We are having a quiet week here. Otis is feeling unwell and I need to catch up on some sleep. If you are interested in reading a little more about us click over to Montessori En Ce Nid where I answer some of Suzanne's questions. I hope I represented my family well. Sometimes it's difficult to accurately express ourselves. I hope you like the article. Can you see the pillow behind Otis in the above photograph. I made the pillowcase from my growing collection of Cloud 9 fabric. I had previously discussed quilting. My sewing confidants advised me against it,... Read more →

Yes it's true. Otis and I often get bored while Caspar is at school. We run out of things to do and I look for activities using materials we already have at home. I thought why not try playdough. For a sensory experience and to use some of those little hand muscles. I looked for the most simple recipe and found this one everywhere. It makes the perfect sized ball just for the two of us. As it was Otis's first time with playdough it was a completely new experience. I wanted him to feel it. There was no need... Read more →

You guessed it. He's crawling. He's also climbing. We don't have stairs and this single step proved to be no problem. How about a fun obstacle course? A tunnel, pillows and cushions with a toy at the end. I haven't observed a child before with such a need to move. It's not about crawling but the need to be upright. Crawling is just a way to get somewhere to pull himself up. He spends half the day standing. Wherever. Whoever. Our house was already (mostly!) child proof. Caspar has had to move some toys. I'm trying to break the habit... Read more →

. The decision to offer the child space for movement has important implications for both parents and child becuase it implies the decision to have a family life oriented increasingly toward the collaboration of people living together. There is really no need to buy objects but only a need to understand the value of free movement and how important it is for children always to feel their bodies free to move and work in a space. - Understanding the Human Being by Silvana Quattrocchi Montanaro . In the last few days Otis has been pulling to standing. I moved our... Read more →

How could I forget the instruments. These are taken directly from Caspar's musical instrument basket. Egg shakers, maraca, claves and tone block are all suitable for Otis. Today I decided to try the standard, all-in-one discovery basket. Sometimes called a treasure basket. I used How to Raise an Amazing Child by Tim Seldin for inspiration. Tim suggests items made of metal, wood, glass, fabric, leather and items found in nature. He suggests between 50 and 100 items. I estimate I had around twenty items and I found the reason I suspect so many parents like this kind of basket. It... Read more →

I frequently get low on discovery basket ideas for Otis. I don't want to purchase any new items so typically I am looking around the house for something interesting. While sometimes I put together a basket of random items I usually like to keep items to a specific category or theme. Here are a few baskets that Otis has been enjoying recently. 1. A ball basket. He has the puzzle ball, a leather juggling ball, a couple of knitted balls and a plastic bouncy ball. These are a lot of fun because once out of the basket they can be... Read more →