The entryway is an important part of a Montessori home environment. It's an area that can serve us and our toddler well if it is thought out and organised. Why do we need a toddler entryway? Promotes order and independence. Allows the child to easily look after and put away their belongings. For the parent it is easier to find the child's shoes and coats, especially useful when you need them in a rush. Empowers the child to participate in self dressing as much as possible. Provides adequate and dedicated space for dressing including putting on shoes and coats, with... Read more →

Otto's area in our entryway isn't working well, the hooks keep on falling down (being pulled down) and it's always messy. Entryways are so important as often they are the first place we see when we enter our homes. They are designed to help us to be more organised. Toddler entryway spaces need to be functional but is it possible for them to be beautiful too? Here are a few toddler entryways that I am admiring. Pictured above, this is wonderfully organised and has just the right amount of space for the amount of belongings. The step would also be... Read more →

Otto is almost 18 months old and it feels like a good time to revisit some of our Montessori home spaces. I'll explain how they work and how we troubleshoot. Our spaces are fluid, always changing. I hope these posts will give you a few ideas for your home environment. At almost eighteen months Otto can: Put on/take off socks independently - only loose socks, not socks that are tight. Wool socks are great. Put on/take off boots independently - only his rain boots and not always on the right feet. He can also take them off. Put on/take off... Read more →

A month or so ago we moved Otto (17 months) into Otis' old room. Otis (7yrs) doesn't like sleeping alone and I always found it difficult at bedtime if I was busy with Otto. So now Caspar (11yrs) and Otis are sharing a room. Otto's new room is much larger. We haven't made many changes. Most of the furniture is the same. Above we've created a little reading nook. Previously Otis had his fossils and rocks/minerals on the wall unit but now we have some Schleich animals. We might even change it over to some of Otto's favourite Siku vehicles.... Read more →

one. / two. / three. / four. / five. / six. / seven. / eight. / nine. I've been searching for some cute Montessori aprons for my children and also for some gifts. I've been feeling inspired by these cute and colourful aprons! I'm thinking summer fruits, strawberries and watermelons, wildflowers, toadstools and chickens. What's not to love? Montessori aprons promote independence and, self-sufficiency, they empower the child and set the tone for the activity. We love that even toddlers can learn to put these on and take them off themselves. Most of these have elasticised neckbands and velcro on... Read more →

I've been looking for some cute new tees for the boys. I love all of these but especially the first two for Otis. All of these have a Montessori, nature or a homeschooing theme. What's not to love? go outside and play / tree hugger nature lover / Wild + Free Grace & Courtesy / Montessori Education for Peace / Montessori Kid The Pink Tower / I am. I can. I ought. I will. - Charlotte Mason / Mother Nature is my teacher If you make or know of a cute Montessori tee supplier please feel free to comment or... Read more →

Today I'm sharing a fantastic idea for creative kids, perhaps as a gift or as an activity for the school holidays! Out of all of my children, Otis (six years) enjoyed this the most! I also have a discount code for you at the end of the post. All tees and products shown are c/o My Monster. The idea here is simple, in the kit you receive a tee or jumper (colour and size of your choosing) and a set of Monster stickers - bodies, eyes, mouths, arms, legs, and, accessories. The child arranges the stickers on the tee (or... Read more →

This is my second post in a monthly series on children's clothing. Clothing that we love, clothing that is fun, practical and true to our Montessori values! Clothing is so important for children and more so for infants. Otto (six months) spends most of his day on the floor on a movement mat or on a play mat at friends or curled up in his brothers' arms. Having soft, comfortable clothing that keeps him warm and allows him to move is a priority. Previously Otto was wearing soft woolen booties when we went out visiting or at home, just for... 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 →

I've featured some amazing Montessori wardrobes before, but what if you are not able to DIY, don't have an Ikea nearby or just want to order something ready made? Here are some really lovely ready made options. You can see some of these were designed for dress-up clothing but work perfectly as a child's wardrobe/closet. The prices vary, I would be more likely to invest in a child's wardrobe if I knew it was going to be passed on to other children. I wouldn't store all of the child's clothing in their wardrobe just a small collection of clothes for... Read more →

A few weeks ago, in preparation for the new school year, I did a little stock take of the boys' clothing. They grow so fast it's hard to keep up. I realised that both boys needed a few new t-shirts. Otis lost some weight (when he was ill) and his usual shorts just won't stay up, I can't tie or button them up any further. So he needed some pants too. I picked up a shirt here and there but Ruth introduced me to a lovely brand Into the Woods. I ordered a couple of items, and when they arrived... Read more →

I was recently introduced to Kelly from Bagbini. Kelly is a Montessori Educator and a Montessori parent based in Brisbane, Australia. She has designed a gorgeous range of backpacks that are perfect for the young Montessori child. The backpacks are lovely and have so many features that I really want to share with you! The Bagbini Uno backpacks were designed to be comfortable, durable and easy for children to use independently. Some of the key features include; Lightweight. Sized for children 1 to 6 years. The fabric is a durable and comfortable canvas. The straps are adjustable, soft, and comfortable.... Read more →

1. Volcano, 2. Glow in the Dark - Solar System, 3. Reading is Rad, 4. Whales, 5. Planets - Space, 6. List of Tree Species (tree species names written in the shape of a tree! I love this idea.), 7. 'Hi' Alphabet, 8. 'Green' Tee in English, German and Swedish, 9. 'Red' Tee in English, Spanish and French, 10. Animal Collective Nouns, 11. Earth Goes Around the Sun... Last week I ordered a couple of t-shirts for the boys from Etsy. I really wanted to show you some of my favourite Montessorish, sciencey, educational finds! Caspar wears and loves this... Read more →

You know I love all things organic and you are familiar with my children wearing gorgeous bright clothing. We adore Scandinavian design and our go to store is Baby Goes Retro. Today we've teamed up with Baby Goes Retro for a giveaway and a discount code, open internationally, details will be at the end of the post! This is not a fashion blog but I'm such a loyal customer at Baby Goes Retro I hope you will find this post a good fit (and not too much out of character). I love that so much of the clothing at Baby... Read more →

Getting children dressed in the morning can be a huge stress. We all want our children to dress themselves, look presentable and do it quickly! I've written before about not offering too much choice. Keep good/best clothes out of reach unless this is the occasion they are dressing for. For some children especially toddlers just giving a choice of two to three outfits might be enough. Yes, clothing needs to be super accessible and the dressing area needs to be kept tidy. But why do we want our children to dress themselves? "Children who feel respected and competent develop a... Read more →