A few pictures from our weekend. This year Caspar and Otis have their own bedrooms. Otis' bedroom is my favourite room in the house. It's colourful and cheery and is always spotless! He has a cabin bed which means he has this little space underneath, perfect for a little reading nook. Love books and babies! Child made, perfectly imperfect Zesty Lemon Cupcakes, with Lemon Butter icing. Our local nature reserve is full of wonders! It was freezing, the lake and some of the little ponds were frozen over. We were amazed by these huge clumps of frog eggs, this pond... Read more →

"Some objects are rapidly mass-produced by press or machine and are exactly alike. Others are made slowly by hand, and each is different from the other. The value of handmade objects is that each carries the individual imprint of the artist who created it." - Maria Montessori, The Child in the Family. Yes, there are so many reasons to love handmade! When I think of the basic materials for a Montessori home, I think low shelving and small baskets! Here are a few of my favourite Montessori and other finds on Etsy: Etsy is a great place to find baskets!... Read more →

As Otto often sucks his fingers (just like this) when he is tired, at school pick up or at the grocery store, I'm often asked if I give him a pacifier. The answer is always no, mostly because I don't think it's necessary but this quote resonated with me. This is powerful and worth thinking about if your child uses a pacifier. "The more time a baby spends with a pacifier, the more likely it will be incorporated into their body scheme – a mental image of their body in space, built in that first year of life. Neurologically speaking,... Read more →

A Montessori wardrobe is a child's wardrobe that is accessible and easy for the child to use, from toddlerhood. Why no excuses? Because I honestly believe no matter where you live or what resources you have, you are able to create a Montessori wardrobe for your child! Firstly why does your child need to access their own wardrobe? Montessori wardrobes: Teach life skills - self-dressing and organisation. Promote independence. Show respect towards the child - I respect you, I trust you and I will enable you to make your own clothing choices, often for little ones, it's a choice between... Read more →

Is this the smallest Montessori bedroom you have ever seen? Otto has the smallest bedroom in the house. It's small and we will make the most of it! It's hard because his old Montessori bedroom looked like this - so complete, and we had to leave it all behind and start over again. This time we have Otto in a wood bed. I was worried about the cold floor, but I shouldn't have, his room is always toasty. The bed is low enough that he can wriggle out when he's a little older but won't roll off the side. It's... Read more →

What is the right age for the child's first pocket knife? If the child has been raised in a Montessori environment and is familiar with using knives, I'm thinking around five or six years of age? By seven, eight or nine years old - absolutely! Of course, it depends on the child and it is to be remembered that pocket knives are real tools, not toys. Otis has Forest School once a week and it has left him feeling inspired. On his first day, he learnt how to make and light a campfire - and then they toasted marshmallows! He... Read more →

I am sure that I have missed many of my children's developmental milestones. Often it's because I don't know what I'm looking for and they just pass while I am blissfully unaware. However, when it comes to the development of the hand, I watch my children like a hawk. I prepare the infant's environment for grasping. I watch and smile as I see the child bring their hands together for the first time or grasp with intention. I take note when they start hand to hand transfer - and this is where we are right now! Above are our Interlocking... Read more →

We always have lots of puzzles in our home. They are fantastic for children of all ages. They help to promote hand-eye coordination, visual perception, build concentration and they can also help the child to learn more about their environment. If you are looking for some new puzzles how about an apple or fruit puzzle? Many of these are suitable for young toddlers through to preschoolers! 1. Apple Jigsaw - Lisheen Montessori (Ireland) - designed for students with special needs but perfect for a young toddler. 2. Wooden Apple Peg Puzzle - Bella Luna Toys (US) - perhaps more Waldorf... Read more →

Do you love and follow the Montessori philosophy at home? What about at school, is Montessori schooling an option for you? There may not be a Montessori school close to you? What do you do? Don't despair! We recently moved from Australia to the UK. We knew before we moved, there were no Montessori schools in the area we were moving to. For Caspar (10 yrs) and Otis (6 yrs), Montessori schooling is all they knew. Until two weeks ago they had never even set foot in a traditional or mainstream school. I had many concerns and finding a new... Read more →

I love kid's clothing, I love researching, I love browsing and I love finding products that look good and work for us. I'm starting a monthly feature on kids clothing; for big and little kids, clothes, possibly shoes and outerwear that meet our Montessori values. Clothes that are good for our children and good for our planet. Today I am sharing this fantastic brand which we discovered this summer while in Australia. It's loud + proud, an ethical and sustainable children's clothing company based in Germany. loud + proud clothing is made from GOTS certified cotton in Europe. The range... Read more →

We moved to the UK mid January however some of our (new/rented) furniture is still arriving and we only recieved our personal items from Australia last week. Finally, some shelves for Otto! This is a part of our living area, it is next to our dining area and adjacent to our kitchen (which is also our laundry!). This area is so well placed, I can be in the kitchen/laundry and still supervise him. I can be close if needed but he can have his space too. Because it's so close to our dining and kitchen, I think I might put... Read more →

I've been looking for ways to extend Otis' woodworking, to increase his skill level and to take him past the basic hammering he's been doing to date. It's the perfect time to introduce some measuring and the use of a saw. Here are a few of my thoughts and ideas on woodworking with young children. First, where do you find wood? I am no expert but I look for softer wood such as balsa or even pine. You don't want something that will split easily but some woods are so hard they are really difficult to hammer into. Some times... Read more →

I love giving my babies discovery baskets! With Otto (pictured above) and Otis, I've introduced them at around four months of age, when the child is able to explore things well with their hands. I've found it a great way of exposing them a wide range of objects where they can use all of their senses. It allows them to experience new smells, tastes, weights, textures and colours that standard baby toys just don't allow. I keep Otto's discovery basket on his shelves in our living area, where he is always supervised, not in his room which I consider 100%... Read more →

We make regular trips to the library however, there are some books which you just want to own. These two books have been on my wishlist for a while. I knew that Otis would love them immediately. They are both really beautiful and deliver information to the child in an interesting and engaging way. In the Book of Bones: 10 Record-Breaking Animals children are invited to examine ten skeletons and with several hints and clues determine which animal they belong to. The skeletons are all record-breaking for different reasons including the smallest, longest, shortest, heaviest, spikiest bones, fastest growing bones... Read more →

Today I am sharing some Montessori related articles. I've found all of these articles interesting, inspiring or motivating! DIY Montessori Sound Pouches: Learn Phonics the Fun Way at Volcano Mama, this is a cute DIY including some excellent repurposing by a Montessori teacher. Love this Colour Tablets Nature Matching activity at Cosmic Montessori School, if you have the colour tablets this is so easy to do. I've only just read this and think it is fantastic by Olivia at Fishies in a Row, Why I Am Not *Just* A Montessori Parent. Yes, yes, yes!! 10 Reasons Why Your Child Should... Read more →