How has your week been? Our week has been very full and we are looking forward to a quiet weekend, perhaps with a visit to the library! Here are a few articles that I have been reading and enjoying this week: If you live in the area this is a project to support - Lighthouse Project at Montessori East (Sydney). Why Montessori at MariaMontessori.com. Five Parenting Lessons I Learned as a Teacher at Montessori-ish Mom. How to Adopt a Montessori-Style Work Environment at the Huffington Post. DIY Floorbed with a Bookcase (and a Secret Compartment) at Instructables. Montessori style furniture... Read more →

I have two active boys and I am in the third trimester of my pregnancy, sometimes it feels like our life is moving so fast it is out of control. Making sure everyone is feeling centered, calm and ready for a good night's sleep at the end of the day is really important for our wellbeing. We often use children's massage and guided meditation as part of our bedtime routine. Today we are trying the Mind Time for Kids kit c/o The Goodnight Co. My children have a basic understanding of chakras and have used intention crystals so I'm thinking... Read more →

Today I'm sharing some ways I get a little bit of extra nutrition into my children's diet. Both boys eat a wide variety of foods however as Otis eats very little I want to make sure what he does eat really counts, especially for breakfast and snack. This post features Mavella Superfoods which are all c/o Mavella (I have a discount code for you at the end of the post). My children do not eat breakfast cereal, I've tried so many different types, but they just don't want it! It's the same with toast. Both love a cooked breakfast (Caspar... Read more →

Image: Villa di Maria Montessori School Blog Today I am sharing some Montessori School blogs that I read and love. Many schools have blogs that are intentionally accessible only to parents from the school. The blogs listed here are school blogs that are useful and informative to all Montessori parents! I've also only listed those that post semi-regularly and are mostly current. In addition to parent education, these blogs also contain a lot of useful information and ideas for other schools and teachers. Sydney Montessori School Blog Bergamo Montessori Schools Blog Forest Bluff School Blog - Lots of really in-depth... Read more →

Today I'm going to challenge traditional thinking about baby change areas, or just prove how offbeat my thinking is. I like having the infant change area on the floor! It's safer for the child and makes the transition for the child to self-dressing that little bit easier. There are two main barriers to having the infant's change area on the floor; it's important to keep some creams, wipes etc out of the reach of the child and many parents have physical restrictions that prevent them from being able to comfortably change a baby on the floor (usually back or knee... Read more →

I've only ordered one thing from Etsy this week, but I've done a lot of looking around. I'm constantly drawn to handmade products and often to the textures of materials like wool and timber. Here are a few sweet wooden finds on Etsy that are suitable for a Montessori home, a couple of these puzzles (like the animal tracks puzzle) could work well in a classroom environment too! Short to Tall Sensorial Puzzle - This is so similar to the Short Tall Knob Puzzle which we've used in our home, but this one is a lovely natural (unpainted) timber. Animal... Read more →

I apologise for this narrow topic but it's one that I feel is important and useful to me! Today I'm writing about the Montessori Topponcino or security pillow. The Topponcino is typically used from birth to six to eight weeks (or more depending on the size of the infant). It is recommended that the parent/s sleep with or put the Topponcino in their bed so it takes on their homely scent. The Topponcino is then used (from birth) to securely hold and support the infant. From memory, Maria Montessori didn't design the Topponcino (although specific measurements are provided in the... Read more →

Like most Montessori families, we have children's spaces in all of our rooms, we don't have a specific 'Montessori' area. We have a space for our children in our entry way, outdoors, on our decks, bathroom etc. Our children's areas have evolved naturally over the years. Due to the children's ages (Otis is six and Caspar is nine) the focus really isn't on independence as it was in the toddler years. Our home areas are designed to: Support the child's natural development and growth. Be respectful of the child's individual needs. Be comfortable, welcoming and warm. Follow the child's interests.... Read more →

I'm at the stage in my pregnancy where I can't get a good night's sleep. Remember what it is like? Not able to get comfortable no matter which way you lie? I'm also at the stage where I wished the nursery was finished. Well, it's getting there. I've put up some pictures and a fabulous friend passed onto us the most gorgeous wooden bed. We still have our low shelves from when Otis was little (a friend borrowed them but we now have them back!). So I have started to tinker and move things around a little. It has me... Read more →

Do your children like to do puzzles together? My boys have been bickering like crazy but put them in front of a puzzle and they become collaborators, allies. It engages them on the same level. They build on their successes to achieve their desired outcome - the finished puzzle. We put this puzzle on our table and the boys worked on it on and off over a couple of rainy days. It was nice for them to have something to work on together when they had a spare moment. The satisfaction of putting that final piece in place! It is... Read more →

A colourful reading corner with lots of storage space! This is a cute little wardrobe from Manine Montessori. It's always a good idea to provide a little chair or stool next to the wardrobe for the child to sit on. This family has got the balance right, enough clothes for the child to make a choice but not so much as to overwhelm. Above is a lovely, compact art area. I've always wanted some of those coloured pencil holders! A large bookcase with forward facing books! I love this room arrangement. Low bed, work table with work shelves and bookshelves!... Read more →

Have you ever tried to make or use the traditional Montessori Munari Mobile? It is the first in the visual mobile series offered to a newborn at around 2-3 weeks of age. They are incredibly hard to balance and our glass globe broke while Otis was underneath it. We replaced the globe but I never again felt really safe around it. With our next baby, we are going to skip the Munari! We are fortunate that we have access to a lot of resources and already have a few black and white mobiles to try, so I thought it would... Read more →

Today we have a guest post by Susan from Emil Und Mathilda. Susan has recently completed her Montessori Diploma. I love following her and her Montessori journey with her two boys. Today she is sharing a few Montessori maths activities for children approximately three to five years. I hope you enjoy! ............ My name is Susan, I am a mom of two and a German Montessori blogger. I really love to create and to do things myself, especially for my wonderful boys, Emil and Oskar (19 months). My oldest son Emil is 4 years old and during the last year... Read more →

Have you made mushroom spore prints before? It is incredibly easy to do and suitable for children of all ages. For a young child, it can be an activity to make pretty prints. An older child can closely examine the prints to identify the type of mushroom and put the spores under the microscope. I've seen this done online but I was still surprised on how clear and detailed the prints turned out! Also, I wasn't sure if fresh 'supermarket' mushrooms would work, but they do, perfectly! I've heard that button mushrooms don't drop spores like this. Here we used... Read more →

Today we are taking a peek inside the beautiful Montessori School Almeria! This school offers a British education following the Montessori Pedagogy. They have an Infant Community (18-36 months), Children's House (3-6 years) and a Primary Program (6-12 years). The Children's House is full of light and colour. Above is the language area with the Metal Insets and Chalkboard in the middle. There is a nice big bookshelf (with foward facing books) and lots of flowers placed around the room. Colourful Practical Life shelves! An outdoor area. You can get a better view of this area in the video at... Read more →