Confessions of a Tot School Mom: Learning Toys

In today's addition of Nicole is a crazy obsessive borderline tot school hoarder, I'm sharing what I call "learning toys." And I'm using the word "learning" loosely here. Almost none of these toys teach a skill in particular on their own, but they are all solely used for learning. Therefore, these are things that Henry would never be allowed to play with on his own. Many are dollar store finds and too small for him to play with otherwise.

And, to be clear, these aren't the only toys we ever use at tot school -- far from it -- but these toys are ONLY used at tot school.

As you can see, some of these could also be called "little crappy playthings that are used for activities." Others are legitimately nice toys -- wooden matching game, foam letters. Some are nice quality, but others aren't. Either way, many serve an important purpose from time to time in sensory bins or as a manipulative on a tray.

Others have specifically been made to teach a skill -- mostly matching games.

As far as organization goes, I organize these all with baggies. Then throw them in a bin. If I need a specific color or type of toy, I can quickly search the bin to see if I have it. The matching toys are stored together, away from the little things. I pull these out when they fit a particular theme, or when I think Henry would appreciate some matching work.

Some tips for picking out these types of things:

1. Have a theme in mind -- especially for the junky little stuff. There is so much of this out there, only buy it if you really need it.

2. Don't be afraid of things that are too small for kids to use on their own. Its fine to have toys that are just used at tot school.

3. Be creative -- things don't have to be used for their intended purpose. Example - yes, my kid is playing with wooden animal shaped napkin rings, and that's great!

The Ultimate Montessori Toy List -- Birth to Five -- UPDATED 2020

When you are interested in Montessori, it can be difficult to know exactly what types of products you should get for your home. Or which types of "Montessori" materials are really worth the price. There are no rules about types of products can use the name Montessori which can add to the confusion. Not to mention, every toy manufacturer slaps the word "educational" on the package for good measure! 2020 UPDATE: This list is updated for another year! Enjoy a variety of Montessori friendly finds from both major retailers and smaller shops! So, with this post, I'm going to try to help with this confusion! Here's a list of Montessori-friendly toys and materials for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. First, let's clarify that there is no such thing as a "Montessori toy." Montessori never created toys, but only works for classroom settings. While there are many works that I recommend for home school use, you won't find these

Sensitive Periods from Birth to 6 - A Chart and Guide

Dr. Maria Montessori spent her life observing, studying, and writing about children. During her lifetime of work she discovered that young children move through a series of special times when they are particularly attracted to specific developmental needs and interests. She called these times, sensitive periods. During the sensitive period, children learn skills related to the sensitive period with ease. They don't tire of that work, but seek it, crave it and need it. When the sensitive period passes, this intense desire is gone, never to return. That doesn't mean the skill is lost forever once the sensitive period is over. Instead, it just means that it will take a more conscious effort to learn. As Dr. Montessori explains, This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you. "A child learns to adjust himself and make acquisitions in his sensitive periods. These are like a beam that lights interiorly a battery that furnishes energy. It is this sensibility which enables

Working from Home with Kids - A Montessori Schedule

One part of my life that I haven't talked a ton about here on The Kavanaugh Report is how I'm a work-from-home parent. Eight years ago I started to work at home while parenting full time. For the first several years, I worked as a legal writer while maintaining this space on the side. When Gus was born, I moved into working on sharing our Montessori life full time. It has blossomed into a full time career sharing content here, teaching courses, and now the podcast! Through it all, my kids have been home with me. This all seems more relevant to so many of us now that Covid-19 has closed schools and forced parents to stay at home and work while caring for children. I'm not going to lie - it's tough. It's hard to balance work and kids, especially when children are used to a completely different routine. But, it's not impossible! And, it can even be enjoyable. As I talk about in my podcast Shelf Help , we block our days into 3 hours groups. It helps

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