The Kavanaugh Report

Becoming a Montessori parent doesn't have to mean making big or expensive changes to your home or your life. Sometimes just simple changes, tiny ways to increase independence and accessibility in your home. These tiny changes can make such a difference in our toddler's ability to move successfully in the world. 
Lately for us, it's a simple tiny watering can that is making all the difference. Teddy is in love with it lately. Filling it up, dumping it out, attempting to water both our house plants and outdoor flowers. The old saying that toddlers plus water equal fun really is true. Any access to water, especially purposeful access is such a great activity for toddlers. 

This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you. Reasons to Get Your Toddler A Tiny Watering CanWhile any watering can could have the benefits of a toddler having access to water, I love tiny watering cans for a few reasons. One, toddlers are always going to want to fill a watering can all the way to the …

Minnesota is experiencing a very warm start to summer. The last week has been in the upper 90s with no end in sight. The kids are hot, I'm hot, and we're all left wondering where the end of Spring went. But, after a long winter, the warm weather is always a welcomed change for our family. 
This summer, we're going to be keeping a fairly low profile at home again. We have some plans for travel but for the most part we are going to be enjoying things close to home. In order to prepare we've been pulling some of our pool gear out of storage and ready to play this summer. 

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Like any material we add to our Montessori home, I want our outdoor toys to be: Simple and child led - I don't want anything too flashy or complicated. Basically, good old fashioned, simple fun. SafeAppropriate for their interests and skill levels - this is a bit tricky with so many ages. But, for example, if Teddy wanted to play outside I would offer…

Montessori parenting is so full of joy and wonder. In this week's episode, Amy and Nicole are sharing some of their personal highlights and "ah-ha" moments of bringing Montessori into their homes. We hope this helps you take some time to reflect on the ways that Montessori has brought joy into your parenting. Show Notes...Amy's Tik TokLarge Bead FrameTopponcino Co.The Magic of the TopponcinoOur Children's Montessori KitchenMontessori Home Tour: The KitchenMontessori Toddler Makes Cinnamon Rolls Thanks for joining me for today's podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share and leave a review in your favorite podcast app.
If you are interested in finding Shelf Help in a podcast app, it is available on Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google. 


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The other day I was walking through our playroom and I noticed something unusual, a glass vase filled with dirt and a leaf stuck into it. I knew immediately this was the work of Gus. I made a mental note. A couple days went by and another one of these dirt filled vases showed up on our deck this time with a flower stuck in it. Again, I made a mental note. The third time I found a little vase, it had water and a flower but also the funnel. 
And, I knew it was time for another presentation on flower arranging. Something was lost in translation. As Montessori parents we often rely on the power of modeling for young children and expect that they will pick up how to do something by simply watching. While modeling is super important, we have another tool in our kit - the Montessori presentation. 
What is a Montessori Presentation? A presentation is basically the act of giving a lesson to a child. For Montessori work in a classroom there is generally a specific way that materials are presented…

At nearly 7-years-old, there aren't a ton of Montessori activities on our shelves anymore for Nora. She has been back in a Montessori classroom for a few months, and does most of her academic learning there. At home, mostly open ended toys and art supplies fill our shelves. But, recently, I added a more traditional Montessori activity to her shelves - a bow tying frame - because it's time for Nora to learn to tie her shoes! 

Like any Montessori practical life activity, I want to keep a few things in mind as we are introducing a new work. One, I want to isolate the concept as much as possible as I first introduce it. I want to make sure the tying is the only thing we are focusing on as much as possible. Two, I want to make this as low stress as possible, I don't want to pressure, shame or force my child into tying shoes before they are ready. I personally let them give me some indication that they are interested in tie shoes before I actually go out and buy them. 
For both No…

As Montessori parents we need to balance our child's freedom of movement with safety. We always want to make sure our children are safe and able to explore their environments. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy offer tips on how to balance safety, our own expectations, and our Montessori environment, particularly with babies and toddlers. We dive into sleep spaces, multiple age spaces, and adult spaces. 
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Show Notes...An Emotional Menagerie: Feelings from A to ZThe Writing RevolutionMcHomeschool InstagramA Moving Child Is a Learning Child: How the Body Teaches the Brain to ThinkBalanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable ChildrenSmart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your HeadThriving Littles InstagramThe 1946 London LecturesBaby Proofing with a Montessori Floor BedPreparing a Montessori Baby Space When You Have Multiple KidsIKEA Baskets
Thanks for joining me for today'…

In a Montessori environment manners are approached differently than in many traditional spaces. In Montessori grace and courtesy lessons are used to give children the keys to unspoken social rules. In this week's episode we address how to give grace and courtesy lessons, what to do when challenges arise, and how to engage older children in these important lessons. 
This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you.  Show Notes...Montessori and Waiting - 2 Solutions We Use at HomeGrace and Courtesy in a Montessori HomePractical Life for the Winter -- Toddler Nose BlowingThe Deep Well of Time Thanks for joining me for today's podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share and leave a review in your favorite podcast app.
If you are interested in finding Shelf Help in a podcast app, it is available on Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google. 
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In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy talk about ten Montessori terms you should know when using Montessori at home. These Montessori fundamentals are important to understanding how children learn and develop. Nicole and Amy give examples of how to apply these terms in your Montessori home and how they influence Montessori parents. Show Notes...Sensitive Periods from Birth to 6 - A Chart and GuideTendencies of HumansThe Human TendenciesMontessori Planes of Development -- First Plane 0-3Montessori Planes of Development -- First Plane 3-6Montessori Planes of Development -- Second Plane 6-12Parenting in the Third PlaneGrace and Courtesy in a Montessori HomeDeveloping the Senses - TasteDeveloping the Senses - VisualDeveloping the Senses - TouchDeveloping the Senses - HearingShelf Help Ep. 32 - The Beauty of Montessori Math Thanks for joining me for today's podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share and leave a review in your favorite podcast app.
If you are intere…

Last weekend for the first time in way over a year, I went to IKEA by myself to just look around. It was really a slice of normal that I needed. While I was there I saw a tray that I have been contemplating online for awhile because it looked like it was going to be the perfect chowki! 

A chowki is a small table or stool that can be used for a child's work. Dr. Montessori first saw them used while she was living in India and incorporated the concept into her schools. A chowki provides a distinct work space for the child slightly above the ground. Children can work at them on their knees or while sitting, depending on their own comfort and their height. 
My kids love working at a chowki and often choose a chowki at school or other Montessori spaces. I've been wanting to add one to our home for a long time, so I decided to buy this IKEA tray to try outdoors as a chowki. It is perfect. Over the last week, all of my kids have constantly pulled it out to use it. It gives the the oppo…

At 20-months-old Teddy is an active little ball of snuggly love. He is really is just the cutest. He spends his days mostly engaged in gross motor play, using some materials, practical life and potty learning. I've talked a little about his potty learning journey before, but for us it really is a journey. And this means it really does have it's ups and downs. And in this post, I want to normalize some of the downs. These are the times when maybe potty learning feels too hard or too much, or seems to not be working.  When can we take a break from potty learning? Over the last week and half, Teddy has been in diapers 100 percent of the time. Prior to this we were in a down slump of using the potty. I don't want to share too many details, but just know it was a lot of awareness of needing/going but also all misses. So I decided I needed a break. We have been recovering from the stomach flu and just lots going on and we needed to step back. Here are some reasons that I think it…

This week, Nicole and Amy are tired from dealing with sleep regressions. So they play a quick game of Montessori true and false answering listener questions and assumptions. In this episode, they address whether Montessori is just for the rich, if it's right for every child, whether they want more babies, and more!  Show Notes...National Center for Montessori in the Public SectorBeing a Parenting Team (with Morgan Kavanaugh)Montessori Silliness and JoyGoing Out Thanks for joining me for today's podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share and leave a review in your favorite podcast app.
If you are interested in finding Shelf Help in a podcast app, it is available on Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google. 
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I've mentioned this several times, but over the last few years we have made a much more conscious effort to get outside in all types of weather. Yes, that even means in Minnesota's long winters. But, in the winter there just isn't as much to explore here. The world is covered in ice and snow and pretty much that's it. But, now that Spring is really here, our world is far more exciting. From insects and flowers, to vegetable gardens and (gross) dog poop - even our immediate yard is a complete wonder for Teddy.  Being outside with an active young toddler can be a little hectic. There's so much to explore! There's so much you could taste! But, not everything is safe. And we can't prepare the outdoor environment in the same way we can prepare the indoors to remove all danger. So it really becomes a balancing act between a child's safety and their drive and need to explore the environment.  Montessori friendly tips for outdoor toddler explorationGet on your to…