how we montessori

Montessori Home Environments for a Five-Year-Old

As our children get older our home environments get more diverse. Often Montessori infant environments look really similar but as the child gets older we tailor the environment to their individual needs and preferences. Today I'm looking at some of our home environments for Otis at five years!

Above work shelves and a little reading corner. 

Work shelves (earlier in the year). 

A Writing Station. 

Spring Nature Table. 

Home reference library. 

Art shelves updated. 

At five years we gave Otis access to a little baking area, he can put his electric skillet here and bake using the toaster oven. It has preset programs (with automatic turn off) so he can use it independently while we always supervise from a distance. 

Our outside environment includes a climbing rope, swing, rope ladder and child's hammock. 

Children's refrigerator. 

Children's shelves in the pantry. 

Children's kitchen drawer. 

At five years we also set up a light table!  

I didn't take a complete picture of his wardrobe at five years but it is the same as it was when he was four (and here at three). The children's bathroom hasn't changed very much, you can see it when he was three here. 

We Both Read - Fabulous Books for Learner Readers!

About Dogs / Animals Under Our Feet / About the Ocean / About Bugs / Endangered Animals

Do you have a learner reader at home? Otis is still learning to read. He will read independently at school but at home, he is sometimes hesitant and on most occasions, he will ask for me to read to him. Elaine recently recommended this series of books and I ordered them immediately, they have been fantastic! I hadn't seen any books from this series before and never would have found them on my own so a huge thank you to Elaine for looking out for us and sharing such a brilliant resource!

The We Both Read series of books are designed for the parent/educator/adult to read with the child. The books come in various reading levels. I ordered a variety as I didn't know what level would suit Otis and I knew I could keep the older levels for later. Otis' level of reading is best suited to the Level K to Level 1. I found there was a big jump in Level 1 to Level 2 books. 

Each book has two pages on the open spread, the left page is for the adult to read, the right page is for the child to read. There are a few sight words but overall it is well suited to Montessori and other learner readers. The concept is really clever and it works!

Above is About Dogs which is Level K-1. As you can see the adult reads the left page and the child reads the right page. This is a little easy for Otis but I think that is why he likes it so much. It is a lot of fun to read with the child! 

Above and below is Animals Under Our Feet which is the reading Level 1. This is more Otis' level. The more challenging words (on the child's page) are in bold. The child can also read with an older sibling or other family members. The books we have in this series are all around 40 pages long, which is much longer than standard readers and makes them a substantial read. Sometimes Otis doesn't get through the whole book but I know his reading endurance will increase over time. 

All of the books we have in this series (pictured top) are really sweet, there are lots of high-quality photographs and engaging illustrations. I have found them to be informative and factually correct. Most importantly my learner reader really enjoys them!

Around here - Montessori Geography Materials

Today I am sharing some really simple geography and cultural work we have been enjoying at home. Above and below Montessori Flag Map Work c/o Montessori Shop.

You can also see in the background our Continents Globe which we have used for years. Montessori children first learn the continents then later the countries!

Australasia Puzzle Map c/o Montessori Shop with handmade labels. The labels add a language component which is important for the child who is learning to read and write.   

Identifying individual flags using a Children's Atlas. 

This is a memory game but we've always used it as a matching game. It has lasted years, as a toddler they are simply matching the designs which is great for visual perception. At five Otis is naming the countries the flags belong to with some confidence.

Other geography materials that I really like for the home include the Montessori Map Work board book and the Hugg-A-Planet, perfect for toddlers and up! 

What are the Educational Benefits of Magnetic Tiles?

My boys love playing with Magnetic Tiles. They are an open-ended construction toy that really gets the children thinking. Today I want to look at the educational benefits of Magnetic Tiles. Are they the ultimate educational toy?

Magnetic Tiles come in various colours in the shape of squares and triangles. They have magnets and attract on all side. Our Magnetic Tiles are translucent and work beautifully on the light table. They are also simple to store in a basket or tray on the children's shelves. They are really well sized for the child's hands (recommended for 3yrs+) and offer hands-on learning. 

Magnetic Tiles offer children the opportunity to use and develop a whole range of skills including but not limited to:

• Ability to build two and three-dimensional shapes, allows the child to visualize three-dimensional creations
• Shape recognition
• Building and construction skills
• Patterning skills
• Sorting and stacking
• Learning about symmetry 
• Learning about mathematical and spatial relationships
• Persistence
• Problem solving
• Creativity
• Hand-eye coordination
• Concentration
• Teaches magnetic principals
• Challenges the child's creative building, enhances cognitive processes

Using the Magnetic Tiles children can build something from their imagination, they can recreate an image or copy an object someone else has made. The colours, translucency, and magnets allow children to build and create in ways they can't with standard building blocks. 

What I like most about the Magnetic Tiles is how my children use them. There is lots of building, concentration, and play. There is creativity and imagination! 

Our Magnetic Tiles are c/o Child.com.au. To share the love this Valentine's Day, Child.com.au are offering this Magnetic Tile Set (32 Piece) at a huge 40% off. This is for today, 14th February only!!

Looking a little closer - using a Digital Microscope

"I can feel it but I can't see it", "I wonder what its eyes look like", "What does it look like in here?", "Why does it feel furry?", "I can't wait to put this under the microscope".

What I love most about using a digital microscope is that you can set it up on a nature table or exploration area and leave it for the children to use independently. As the image is on the screen it's really easy to show the children and it's easy to point out specific features. I really appreciate that we are able to connect the microscope a computer and see the image on the larger screen. Young children will find it easy to focus as there is no eye piece to look into. When the boys have made a fun discovery we can all look at the microscope at the same time!

It helps children to make their own discoveries and inspires children who want to know more. 

The microscope shown is the Celestron InfiniView, however, any good quality, digital microscope should have the same features. You can save images onto a memory card or connect the computer and take photographs and print. It can be used cordless (fabulous for taking outside) or connected to the main power. Our first microscope was the DuoScope which you can see Caspar using here. Above Otis is looking at the cross-section of a stem which he has found absolutely fascinating!

Around here. Language and Nature Work.

It was a public holiday here today (Australia Day), so I have just a short post to share. Above Otis is taking a closer look at a beetle he found (we still don't know what kind of beetle it is). 

Language work and nature study. Movable Alphabet here. 

Working with three part cards, not something we do a lot but 'ch' is also his current speech pathology sound. He also used the 'or' cards.

Using building challenge cards with our Flockmen. The cards are a lovely extension idea I couldn't wait for the boys to try!

A call for concentration and long periods of uninterrupted play.

"The first essential for the child's development is concentration. It lays the whole basis for his character and social behaviour. He must find out how to concentrate, and for this he needs things to concentrate upon. This shows the importance of his surroundings." - Maria Montessori. The Absorbent Mind.

Maria Montessori writes that the essential thing is for a task to arouse such an interest that it engages the child's whole personality, that we must provide "motives for activity" so well adapted to the child's interests that they provoke his deep attention.

The school holidays can be difficult for some children, there is the disruption to familiar activities and routine. Often this time of year has a busy-ness, we rush children around or we try to keep them busy with endless activities. Children who attend a Montessori school may be craving a three-hour work cycle, uninterrupted time where they can just 'work'. 

During these school holidays my children have had plenty of relaxed, down time and I have been very conscious of providing long periods of uninterrupted play. It's when I see the deep concentration. It's when I see the most creative endeavors. It's when I see my children the most settled, the most confident, the most focused, content, calm and happy. Concentration seems to centre them.

There are lots of other benefits to concentration. While the child is concentrating often they are working on other skills, fine motor skills, reading, writing or they are using their imaginations or creativity. It's important that during the school break we keep on engaging our children so that they use these skills.  

Above Otis is using the Junior Labyrinth c/o Child.com.au. It is a great size, fantastic quality and has two magnetic pens so it can be used by two children at once. I find labyrinth and maze toys really calming but there are also fantastic for coordination, visual perception, cognitive development and reasoning. If you are looking for similar materials you can see Child.com.au or my previous post Labyrinth and Maze Toys for Kids. I know a lot of my friends are struggling with screen time right now and toys like this are a great alternative!

Ideas for Creating a Home Reference Library

Do you have a reference library at home? Perhaps a few reference books for the children to use? The new year is a great time to restock, refresh or tidy up the children's books. I believe children still need the skills of research using physical books, using an index and such. While there is a place for internet searches, I don't want my children to run to google every time they have a question. Many reference books are also really beautiful and inspiring just to read, or flip through. 

I find it hard not to order too many reference books, I love a good children's encyclopedia! There is the challenge with young children to create an edited reference library. I think it's ok to rotate reference books to maintain interest and to freshen up the area every now and then. While we have some essential or staple books like an Altas there are other reference books we rotate including those on specific topics that the boys might be interested in. 

There is also a balance to achieve in having enough books to meet the child's need but not too many books they can't look after them. The reference library needs to be accessible but able to be maintained by the child if possible and kept orderly. 

I look for reference books that;

• Have large, clear, beautiful, high-quality images. Images that are captivating and inspiring.
• Are factual - without errors or political bias. 
• Promote and celebrate diversity.
• Have the right balance between images and text. I don't want a picture book or a chapter book.
• Have interesting, insightful and useful facts. Dot point or summaries are good.
• Are intelligent and don't speak down to children.
• Have longevity, will still be of interest in a couple of years time and/or are so lovely they can be passed down to family. 

Ideas of books to include in a child's reference library. 

• World Atlas
• Picture Dictionary
• Children's Encyclopedias - think Solar System, Human Body, Ocean, Earth Sciences, Rocks and Minerals our reference library includes Dog and Dinosaur Encyclopedias. 
• Biographies
• Almanacs
• History Books - my children love books on Evolution, Natural History and Ancient Civilizations.  
• Books on Humanities, Arts and Culture - love Artists and Paintings Children Should Know.  
• Books on Technology and Inventions. 
• Handbooks.
• Field Guides including Local Guides - we recently found a bird guide that was specific to our local catchment area! Think native plants (leaves, trees), animals (insects, spiders, butterflies), fungi.
• Books as per the child's interests - this list is endless Vehicles, Occupations, Flags, Lifecycles, Weather, Seasons, Clouds, Sea Shells. 

Brands that I like include My First Discoveries, DK, National Geographic, anything published by our local Museum. We also have the Farm, Nature and Food Anatomy books and the Animalium, Botanicum and Historium Welcome to the Museum Series. Second-hand books can be fantastic. It's also really lovely to build the reference library over the years, starting with a small collection when the child is young. Reference books often make nice birthday or Christmas gifts and Grandparents might like to add to the library also. For both of my children, their interest and demand for a reference library commenced at around five years, although many of these reference books are relevant from toddlerhood. 

Local readers might like to know that we use the Pocket Guide: Backyard Insects of Brisbane (other pocket guides here), Wild Plants of Greater Brisbane, Wildlife of Greater Brisbane and the Field Guide of the Birds of Australia. 

It is also important that my children use the resources at our local public library. Caspar has recently learnt to use the online library catalogue and how to reserve books, this has been incredibly helpful and empowering! The bottom right section of our shelves is kept for library books, we find it easier to keep them together, when the children are finished and are ready to return them they put them in the library bag (hanging on the side). We haven't sorted our little library by theme or topic but may do so soon (we have the labels on our shelves ready). I find it helpful to keep a good supply of bookmarks nearby too. 

Five Things January 2017 + the Ikea Children's Knife

The boys' room and the gorgeous afternoon light. We found the cutest Japanese florist in West End who wraps his plants like this. Couldn't resist. 

Studying the legs of a beetle. Loving this microscope choice, it's super easy to focus and everyone can see the same image.

Nature box - so many found treasures. 

The Ikea Children's Knife. It's small with a grippy handle, designed for the child's hand. It feels a little chunky so it's easy for the child to hold and to control. It is recommended for children 8 years + however I would happily give it to my child at three or four. It's sharp so it's not a 'first' knife, always start with a knife that isn't so sharp for the child to learn some knife safety and cutting skills. It will easily cut through hard foods like apple, carrot, and sweet potato. 

Also in the knife set is the Children's Peeler. Again it's the perfect size for the child's hand, also with the chunkier feel and grippy handle. Peels easily but is sharp. A reminder that well-designed children's kitchen tools can be affordable and accessible. 

On Our Shelves and a Little Greenhouse at How we Montessori

Our long school holidays have started and we are all feeling relaxed and calm. Not only has school finished but we also have a long break from extracurricular activities and speech pathology!! 

I've started paying a little more attention to our home spaces. Along with rotating materials to create our Writing Station, we have also rotated the materials on the boys' shelves. Caspar (9yrs) is having trouble with fractions so I have reintroduced some fractions materials (he has also been using the fractions circle). 

We have lots of materials for the light table (our Magnetic Tiles are c/o Child.com.au), We have our model planets out, the boys are trying to memorise them in order, some blocks and the Make 'N' Break game. 

But the highlight of this area is Otis' little Greenhouse (c/o Child.com.au). This product is currently sold out but I also love the Hydroponics Lab. 

It's lovely to have a little greenhouse for Otis to look after. He tends to it once or twice a day. This one has LED lights so it doesn't need such a sunny spot. It also has a drip tray which helps with regulating water. We often overwater then don't water ours enough - but that is part of the learning process!

Otis has also been loving this tray with a set of scales and a few loose materials. This is an example of where simple is best. I've thought about putting this on a large sensory tray but while he is enjoying it, I'll leave it as it is. 

For anyone looking for children's furniture, Otis is still loving his Ikea Flisat table and it's been perfect, it still looks like new. 

Montessori Writing Station - Ideas and Inspiration!

Tomorrow is the last day of the school year and my children will be on their long summer break. I really want to maintain Otis' writing skills and noticed that some materials in his art area weren't being used. It's really important that we observe our children, take out materials that are not being used and bring in materials that spark an interest and are developmentally appropriate.  Otis had two art shelves so I moved all the materials he was using onto one shelf (mainly paints and wood work) and removed the materials he wasn't using. I cleared the other shelf and put together a writing station!

I also sanded down our art table, it took a couple of hours but I was able to remove the paint and now have a nice and smooth (and clean) writing surface. Here are the materials Otis (5 years) has in his Writing Station;

• Movable alphabet - this also includes phonograms. 

• Pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, scissors, ruler, crayons.

• Lined paper, carefully consider the spacing of the lines, we chose the same line spacing that Otis is currently using at school for consistency - Queensland Year 1 exercise book.

• Blank, coloured paper and card, A4 and A5 - coloured card is good for making gift cards or for covers of books.

• Graph paper, tracing paper.

• Ruled index cards and storage container - my kids love making books or notes or lists on index cards!

• Child size stapler, string/ribbon, tape, single (easy to use) hole-punch and hinged rings - all material to help a child make their own book.

• Name cards - the names of your close family and friends so the child can use them to spell and write letters or send cards (especially useful at this time of the year).

• Personalised dictionary - a dictionary or blank book where you can write down your child's most commonly asked spelling words. Spelling generally isn't a focus in this period of development, however, a personalised dictionary towards the end of the period can help a child who is asking repeatedly for the spelling of the same words. 

• Small whiteboard with markers - many Montessori families would prefer children use a blackboard but currently Otis is loving the ease of the whiteboard. 

• Cursive practice sheet - useful if your child is learning cursive and is getting stuck on or focusing on one or two letters. To be used as a reference only after the child has mastered the sandpaper letters.

• Date stamp.

• Sight word cards - useful if your child is learning sight words. 

• Large work mat - for large writing/movable alphabet work on the floor, especially important for when children are starting to write big sentences.

Other ideas not shown;

• Sandpaper letters.

• Novelty notebooks - Otis loves his little Lego notebook.

• Envelopes, stamps, address book - for writing letters to friends and family. 

• Chalkboard with chalk and duster or cleaning cloth.

• Alphabet cards or sound game cards - I love these from Miss Rhonda's Readers with realistic images.

• Sand tray.

• C-V-C blocks.

• Alphabet stamps or stickers.

• Alphabet stencils.

• Recyclables such as boxes and cartons, perfect for drawing, writing on and creating. 

• Printable worksheets - I actually really like these worksheets, you can design them yourself by selecting your font including cursive, spacing and the text. They are good for children learning to write their names. 

• Alphabet puzzles - such as this or this See and Spell Puzzle or these lovely tracing boards. 

• Homemade alphabet box.

• Alphabet books - you can see ours here. We also loved Montessori: Letter Work which has sandpaper letters. 

• There are lots of other letter and sound games available. We have also used Wikki Stix to make letters.

• Clipboards for taking writing outside.  

• Old magazines or newspapers (we love old National Geographic) for cutting out pictures, letter and words. 

I always try to think ahead and get ideas of what my child might need or like to use next. It's much easier to collect materials bit by bit and have them at home for when the child is ready. 

You might also like to read my post about a Letter Writing Tray - For a Four Year Old.  

Some really inspiring and Montessori friendly writing centres can be found at;

• Playful Learning
• The Write Start (The Write Start book is pretty good too!).

Baking Hazelnut Brownies - Celebrating an Ethical Christmas with Oxfam

Today I'm sharing a delicious Hazelnut Brownie recipe. It's perfect for this time of year, it can be wrapped and given as gifts and the kids love making it!  We are also using some fair trade products from Oxfam!

First I want to share a little about Oxfam. Oxfam represents 143 fair trade partners in 47 countries around the world, Oxfam’s shops provide fair and ethical products online and across 13 stores in Australia. If one in four Australians purchased $10 worth of goods with Oxfam, consumers would contribute more than $57 million towards the fight against poverty! By choosing to buy ethically, we can make a difference!

Oxfam Australia’s General Manager of Trading Julia Sumner said: “By choosing to shop with Oxfam, you’re not only getting a uniquely beautiful handmade product with a unique story behind it, you are also joining Oxfam’s global movement towards calling for an end to exploitation and unfair work conditions.

“Fair trade empowers disadvantaged communities by paying them stable prices for their work, helping them to gain the skills they need to develop their business, and giving them access to world markets.”

Oxfam Shop is Australia's only retail organisation registered as a Fair Trade. I love walking into Oxfam stores, all year round we love their world music CDs, baskets and children's toys.  

Back to the brownies - both Caspar and Otis wanted to help, I can't blame them. There was a lot of spoon licking! Did I mention how delicious this is! Now for the recipe. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 jar (400g) Oxfam fair Hazelnut Spread
• 50g butter, melted
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• ½ cup (90g) brown sugar
• 1 cup (150g) plain flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the base and sides of a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper. Combine the jar of hazelnut spread and melted butter in a large bowl using a whisk. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition, until a smooth paste forms. Stir in the vanilla essence and brown sugar. Sift over the flour and baking powder and fold to combine. Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin, spreading out the mixture evenly using a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the brownies spring back when lightly touched but a skewer inserted into the centre comes out slightly fudgy. Cool the brownies completely in the tin before lifting out onto a serving plate. Cut into rectangles to serve.

Makes 12 brownies.

Recipe by Elizabeth Alvaro via Oxfam.

After baking, I barely had a moment to slice the brownies before the boys wanted to eat them. I sliced them and put them out for a gorgeous Christmasy afternoon tea with friends. 

Oxfam fair Hazelnut Spread, Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Stars and Milk Chocolate Christmas Santas are c/o Oxfam. The beautiful Tree and Animals Table Runner, Gold Star Candles in Ceramic Pots and Red Glass Bead Star Decorations are also available from Oxfam. Oxfam has an amazing range of Christmas decorations and you can see their entire Ethical Christmas range here. A huge thank you to Oxfam for their wonderful work and for making ethical Christmas choices easier for all of us! 

Around here - Today in our Montessori home.

Here are a few activities from around our home today. This is one of our Christmas traditions - making Beeswax Candles. These are so easy for children to make. We've used the coloured wax from Luxmi (similar wax is available here in the US). 

Loving this puzzle! These are Australian native birds and the puzzle is much harder than it looks. (Birds from other regions are also available). 

Chop, chopping. (This is a cute Mouse Cheese Board from Oxfam).  

Growing seeds. Otis is giving them a spray!

A lovely turtle themed sand tray. We always have a sand tray out! Sand, play silks, glass stones and shells, what more could you want!  

Montessori Practical Life - Doing the Washing

Today I'm sharing a few pictures of Otis helping with the washing. Both of my children know how to use the washing machine and Otis loves to help in the laundry. My message to other parents is to get out the way, allow your children to help where they can and encourage their participation!

By helping around the home children learn life skills, they develop and strengthen their coordination and fine motor skills, they learn that they are valued, that they can make a real contribution! 

If Otis wants to help with the washing I take the time to put a few small items in his laundry trolley. He knows he can hang these out. He can then wait until they are dry and put them away. I don't overload him, but I make him responsible for a few small pieces of clothing, usually socks and underwear or a few shirts. Sometimes it's the napkins or washcloths. 

Our child sized Clothes Line and Laundry Trolley are c/o Child.com.au. The Clothes Line and Laundry Trolley are also available separately. These sets sell out quickly, so if you are wanting them for Christmas I recommend ordering as soon as possible. The Clothes Line comes with pegs (not pictured) and takes around ten minutes to set up. The Laundry Trolley has a removable basket which can be used separately. The Clothes Line and Laundry Trolley would stand up to use in a Montessori toddler environment or children's house.

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into what Otis gets up to! Remember while the child is engaged and interested, it's never too late (or too early) to introduce real, practical life activities into the home! 

(If you are in the US, Montessori Services has some good child sized laundry materials here.)

Montessori - on pretend play

There have been many articles written on the topic so I thought it would be nice to address it here too. Most Montessori parents would agree that pretend play is important. It may be a critical part of the child's development. Role play, acting out scenarios, it's a way for children to process their experiences, process their thoughts and develop a whole range of social skills, coping strategies, creativity and important critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Through pretend play Otis develops characters, storylines, and plots both simple and complex.

Pretend play often involves dress up, dolls, and toys. While these are not necessarily provided in the Montessori classroom it doesn't mean this play isn't valued. As a parent, I support not having these materials in the classrooms and feel there are plenty of opportunities for this type of play at home. I feel the home is best placed for this type of play. Although some Montessori classrooms have space for pretend play, in the playground, in the sand box, in water trays.  

Otis is no longer interested in playing with blocks and vehicles, which entertained him for many years. Otis often gets involved in pretend play with nothing but a (wooden) sword in his hands although I can also see how much he enjoys more developed play scenes and playing with more involved materials. 

The pictured Playmobil Adventure Treehouse has been set up in the boys' room for almost six months. It has a lot of parts and details which makes it really stimulating for Otis. It has bunk beds that swing down, doors and windows that open, a manual lift, and a hidden gold treasure. It has two people which are really important for his play right now, he needs play where people can talk and interact and there is also a whole range of animals. The idea of an Adventure Treehouse is exciting for Otis and it provides lots of opportunity for creative, pretend play and story telling. 

Our Adventure Treehouse is c/o Child.com.au. Child.com.au currently have 20% off Playmobil until the 14th of November 2016, see the website for further details. Playmobil is perfect for birthday or Christmas gifts. It's also good for language materials! Because there are many sets it's easy to find one that will interest the child. While we love the Adventure Treehouse, this year we have given friends the Space Shuttle and the Fire Engine. Due to the many parts and for the child's enjoyment, I would recommend for ages 4-5years+. 

The same Playmobil Adventure Treehouse is also available in the US here. 

P.S I read a review saying the treehouse was hard to set up. We found the set up simple, Caspar (at the time 8yrs) put it together independently within 20-30 minutes.