I've filled in the forms and submitted our paper work for Otis to start school next year. He'll start in February 2014, just before he turns three. Otis will start in the 3-6 class, Cycle One. For many children three is the age they enter preschool. The advantage of Montessori is that he will have the same teacher, the same classroom for the next three years. I love that continuity. Being the second child in our family Otis is already familiar with the school, the classrooms and many of the children, parents and teachers at the school. Being a part... Read more →

We only need one warm day and we are outside weeding, digging and planting. We only stopped for ice-cream, a trip to the plant nursery and school pick up. Spring is three days away and the sun is shining again. Otis has new gardening tools to break in and a butterfly garden to plant. When he returned home from school Caspar chose to plant sunflower seeds. Lots of sunflower seeds, scattered through our garden beds. To surprise his dad he said. . Otis like most toddlers I believe, loves to garden. He loves to harvest his crop including carrots and... Read more →

When I first started reading about this it stirred up some emotion in me. The feelings of a child being forced to wear the same clothes everyday. The child whose parents couldn't afford the uniform, the mum who forgot to wash the right uniform, the child not wearing the right shirt/pants/socks/shoes/hairband. Feelings of inequity - the cost of uniforms, the strict regulations. It feels like we all want to protect our children from unfair treatment because of the clothes they wear but there clearly isn't a winner. Without a doubt the best way to protect our children is to teach... Read more →

Caspar is five. After reading and learning about a child in the second plane of development I can tell that he is not there yet. It feels like he's transitioning. After being asked about what activities Caspar does at home, it was very easy to write a post about it. As many of you know Caspar goes to a Montessori school. After school he generally likes to be by himself. I think this is his way of dre-stressing or 'coming down' from school. He likes to play with cars, run around the house and loves jumping on beds and rolling... Read more →

It feels like there is a lot of information about the child in the first plane of development the period of the absorbent mind - birth to six, but how about the child in the second plane - six to twelve? Caspar is entering the second plane so it's something I've been thinking about. What are the characteristics of the child in the second plane? What she (Maria Montessori) noted is the elementary children between the ages of six and twelve years become interested in their peers, not from a self centered viewpoint of younger children, but from a genuine... Read more →

Have you ever thought about using a Montessori at home consultant? There are a couple of companies that offer a variety of services from short term to long term support for not only Montessori in the home but also for general parenting. Leanne from The Prepared Environment has been a sponsor of the blog for a few months now however I know very little about her services. Time for some questions I think. If you don't have time to read make sure you take a look at these super cute pictures! First can you tell me a little about your... Read more →

Please note this post contains a product that I was given for the purpose of review. There is something really appealing about Geometric Puzzles. They are pleasing to the eye and look lovely sitting on the shelves. Often they are made of timber which is nice to touch. They are also really wholesome, a child as young as one can stack blocks while a child of five or more can create complex patterns. The child is learning through play without knowing it. As well as mathematics there are also the elements of imagination and creativity at work. Caspar hasn't used... Read more →

A child turning one, very much in the first plane of development is looking for hands on, real life experiences. Toys that make sense. Toys that are natural and provide a sensory experience. Toys that capture their imagination and help strengthen their concentration. The items that I have included in this collection are age appropriate toys and materials, however we know a child of this age will as equally if not more enjoy time spent with their friends and family, digging in the sand or dirt or enjoying the rich sensory experience of the garden. Please note that this post... Read more →

When Caspar was young and using a floor bed, I asked around "When do you move them into a real bed"? I didn't even know anyone who had used a floor bed. Even the Montessori teachers I spoke to didn't use floor beds with their children. The general consensus was - when you and the child are ready. Well, that was difficult. With Caspar being my first child and not really knowing other children his age, I had no idea when he was ready. So just before he turned three we gave him a real bed. He was sleeping on... Read more →

We've always enjoyed matching work in our home. It started with Otis matching real items and them moving onto matching with cards. One thing I've failed to mention is that the child should already be familiar with the item before introducing the model. These birds are a great example, with the exception of the penguin we can see them all locally. Mainly we've matched fruit, vegetables, household items and animals. There are many cards available but I have on occasion photographed and made our own cards. Now Otis finds this level of matching easy but he still likes it and... Read more →