! I 100% stole the treehouse and jewelry loom ideas from Free and Unfett…
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Exploring with Feet - Montessori Baby Week 11

Following your baby's interests can seem like sort of a daunting task at times, especially when they can't talk to you or even move all that much. But there are subtle clues for us to pick up and offer experiences related to those clues. This is the power of observation in Montessori.

At his age (just under 3 months) we often talk about the importance of the hand. And, that should not be underestimated. But, this week, I've noticed a strong new interest for Teddy, and that's in moving and kicking his feet. By taking notice of this interest, I'm able to prepare his space and our materials to meet this need for him to move in this way. 
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Here were some signs that he was interested in moving his legs/feet around:  kicking in excitement when he sees someone/something noticing that during play he is literally wiggling right out of his pants his feet and legs kick up every time he is put down to sleep/waking up kicking…
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5 Ways to Use a Movable Alphabet at Home

The moveable alphabet is one of my favorite Montessori materials for ages 3-6. It really is genius. Dr. Montessori found that children were able and interested in writing before they could read. So, in Montessori the act of writing is actually taught first, and it's through this writing that children start to read. Children often have so many thoughts and feelings that they want to get out, but often lack the motor control to physically write all of these things. This is where the moveable alphabet comes in. It takes away the need to physically write the letters while giving children the ability to write. It's one small adaptation that makes such a world of a difference to a child. 
READ MORE ABOUT THE MOVABLE ALPHABET HERE
I'm sure there are almost endless ways that your child can come up with to use the letters of the moveable alphabet but here are 5 ways that we have used the moveable alphabet here at home. 

1.  Language Objects/Cards
You'll need: language objects (…
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Introducing a Toy - Montessori Baby Week 10

Over the 10 days or so Theodore has really started interacting with the world in a whole new way. He has been much more alert and active during his awake times, but more importantly he is discovering his hands in a new way. Suddenly, he is intentionally grabbing things around him and on occasion even bringing them to his mouth.
This is such a fun phase for me! This is a time when we can introduce some simple materials for him to explore in new ways.

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For Teddy we have a few options that we could have started with but I decided to try this simple crochet ring rattle from Monti Kids (this isn’t sponsored, Teddy just really likes it - if you are considering Monti Kids, use code NICOLE30 for a discount) and it’s been a big hit.
There are lots of similar options available online including: Crochet with ring | ring with bells. I’ve personally really liked this style of rattle to start with because it’s so lightweight that Teddy can easil…
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Taking a Pause

We have a big bench at our dining room table instead of chairs on one side. While I love the bench, it can also be a bit tricky for toddlers to navigate since it has nothing to prevent them from falling forward or backward. Anyway, the point of this story isn't the bench, but the importance of "the pause."
Recently, I was watching Gus trying to sit at the kitchen table. He chose to sit on the bench and pulled it way out out away from the table. At that moment, my initial feeling was to jump in and say something. My gut was to remind him that he could fall off both sides while trying to reach the table. But, instead of jumping in, I took pause. Just for a moment to see what would happen. 

In that brief moment, Gus attempted to climb onto the bench, but then stopped himself. He looked at the bench and said, "no, this too far from the table, I will fall off and bump my head." Then, he moved the bench to an appropriate spot and sat safely at the table.

Taking those…
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What We're Reading - Thankfulness

With so much talk about Christmas, it can be easy to gloss over Thanksgiving. But, for our family, we really do try to make November a time when we are taking pause to be thankful for the many blessings we have in our lives. While we try to go around the table and say one thing we are thankful for every day of the year, in November we make special effort to give thanks.  This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you. 
A part of that focus is bringing out some books that focus on family, thanksgiving, and community. These include:

In November  - I love that this book focuses on how the natural world prepares for winter but also how we as humans celebrate this change with a time of togetherness and thanks.

Before We Eat: From Farm to Table - This one isn't specifically Thanksgiving themed, but is an important reminder to give thanks to all the people who contribute to the food we eat on a daily basis. I find this especially important during a holiday that is so food focused.

Sha…
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Observation - Montessori Baby Week 9

For any adult in a Montessori environment, observation is super important. It's through observation that we are going to learn exactly what skills a child is ready for, what interests our child, and where our child might be struggling. Without sitting back and observing our child, we really will struggle to understand what our child needs. Parents of newborn babies are not exempt from this need to observe. It might seem like newborns don't do a whole lot, but when you sit back and observe you'll make a lot of interesting discoveries. 
I've been making sure that I take a lot of time to observe Teddy since he has been born. These observations don't need to be formal or lengthy. Really, it's just taking note of the things he is doing during the everyday moments. It's observing him while he is nursing, while I change his diaper, while the big kids interact with him, and while he plays. All these little moments.


I wanted to share some tips and share my observat…
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Gifts for Montessori Parents - A Peek at MY Gift List

Around this time of year there is always so much talk about what kids would love for holiday gifts but not as much talk about parents. So when my mom asked what I had on my Christmas list, I was a bit stumped. But, I gave it some thought and came up with a few ideas. 
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Home Accessories: The little details make a Montessori home and so often the things that are appealing to us as adults are still appealing to our children. A few examples that I personally love include:

New Plants - I'll always take a new plant baby! Letter Board - I love the round letter boardCandle - these candles are amazing and I love them and want all of them! Calendar  - I have this calendar but want some more of the holiday coins, everything about it is gorgeous
Clothing: Here's one thing I hate buying for myself, but there are some seriously cute Montessori options out there!

Montessori T-shirt - I love the indoor/outdoor shoes!Montessori Mama T-shirt - L…
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An Advent Calendar Idea - A Book a Day

With Advent quickly approaching, I’m trying to get all of my Christmastime ducks in a row. I’ve spent far too much time during the past few years scrambling during December that the season becomes less fun and more stressed. This year, I’m hoping to have most of my chores done ahead of time so that I can soak in the peace, joy, and magic of the season.
One thing I’ve recently done is pulled all my Christmas books out of our book storage to get ready for our Advent calendar. For the second year in a row, we are going to do a book-a-day Advent calendar.


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 To do this, I take all of the Christmas books we have and wrap them and write a number on the front. The kids then take turns opening the book that corresponds to the day.
Mostly the choices are random, but if I know we have something special happening then I will pick specific books for specific days. For example, we always buy and decorate our tree the third weekend of Advent, so t…
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