The Kavanaugh Report

There are so many amazing Montessori and Montessori friendly materials available for children. But, it can be kind of hard to narrow which will work for your family and will be worth the money in the long term. It can also just be overwhelming to look at ALL the choices. So, I decided it would be a fun game to play with myself to narrow it down to MY top 5 Montessori gifts for every age group through lower elementary.  I decided these based on:  my own kids' reactions to these materials the flexibility and longevity of the material Montessori-friendly-ness - a word I just totally made up, but basically, how well does it fit with Montessori.  This was not the easiest of tasks! And, if you're looking for more choice, don't miss my Ultimate Montessori Gift Guide , which is being updated for 2019!  Babies {Birth to 12 months}  Babies are a real challenge because there is so much growth and change over the course of just one year, but here are my top 5:

Montessori mobiles are some of the first materials that a baby will use in a Montessori home. They are a great way to engage a baby even before they have a ton of movement. Theodore is my third baby to use the Montessori mobiles from birth. At week 6 week have introduced three mobiles (one DIY and two traditional). For Teddy, here has been our timeline so far: 

One of the most foundational parts of Montessori are sensitive periods. Maria Montessori identified that children pass in and out of sensitive periods throughout their childhood. By understanding sensitive periods, we can get a better idea of what our children might be attracted to in our environments. We can get a deeper understanding of their behavior and what they need from us.

I love IKEA! It has so many Montessori friendly items at great prices for families - especially practical life items. But there are so many options that it can be overwhelming to walk into the store and figure out what would work together for a specific purpose.  So, I thought I would put together a few examples for practical life! These are just one possible combination that you could come up with for these areas. Hand Washing Hand washing is a staple in a Montessori home. For older babies and toddlers, a small hand washing station can help children do it independently. Here's one way you could set it up in your home.  L arge bowl + pitcher + nonslip tray + table (cut to size) + sticky hook + washcloth = $48.44 {USD} Flower Arranging Flower arranging is a favorite for toddlers and older children alike. It's so simple to put together with some fresh flowers and a small tray on a shelf! Here's what it could look like. vase ( vas e, vase ) + pitcher

Since Theodore's birth, a little over a month ago, Augustus has been on a practical life strike. He just isn't interested or is outright refusing. He doesn't want to help wash windows, help with laundry, cook/bake, or help with other cleaning tasks. Things he enjoyed before the baby was born. Instead of an enthusiastic "yes!" all I hear is "no" or "mama, you do it!"  Now, I love practical life. It's hard for me to see days and weeks go by without a ton a participation in daily tasks. I could force it, or ask again and again. It would fill our days with power struggles and strife. But at the end of the day, it's not my choice what Gus chooses to participate in or not. It's ultimately Gus' choice.  Sometimes we can feel like our role as the adult is to require or force participation. We know these tiny children could do so much. We know they are capable. And, we want to cultivate independence within them. Whether it i

Play and exploration is so important for babies. It is through play that babies will learn and grow. As Maria Montessori made very clear, "play is the work of the child." In Montessori we call a baby's first play space a "movement area." I absolutely love that it's called a movement area because it highlights the most important aspect of a baby's play - movement.

I'm doing a lot of late night nursing lately which means a lot of time on Instagram ! And, that's not a bad thing -- there is a lot of amazing Montessori inspiration to be found on there! Here are a few things that have really inspired me lately. I am in LOVE with this simple entry way: View this post on Instagram A post shared by KP Hill 🌻 (@the.montessori.millennial) on Sep 24, 2019 at 4:51pm PDT I need this Autumn table decoration: View this post on Instagram Some crafting inspiration? And to show that the celebration rings are such useful things 🍁🍂🎃 Crochet pumpkins @just_pootling Crochet leaves @attic24 Needle felted mushroom and acorns 🍄 Grimms 12-hole Birthday ring back in stock #celebratewithgrimms #autumnfun #artsandcrafts #crochet #needlefelting #sundaycrafts A post shared by The Wooden Wagon (@thewoodenwagon) on Oct 13, 2019 at 6:00am PDT

It’s that time again! Time to find some Montessori alternatives to popular toys. This time I’m focusing on baby toys. This list was a fun one to make since one of my best friends, Amy from Midwest Montessori , was here this weekend and we did it together. There are some truly overwhelming options out there, but the good news is there are also lots of Montessori friendly alternatives for the same or similar price!  Looking for others in this series: MONTESSORI FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES TO POPULAR TODDLER GIFTS MONTESSORI FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES TO POPULAR YOUNG PRESCHOOL GIFTS We randomly picked 10 of the most popular baby items given as gifts on Amazon , Then, we found a Montessori friendly alternative! Here’s some that we found. Pull and Sing Puppy  instead try the  Brio Pull Along Puppy   The traditional option here isn't Montessori friendly because it is just too busy. It is trying to do too much, teaching concepts that aren't appropriate for a baby. It's