Today I'm sharing some beautiful Montessori inspired spaces. The first one in from an Early Learning Centre but the rest are in homes. These windows above are wonderful! This is from a Montessori Early Childhood Centre near Brisbane (Australia). While there are plenty of shelves, materials, and books I notice all the open space. There is space to move and breathe! It looks so peaceful. An absolutely beautiful Montessori inspired bedroom via Sprout. I love the neutral and calm decor. I have no words, in my eyes this space is perfect. It's simple, cozy and comfortable. "I wanted a space... Read more →

Living in a different country can be life changing. For children, it can open their eyes to a whole new world. It can be exciting and scary at the same time. We've recently returned from living in the UK and we are still feeling unsettled. You may think that moving from Australia to England would be straight forward, and in many ways it is, but Australian culture is very different to English culture. We speak the same language but are on different wave lengths. We lived in a rural part of England and having an accent means that we immediately... Read more →

A dedicated reading area in your home, classroom or toddler community is a great way to support young readers. It can also provide a moment of respite from the busy home or classroom. It can be a quiet space, a comfortable space. A space where the child can come to catch their breath and gather their thoughts, perhaps regroup, perhaps even lose themselves in the pages of a good book. Here are some inspiring reading areas from various Montessori environments that I'm sure you'll love! Simplicity is key here (isn't it always)! Simple shelf and mattress with a few cushions.... Read more →

Want to see some really lovely Montessori toddler spaces? These are all such good examples of a little space in the home (and one community) set aside for the toddler's toys and materials. I love the format of these shelves. This is an adorable version of the Sprout Luce Shelves. These would be super useful if you had a crawling or pull-to-standing infant. These shelves really do grow with the child. The rug is really cute too! This is from a toddler community in Chicago. It is a great account to follow especially for Montessori toddler teachers. The space is... Read more →

Image: Minime Design What is your favourite part of Montessori parenting or teaching? Of course I love working and spending time with my children but I also enjoy designing Montessori inspired spaces. Over the last few years I've dabbled with helping friends work out some of their spaces. But in the new year I hope to do a lot more of it!! I can see the impact good Montessori design can have on children and their ability to move, to learn and, to create. If you are in Sydney need help putting together your child/ren's spaces in 2020 let me... Read more →

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 →

The most amazing Montessori homes I've seen don't belong to bloggers or influencers. They belong to busy parents who create lovely spaces without any fanfare. Today I'm sharing some of these spaces. I find all of these rooms really refreshing, I'm not going to add much commentary other than to say I hope you enjoy these and feel somewhat inspired to bring a little Montessori into your home! This is such a sweet space. There is a lot in this small area - floor bed, toys and a few books. This space is really calm and serene. Valentina does such... Read more →

Today I'm sharing some real Montessori bedrooms. You can see they have been put together with care and respect. While this style of bedroom is the norm for families like mine, they are very different from your typical nursery or toddler bedroom. It's nice to highlight them and share them with other interested families. This room has been designed for a 10 month old. I love that the picture has been taken from an infant's perspective. A crawling and sitting child can reach the toys, materials and books! This space now has a floor bed too which you can see... Read more →

Today I want to share some Montessori kitchens and snack areas from homes around the world. I want to show you what is possible and perhaps give you some ideas for your own home. Montessori looks different in every home and a Montessori inspired kitchen or snack area is achievable for all. Let's have a closer look! Above is a kitchen/snack area from a very beautiful home, be sure to click through and see some of their other children's spaces. They have utilised the Ikea shelving well, keeping it ordered. There is only one item or one group/theme of items... Read more →

Today I'm sharing some simply beautiful Montessori baby and toddler rooms. What makes them Montessori you ask? Let me explain! Above I love how everything is at the child's level or at toddler height. This floor bed looks the same as ours and we love it. This space is cozy without being overbearing. Toys and clothes accessible to a toddler - yes! This is the same as our wardrobe which has been perfect from around 18 months+. Isn't this lovely?!? Lots of room for the child to move (freedom of movement), a wall mirror to observe themselves and their environment,... Read more →

I recently discovered this absolutely gorgeous photobook about unconventional schools. It's an amazing book, it's ground-breaking. I've never seen a book like it. If you are passionate about schooling or unconventional methods of education you might like it too! Let's Do This is a photo book with nearly 300 images of six unconventional schools from around the world. Featuring schools from Bali, San Diego, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland and, California. Touching subjects like; Making Movement, Nature Schools, Engaging Education, Project-Based Learning and Interdisciplinary Learning. This book is visually stunning, I had chills reading it, it will take your breath away!!! "What... Read more →

I'm still thinking about toilet learning. Getting the toilet learning space right is important, but all families do it differently. What I feel is most important is an accessible and stable potty. Although many Montessori families use the real toilet, with support or a step, from the start. Here are a few real Montessori toilet learning spaces that I love: Above - this is a large bathroom, but it is so well organsied, functional and even beautiful! Everything is at the child's height. Love to have the hand washing facilities so close by. Everything the child needs to use the... Read more →

I love to see what other families have in their playrooms. I love to see the children's shelves and how they are arranged. Here are a few exceptionally beautiful Montessori playrooms. Montessori playrooms are a modern concept. Maria Montessori did not write about how to set up one in your home. However, many homes now have a playroom, it makes sense that Montessori families would make their playroom as Montessori as possible. In these rooms, I am seeing Montessori materials but also open-ended toys. A few plants, flowers and wobble boards. Soft floor rugs to work on and child-sized tables.... 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 →

Are you looking for ideas or inspiration to update or perhaps create an art area for your children? I love looking at little areas like this that other families have created in their homes. Here are a few gorgeous examples of Montessori home art areas! The above area shows how well a corner space can work, add a few floating shelves on the wall and a simple hanging area. I love the white art caddy here keeping all the drawing materials together in an ordered way, still very visible and accessible to the children. This is a good example of... Read more →