Around here this week, this is just a snapshot of some of the materials Otto is currently using at three months! He constantly has his fingers in his mouth and is chewing on his hands. After finding Otto gnawing on the Skwish, I ordered what is known as a Montessori Teething Ball or the Perfect Pacifier. I ordered ours from here (Australia). I need to pass it to Otto but he can independently hold it, bring it to his mouth or throw it away. Montessorians prefer it as it is easily manipulated by the child, it provides relief (from the pain of teething) and does not sit in the child's mouth.  

The Skwish is fabulous because it's so easy for the young infant to grasp and pick up. The rods are really thin for the small hands and they sit up off the floor, at three months the child can easily pick it up. It's colourful and it makes a nice sound with the wooden parts sliding when moved or shaken. It's his number one favourite toy at the moment, I was so surprised around two weeks ago I walked in to find him holding his Skwish to his mouth and gnawing on the end of it. It can roll but not too far unless thrown hard by an overly exuberant child! 

The Dancers Mobile. This is as much loved as the Octahedron. He will often spend 30-40 minutes here in the morning. Great for building concentration, visual tracking, you know the rest! Our Dancers Mobile is from here, they have international shipping, I love their transparent rods which means there is no distraction for the child. 

The Bell Rattle is perfect for Otto at this stage in development. I gave it to him after observing the first signs of intentional grasping. I observed him playing with the long tag on his favourite blanket (which he would often do) but now he was grasping it and pulling on it. I found him grasping his Skwish and he intentionally pulled one of my shirts off a coffee table. The Bell Rattle is a good size and weight for his small hands and he can see the bell so he is learning cause and effect. He also loves this Willow Rattle which he can pick up independently as it sits a little off the floor, he can get his little fingers underneath it. Our Bell Rattle is c/o Montessori Shop. You can see Otis' bell rattle here. If you are in the US or Canada, I recommend this one.    

With Otto being my third child, I can really appreciate how different each child is. I don't always agree with the recommendations on other Montessori sites and that's ok, our children and experiences can be vastly different. I hope however, you find this post helpful!