I've been searching for a second-hand overhead projector on Gumtree (AU) for months. I'm still hopeful that I will find one, but this searching often leads me to find other good things on Gumtree. Over the weekend I picked up this bike (below) for $50 including the child seat and bike lock (it needs a new chain), and the Montessori Dino Cards for $10. Where do you look for good Montessori second-hand finds, FB marketplace, Gumtree, FreeCycle? The key to getting a bargain on Gumtree is finding items that you need and that are located close to you. Here are... 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 →

There are two trains of thought when it comes to children's knives. There are those that are happy for their children to use 'child safe' knives. These are knives like the Rikon Kuhn KinderKitchen and KiddiKutter (AU), that can be used from a young age as they are blunt, they are not sharp enough to cut a child's hand. There are others that prefer their child to use a 'real' (sharp, but with a round tip) knife as soon as practicable. In all of the Montessori toddler classes I've attended, the children use real knives under close supervision. The benefit... Read more →

Otto has started taking bath time seriously. He asks for a bath several times a day and he wants to stay in there for hours. We've been accumulating more bath toys and are struggling to keep the bath tidy and organised. How do we store all the bath toys in a way that is hygienic, ordered and accessible to the child? We haven't mastered bath toy storage or organisation but this is what our children's bathroom currently looks like. We are striving to: Encourage independence: We decant bubble bath, liquid soaps and shampoo into smaller easy to use squeeze containers,... Read more →

"The education of the senses makes men observers." - Maria Montessori. Maria Montessori argued that the education of the senses must be of the greatest pedagogical interest, she suggested doctors and cooks both need refined senses. The Montessori Sound Cylinder are just one of the sensorial materials used in Montessori classrooms (3-6yrs). The Montessori Sound Cylinders are made up of 12 cylinders, six coloured red and six coloured blue. Each red cylinder has a corresponding blue cylinder. There are beads inside each cylinder, the beads inside the corresponding cylinders are the same. The child is to shake the cylinders to... Read more →

I was looking for a Wobbel board for Otto, my four-year-old. Wobbel boards are expensive so I decided to take a look at the cheaper Kmart version in person. While visiting Kmart I noticed many new things in stock including a kitchen helper. Who knew Kmart has kitchen helpers? They also have two new Montessori books in, so it's time for me to write another Kmart Montessori at home post!! There are compromises, the kitchen helper isn't height-adjustable, the balance board has a weight limit of 70kg (Wobbel's capacity is 200kg). But they get the job done and they are... 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 →

As you may remember we like to use story baskets (or trays). We don't retell the entire story through puppets or props but I like to add a few things to make the storytelling fun, to hold the child's attention and to further the child's learning. Often my preschooler will use these baskets and trays independently. He will flip through the book and then engage with the materials. Story baskets (or trays) can: Give the child something to hold while reading. Enhance the read-aloud/storytime experience. Stimulate and provide further ideas for exploration, discovery and learning. Expose the child to real... Read more →

My children love to use clay. Mostly we do open-ended clay play, without any prompts or suggestions on what to make. Occasionally though I like to show the children a technique or make larger sculptures, or give them project ideas. I have lots of different resources for using clay with young children so I decided to make a list of the skills or techniques that we can teach children from around three years with clay, but perhaps from two with play-dough. Clay play techniques to teach children: Squeeze Press Smooth Flatten Mould Cut Knead Crumple Straighten (roll out flat) Crush... Read more →

Today I'm sharing the top materials ordered by HWM readers through Amazon (US) in the year 2021. This post includes a ton of product links, if that isn't your thing please skip this post. I hope you find this useful and that you get some great ideas for your children for now or for the future! Let's start by looking at toddler toys and materials. The Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon is popular year after year (mainly due to this article). My children adored the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Pound and Roll Wooden Tower and the Galt Pop Up Toy... Read more →

Have you tried sequencing puzzles with your child? Some sequencing puzzles are simple and can be used by toddlers (2yrs+) others are better suited to preschoolers (3-4yrs+). I hadn't given sequencing puzzles much thought until we borrowed one from our local toy library. While the puzzle was easy to put together my child loved the storytelling part, he narrated the story on the puzzle as he put it together. I could see his eyes light up, he really enjoyed putting the story together. Sequencing puzzles are a bit like a storyboard. They help children learn the correct sequence of an... 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 →

Over the weekend we visited a different Toy Library (still within our Local Government Area). It's much larger than our usual Toy Library so it was fun to see more toy options! Our Toy Library has a range of toys for children from birth to around 12 years. It includes puppets, dress-ups, ride-on toys, outdoor toys, construction toys and a huge amount of educational toys, puzzles and board games. ❤️ I love the concept of the Toy Library and wish it was available in every Council area. It has the real potential to expose children to new learning opportunities and... Read more →

Have you seen or used Read It, Build It, Write It boards? These are not something I've seen used in a Montessori school, or designed by Maria Montessori, but they have been increasing in popularity in Montessori families and homeschools. As my preschooler is writing more and more, we decided to give it a go! I LOVE trying out new products, especially those influenced by Montessori and include hands-on multi-sensory learning. Overall my preschooler (4yrs) loved it. Most of all he enjoyed the first two steps of reading and building because that's where he is most confident right now. Let's... Read more →

Are you looking for food prep activities for your one-year-old? Involving young children in food prep activities allows children to be connected to their food. Rather than the food appearing at the table, the child can see how it is made. Food prep activities allow children to explore food, its textures and tastes, it can show children what they are capable of and help them to develop coordination and fine motor skills. Let's see some of our favourite food prep activities for children 12-24 months. Please use the ages listed as a rough guide and full supervision of all activities... Read more →