Earlier in the year I featured our little toddler snack area but I didn't show the whole kitchen. Today I want to share all the areas of our kitchen that our toddler uses. Above is our toddler/children's fridge, drink station and baking table. 

I want you to know that all Montessori homes look different. Do what works for you, I hope you find some ideas here. The key areas for me include access to fresh and healthy food, water, and, practical life tools like food prep tools and cleaning tools. The two main themes are independence and safety.

Otto's weaning table was next to the baking table but he stopped using it and started eating more at the main table on his Tripp Trapp. His weaning table is now in his bedroom and he uses it mainly for drawing. We have magnets on the fridge that Otto likes to play with (he's really interested in making people). On the baking table you can also see the beans that Otto planted from this tray, it's good to have them at the child's eye level in a place they can easily see them every day.

Independent access to food is so important in our home and the fridge is a huge part of that. Things like hummus, milk, cooked left overs like pasta, yoghurt, cheese are all great snacks but need refrigeration. In the morning while my older children are making lunches I cut up extra fruits and vegetables and I might make a small salad for Otto too, or put some left-overs in a small container for him and put in here too. On Monday we spent the morning out and when we got home Otto automatically washed his hands, got himself some pasta, banana bread and a glass of milk and sat down to eat it while I put away our groceries - it's satisfying to see this level of independence. 

Access to water is perhaps my number one priority. In the warmer months the water dispenser is kept in the fridge, which also frees up the baking table for more food prep. We have lots of toddler size glasses available and a cleaning mitt for spills.

We often bake together at the kitchen bench with Otto using the kitchen helper. If Otto is going to bake independently I will set it up here on this baking table. The sides make sure things like flour don't spill onto the floor. 

The drawer holds lots of our children's baking tools, a cleaning mitt and a baking apron.

This is the snack cupboard in the kitchen. You can see it in more detail here. The top shelf is for food and the bottom shelf is for practical life tools.

Today we have sourdough, brown rice crackers, yoghurt frogs, bananas, apples, tuna and a few organic fruit snacks/bars.

During my older children's school days (and my husband's work days) the kitchen helper stays at the kitchen sink so Otto can easily access water and the sink. Other times it is just pushed up to the kitchen bench.

This is the best way I've found for Otto to access water for hand-washing.

He can also wash his dishes here.

Importantly, he can also fill his watering can here. Otto uses the Kitchen Helper c/o Sprout.

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