Are you looking for a gift for a three-year-old? There are a lot of gift ideas here. I hope you find this list helpful! Scooter (AU here) - three is a great time to start scootering if your child hasn't already. This is the same scooter we have and still use at five years. Screw Board - promotes fine motor skills, coordination, concentration and focus. Silk Streamer - I like this for playing outside with the wind; we've given it as a gift many times. Children's Measuring Tape - for exploring length and math concepts at home. Children's Stop Watch... Read more →

I'm always on the lookout for Montessori materials, or similar products that families can use at home for a really good price or that can be DIYed. I recently ordered these wooden letters for some crafting activities, but when they arrived I thought they would be an affordable option for a Moveable Alphabet. They are all lowercase in a simple print font. They are a light natural colour, so they are easy to paint. They are approximately the same size (height and width) as the Movable Alphabet we usually use. The letters shown here are all lowercase - affordable crafting... Read more →

This post is sponsored by Goodevas. The development of gross motor skills is essential for children all year round. Simple things like going for a nature walk preferably on uneven surfaces, running up mounds of grass, climbing trees or balancing on tree logs are all wonderful ways children can explore the outside world while developing gross motor skills. But how can children develop their gross motor skills while inside? We can set up a fun obstacle course think jumping through hoops, climbing through indoor tunnels, and throwing mini bean bags. We can set up a fort, perhaps using a blanket,... Read more →

Have you used drawing prompts with your children? It's something I really love to do. I believe in process art and believe children benefit from free and open access to art materials. But I also like to present art activities to stretch their minds and their imaginations, to introduce new concepts and to encourage exploration of art, form, colour and materials. We recently had little visitors, and I put out some drawing prompts, paper, oil pastels, markers and pencils. It was a complete success! The four and five-year-olds loved the spirals, stairs and hearts. The seven-year-old loved drawing arrows and... Read more →

I've been super busy studying, and studying at home with a four-year-old has been much harder than I anticipated. Otto asked me for some new activities, which he has never done before. It was a reminder to update his shelves. I don't have a lot of time, I just finished one assignment and have another due on Monday, so I made some simple printouts that I hope would appeal to him. I can download and print the Etsy activities straight away, so I don't have to look for workbooks or wait for something to be delivered, within half an hour... Read more →

Soft Play Shapes are one of the larger play items that are popping up in the homes of Montessori families, along with Pikler Triangles they are extremely popular. Play items that promote gross motor skills indoors have been valuable in the last two years with most children experiencing lockdown or isolation periods at home. Soft Play Shapes are extremely versatile, they can be used for: building lifting, carrying stacking knocking over crawling up rolling down, tumbling down or over balancing creating an obstacle course sitting or lying on Some of the Soft Play Shapes we've noticed include: Play Sets at... Read more →

If you are looking for a new Montessori style table and chair for your child, I recommend taking a look on Etsy. I've never had a problem shopping with Etsy and I know that I am supporting small businesses. I love that I can search by location and find local suppliers. As always with ordering furniture for your child remember to double-check all measurements including seat and table heights. Above is the Montessori Table and Chair Set for Toddlers (Canada). It could be used for activities or as a weaning table. This table has raised edges to prevent items from... Read more →

My children love pasta so I was thinking of a way to teach my preschooler the names of different types of pasta. We could use the correct terms when cooking or serving the pasta, we could use the correct names when ordering pasta delivery or when eating out. We could also use a three-period lesson to teach the different types. My preschooler doesn't love three-period lessons and I found some three parts cards that looked suitable. Instead of using all of the three-part cards, I've used just the first card and made up some matching work. The physical matching is... Read more →

Have you seen the new Apple Floor Bed by Sapiens Child? It's so well designed, it has low sides for the young child to independently get in and out, and a seat or a storage bench at the end. Sapiens Child is located in Vancouver, Canada, where Jorge makes all of the furniture in his studio. Jorge started Sapiens Child after the birth of his first child Santiago. His wife was passionate about Montessori but they couldn't find the right child-size furniture for their apartment. Sapiens Child furniture is perfect for a Montessori home, they have a toddler table and... Read more →

I love bath crayons but I know not everyone feels the same. Bath crayons are softer than regular crayons and some are really creamy and smooth. Using bath crayons in the bath is a fun alternative to drawing on paper, and the child is for the most part drawing on a vertical surface (bath or bathroom tiles). Bath crayons can be used on: windows glass doors perspex or acrylic sheets or easels mirrors tiles - we have spare white tiles that we also use for play dough and clay. If you already have bath crayons and don't want them in... Read more →

a. / b. / c. (AU) / d. / e. / f. (AU here) A year or so ago I received a text from a friend, asking for a recommendation for a children's weekly calendar. I gave some general DIY suggestions as at that time all of our days kind of looked the same, we had no need for a weekly calendar. But now Otto (4yrs) asks repeatedly what day is swimming, what day is playgroup, what day is judo. It starts to drive me crazy and I found we absolutely had a need for a weekly calendar or a... Read more →

Are you a woodworker or have one among your family or friends? With some skill many Montessori materials and child size furniture can be made by hand. Hand made and homemade mean you can have control and surety over the woods and finishes used. It's not always cheaper or easier to DIY but the results are often more beautiful! Here are some woodworking DIYs that I've been loving. As always be careful with safety and securing necessary furniture to the wall. Above is Montessori Toddler Wardrobe using Birch. There are plans for a similar Montessori Toddler Closet at instructables workshop.... Read more →

1. / 2. / 3. / 4. (UK here)(AU here)(CA here) / 5. / 6. / 7. / 8. / 9. Does your child have their own calendar? At the start of the new year, I wanted to begin using a monthly calendar with my four-year-old. The thing is... he wasn't at all interested. Many calendars are overwhelming for young children. I decided to focus on what he is interested in and what is currently working. We are currently using a Day Calendar and Weather Board. These boards focus on the present day and allow children to make observations like... Read more →

Do your children like to use real tools, connect things, screw and unscrew things or join things together? If so they might enjoy using a Montessori Screw/Bolt board. I introduced this board (pictured above) to my child at 2yrs (34-35months) and he still loves it today at 4 years old. We have a simple board with a screwdriver, t-nuts and screws which are all the same size. Other boards are available that have graded bolts, that use spanners or hex keys. While the bolt/screw board is not a traditional Montessori practical life material they allow the child to develop the... Read more →

Following yesterdays post about beach learning, I wanted to share some of the wonderful and creative learning materials regarding the seaside and ocean on Etsy. Letterbox Sea Beach Beachcomber Box - a collection of natural items from the beach. This would be fantastic for hands-on learning if you don't have access to the coastline. Sea Creature Wooden Imaginative Play Blocks - blocks for open-ended play featuring beautiful watercolour illustrations. By the Sea Notebook - for journaling or sketching. Narwhal Rubber Stamp - usually I like more realistic stamps but I know my narwhal loving preschooler would adore this! Watercolor Seashells... Read more →