Today I want to share with you some wonderful personalised Montessori inspired materials for the home, and perhaps some for the classroom from Benedykt and Sylvester. Personalised materials with the child's name on them are fantastic for letter and name recognition, and for making the child feel extra special! Some of my favourite products include: Personalised Solid Acacia Wood Children's Place Mat - we have this and love it, it's durable and easy to wipe clean. Personalised Set of 6 Wooden Children’s Paint Brushes - perfect stocking stuffers or as gifts to friends and family. (I've just ordered these for... Read more →

My toddler is fiercely independent but how do I help him to put his shoes on the right feet? It can be so tricky... I don't have all the answers. He puts his own shoes on 100% of the time (at 25 months). But he has no way of telling which shoe is for which foot, except for those with a side closure like his slippers and sandals. If he put his shoes on the wrong feet I don't correct him, but with some shoes it causes him to trip up more and it looks uncomfortable. First I want to... Read more →

I order a lot of children's materials and clothes from Etsy. I love the products and I love the handmade touch. My most recent purchases include this toddler apron and this hedgehog tee! Here are a few other things that I'm loving: Cute Veggie T-Shirt Montessori Mushroom Apron - this is adorable!! African Animal Matching Large Format for Toddlers - I love seeing these sets for order, not everyone has the time or desire to DIY. Field/Travel Flower Press - this one is in the US but it has inspired me to find one locally. Perfect for when we are... Read more →

Wow, what a week! It has rained consistently for over two weeks and I've been working extra hard to remove negative language about the weather and mud! Today I'm sharing a few links that things that I've been enjoying: Friday was National Forest School Day. Otto had a blast at Forest School with lots of water and mud play. I encourage all Montessori families to have a look at Forest School activities especially, for toddlers and preschoolers. How cute is this Bug Box via Conscious Craft. I enjoyed this peek into a Reggio Emilia inspired classroom at Nature Play. Benedykt... Read more →

Montessori inspired tracing boards at so popular right now! They are not Montessori materials but rather inspired by the Montessori way of teaching. They are a tactile way for the child to learn to form letters. The child traces the letters with their finger or a stylus until they memorise the way it is formed, muscle memory develops. Much like how a child would use the sandpaper letters. While I understand the benefits of cursive some of the letters are hard to form. Both of my children struggled with learning cursive 's', 'f' and 'r'. These tracing boards would have... Read more →

Montessori maths looks a little different at home compared to what you may see in the classroom. At home, I aim to make maths a part of our everyday living and I aim to do it seamlessly and effortlessly! At home with my toddler I want to build mathematical vocabulary and mathematical literacy. Maths is everywhere around us. We don't need to teach it to our children as much as we need to provide them the opportunities to explore math concepts themselves. We also can't discount the learning that happens during open-ended play, Otto pushes his tractor fast down a... Read more →

Monday is the Autumn Equinox and we could not be more excited. Autumn is just the most colourful, temperate season. Think pumpkins, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg. It's also our last Autumn in the UK so we are sure to soak it all in. Our essential Autumn practical life materials include our wheelbarrow and rake, we have so many leaves to rake in our yard. But here are a few other practical life materials that would be useful too! Autumn theme toddler aprons. Apples or Leaves. Apple Slicer. Apple Pie Dish. Nut Cracker - we love walnuts but this cracker works on... Read more →

Etsy is a constant source of inspiration. Here are a few Waldorf and Montessori finds that I'm loving and buying from Etsy. Waldorf Wool Felt Birthday Crown - Otto is turning two next month and I've been looking for a birthday crown for him, isn't this one lovely? The crown that I decided to order is this one with interchangeable numbers. Apfelmaus - the mouse in the apple. We have this on our shelves (for open ended play) and it's adorable, Otto loves it. Garden Play Dough Kit - fresh play dough inspiration, ordered! I love how the play dough... Read more →

Did you know that Beginning Montessori are closing? After ten years of making (by hand) quality Montessori materials, Carrie and Shane have decided to close up shop. Beginning Montessori has a special place in my heart as my children have used almost all of their materials. When Otis was little, Beginning Montessori were one of only a few stores making infant materials. I wish Carrie, Shane and their two sweet daughters all the very best for the future!! When you order from Beginning Montessori you know you are ordering from the best. Carrie was part of the first class of... Read more →

I have just ordered our first Montessori Gluing Box. Previously we've used a gluing tray, with a small dish for the little bits and pieces. The Montessori Gluing Box is one of those 'at school' materials that I never thought we needed at home. However, I'm about to introduce Otto (21 months) to gluing, none of my children currently attend a Montessori school and we don't have any spare trays. Gluing is always such a popular activity for my toddlers that it just makes sense to have a dedicated box! But what goes in one, what is it supposed to... Read more →

For toddlers, I love to set up a nature or observation tray rather than a nature table. I like to keep all the small pieces contained within the walls of the tray. My toddler understands he can observe, touch and manipulate all of the items but they must stay in the tray. Only now at 21 months are we moving away from a nature basket which has served more as an exploration/treasure basket to a real observation tray. A Montessori observation tray is not small world play, it's not small parts play, it is about observing up close and with... Read more →

Are you looking for some beautiful Montessori toys for your children? Only recently I took the plunge and ordered some materials from Heir+Loom Kids. I love the combination of the timbers they use and how well they work with the Montessori philosophy. While they have traditional Montessori materials like the interlocking discs, palmer and pincer grasp blocks they also have new materials like the toddler peg toys and the first jigsaw. You can tell someone with a Montessori mind is behind this company. It should come as no surprise that Janishi Hightower designer, maker, and, owner of Heir+Loom Kids has... Read more →

Have you seen some of the children's spaces at Tanglewood Hollow? I've long admired Allyson's homeschool and Montessori influenced spaces. In particular, I'm finding inspiration from the way Allyson uses bunting and flags. Not only do they add colour and are a focal point, but they are also so, so beautiful. I've recently ordered some garden creature bunting from Etsy and I'm thinking of using it in Otto's bedroom. Here are some of the other Montessori, Waldorf and nature inspired flags and bunting that I'm loving: Our World Fabric Bunting. Bless this Garden Prayer Flags. Garden Herbs Flag. Green Prayer... 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. There are so many reasons to love handmade! Etsy is my favourite source of handmade materials. There is so much knowledge and skill within the Etsy Montessori community. I love all of these items. We have 1-4 put aside for Otto for when he is ready, but all... Read more →

Our daffodils are starting to open and there are butterflies and even a few bumble bees in our garden. Spring cannot be too far away! Here are a few things I'm loving on Etsy for Spring: Loose Parts / Build a Nest Activity - we make our own nests almost every year. It's a good hands-on learning activity for Spring. Bunch of Daffodils Card - I love the idea of using cards for art and why not use plant prints which celebrate the season. First Signs of Spring Print - these first signs of spring/summer/autumn/winter prints are brilliant, we have... Read more →