How was your week? I know I've mentioned it previously but I love the Forest School concept and feel it's something more Montessori schools could take on board. Today Otis' class (Year 3) was in the forest from 10am to 3pm. They had all of their lessons including French, Music and Maths - in the forest. They played a game like gofindit but in French! They toasted marshmallows and made bows and arrows. I could tell at the end of the day he was feeling so fulfilled. Isn't that what we all want for our children? Here are a few... Read more →

Today we are visiting a family in Denmark. There are a few things that make this family special. One of them is language, as a family, they speak four different languages. But what stands out to me is the respect they show their daughter. I hope you enjoy meeting Magda and taking a look around her Montessori home. Can you introduce yourself, your family and a little about where you live? My name is Magda and I come from Poland. My husband Julius comes from Nigeria. Our daughter was born in Denmark in August 2017. 4 months ago we moved... Read more →

I love Etsy for shopping but also for DIY ideas! Here are a few things that I am loving, buying and DIYing from Etsy this Autumn: Autumn Children's Placemats - we love to celebrate the season with themed placemats and napkins, these are easy to DIY with the right fabric. Acorn Tree Puzzle - we have this one and the Apple Tree Puzzle, these are fantastic for nature or seasonal displays as they allow the child to focus on one aspect of the tree - the acorn or apples, they aren't too busy. Autumn Pocket Hitchhiker Print - we have... Read more →

At twelve months Otto is very interested in toys and his materials. He loves playing and working with his hands. Because he has so many toys I wanted to share his current favourites. Here are his most used and favourite Montessori materials and toys at 12 months: Pop Up Toy - this toy has been loved by all of my children, it never fails to interest them. Object Permanence Ball Push - this would be one of Otto's absolute favourites right now. Matchstick Threading Toy - we used a cheese shaker with large holes (like this one) and coloured matchsticks.... Read more →

I love good science books for children. But the problem I have is many aren't realistic, they might have a good story or accurate information but they add characters or comic style pictures. I recently found this series which is written for young children, the images are hand-drawn and look just like my old biology notes. If you are interested in science you might like them as much as I do. The language used is delightful, scientific and real names are used, just like nucleus, mitochondria, dendrites, protozoa, axons. I think it's wonderful to expose children to a wide range... Read more →

How was your week? Our week was full, I feel that we are enjoying the busyness. Everyone is working hard at school and after school and everyone has their chosen interests they are following. I feel like the balance is good. Here are a few articles and links and things that I've been enjoying this week: Some parents are choosing this Montessori school because of its diversity - How a diverse Indianapolis Montessori school quadrupled its applications in two years at Chalkbeat. Also, who knew there were some 500 publically funded Montessori schools across the United States? We know that... Read more →

Luci is Romanian, and I am Australian, but we are more alike than we are different. It's not where you live or what is on your shelves that makes you a Montessori parent, it's what is in your heart. It's the deep love and respect for the child. Today I am sharing with you a special Montessori family from Romania. Can you introduce yourself, your family and a little about where you live? Well, I am Luci from Bucharest, Romania where I live along with my family. I have two wonderful children, a girl aged almost 9 years old and... Read more →

12 months is a good age to try out some practical life activities. While it doesn't look like much these little moments can add up to something really significant. The child is participating, doing real work, contributing to the family and feeling valued. It might look like playing with the bubbles or playing with the washing but it is so much more, and it's just the start! Here are a few practical life activities we've introduced at or around 12 months, keep in mind many of these he is yet to master. Care of Self (the person): Nose Wiping. Brush... Read more →

Otto is on the cusp of walking. He can stand unaided and will walk around the room, but only while holding on to or touching something, even a wall or cupboard. Today he used his walker wagon to walk out and collect parcels from our postal worker. It has made me think about his journey and the ways we have supported him. Here are a few things that many Montessori parents do and don't do in relation to their child learning to walk. Do: Allow for natural development. Provide low furniture for the child to use unsupported including low/infant shelving,... Read more →

What are you up to this weekend? We are hoping to visit a castle or two, there are so many castles and ruins around our area. If you are looking for some reading here are a few Montessori related links are articles that I've been enjoying this week. Jeff Bezos says he will use his riches to open Montessori preschools at Chalkbeat! Have you seen the Toggler?? The Toggler allows young children to use-out-of reach light switches. It's easy to install, completely removable and can be re-used on other switches. Designed in Canberra. Pre-Orders are open here. Use the promo... Read more →

There is something that is really captivating about finger knitting. I think it is because the children can make something quickly, the harder they work the more they produce, and the results are tangible, they can touch and feel the result of their work. We love to work with wool in the cooler months, it has such a nice warming texture. Finger knitting is good for developing hand and finger strength and coordination and is taught in most Montessori and Waldorf/Steiner Schools. Caspar learnt finger knitting at (Montessori) school. But as we moved shortly after Otis joined cycle two (6-9... Read more →

Have you seen the new go find it too cards? They have just been released and are a follow up to the popular go find it scavenger hunt game. It is an instant natural treasure hunt that invites children to use all of their senses. Players are encouraged to develop a curiosity of the natural world through hands-on sensory exploration. What's more, the uniquely designed cards help develop word recognition and language development through play. The cards are really delightful, they invite the children to use all of their senses in a way we might not have thought of. They... Read more →

How often do you rotate your infant/toddler toys and materials? I do it every week, but it's more like an update or refresh rather than rotation. We've moved our shelves to add Otto's wooden barn play area and some new playsilks. There are a lot of Waldorf handcrafts that I love. Felting and beeswax modelling are two that we use in our home. I love these little creations by Otis! He has learnt to use the candles to warm his modeling wax. Montessori wrote so much about the use of the hand. Otto is learning that he can use his... Read more →

It's been a long time since I've run an interview series. Today I'm sharing the start of new series which gives us a peek into Montessori homes around the world. I hope you enjoy it! Today we start with Jae Jun in Atlanta, Georgia. Can you introduce yourself, your family and a tells us a little about where you live? I’m Jae Jun, and my business is Bella’s Casa – a learning community for parents as well as an Etsy store selling handmade Montessori materials for infants and young children. I created Bella’s Casa as a resource for all parents... Read more →

Today we swapped over some of our Summer books to make way for our Autumn books. The days are becoming shorter, darker and cooler. We are slowly adding Autumn items and materials to our nature table. I call it a nature table although it is also, very much a seasonal table. I love the warm colours and the glow of Autumn nature tables. Below I'm sharing some nature tables that have given me ideas and inspiration. Many of these are in Australia - if you are thinking the dates don't add up. Most of these are Waldorf inspired. To make... Read more →