At Home with Montessori

5 Things...the tenth month

2012-01-04T13:18:00.002+08:00

1. A favourite activity at this age seems to be standing. Granted some babies pull to standing sooner than the 9 month point, but by the same token, others only start much later than this. My own two children were at opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to this skill but for both, we provided a place for them to safely pull up to standing. A wooden rail mounted securely to the wall, with a mirror behind it so that they can see themselves performing all the actions necessary to get from sitting to standing. The bar is mounted 45cm off the ground for optimum reachability and should be narrow enough for your baby to grip the diameter of the rod all the way around.

2. Another favourite activity is stair climbing. Our house has two flights of stairs so we have lots of opportunity to learn this important skill - but if your home is all on one level, look for stairs wherever you go and give your baby time to climb up and down them as many times as your sanity can handle! Just "spot" them until they can do this safely without your immediate presence. In this video you can see Luke climbing the stairs independently after about 3 weeks of constant practice!

3. Ever had a whole box of tissues emptied by your baby? Well your 9 month old is sure to spring this one on you shortly! Whilst I allowed the very first box of tissues to be emptied when my kids first discovered the joys of pulling them out, I was careful to place boxes out of reach for a while after that - it's important to reintroduce the tissues at some point since we want our toddlers to learn how to wipe their noses eventually! But this mostly begins to happen at a later stage when they have a bit more self-awareness and a bit more self-control! Try offering a substitute experience by filling a nappy wipe container with colourful cloth squares. We have also covered a pringles tube with fabric and punched a small hole in the lid. We put a length of ribbon through the hole and sewed a bead onto each end of the ribbon to stop the ribbon from pulling through. You stuff the ribbon into the tin, put the lid on and then let your baby loose on it!

4. Your baby might start pointing at things. Things they want, things they see, things they want named. This is because they are right at that point in their language development where they have made the connection between sounds and meanings. Every time I point to this, she says that! A real aha moment! Help this stage of language learning by playing naming games. Familiarise yourself with the Three Period Lesson technique which is used in Montessori classrooms to introduce new vocabulary to children. This lesson is what you can base your informal naming games on. Bear in mind though that at first you will only be completing the First Period. When you are both familiar with the game you can extend to include the Second Period, but we don't really ever use the Third Period (except in the case of an exceptionally verbally gifted child) with children under the age of three. So don't be tempted to coax your baby into saying words - that is a completely different brain process from acquiring the names of things - which is what your baby is really interested in at the moment. Receptive language is always more prominent than Expressive language in the Infant Toddler Period.

5. Object permanence is becoming an internalised concept now, with your baby understanding that things do exist even when they can't be seen. In this vein, hiding games are well-received by the 9 month old. Simple things like hiding a teddy under a cloth in plain view of your baby and then saying "where's the teddy?" will delight your baby. You can progress to hiding a single object inside a box with a lid. You can try a modified version of the old sleight of hand trick using a small ball and three upturned cups. Hide the ball in front your baby at first, then try moving the cups slowly after hiding the ball, even try hiding the ball out of view! Your baby's interest in this game stems from their developing sense of external order. In Chapter 3 of "The Secret of Childhood" in the section entitled "Orientation Through Order", Maria Montessori tells of playing Hide and Seek with a group of 2 year olds. The children each took turns to hide in exactly the same place and all screamed with delight when "finding" their playmates in the predicted spot!

5 things...the ninth month

2011-08-25T20:04:00.000+08:00

1. Your baby is now starting to understand how things fit together, and their level of spatial awareness is growing. Try offering a palmer grasp cylinder and demonstrate how the cylinder is taken out and put back it before offering your baby a turn. They may also like to try the egg and cup.

2. The sensitive period for language starts at birth, and is very active during your baby's entire first year. It's a good reminder to you when showing your baby a new activity, or trying to demonstrate a new skill, that they are very tuned in to your voice, and will be automatically drawn to watching your mouth move when you speak. Try to "show" things without speaking at first, allowing them to focus on your hands. Once they start to copy your movements, bring the language component in.

3. The pincer grasp is just beginning. Your baby will be very attracted to knobbed puzzles which will meet the need for 'fitting things together' and the pincer grasp practice. Try offering puzzles with only one shape to start with. A circle is the easiest shape to start with as there are no sides to fit into the frame, so your baby doesn't have to hold it the right way. You can also offer a single knobbed cylinder, which has a slightly smaller knob than the puzzle. And of course, lots of finger foods will also develop this skill.

4. Your baby is starting to understand the concept of object permanence. They are realising that an object still exists even if they can't see it. This period also heralds the beginning of their conscious short term memory and working memory development - both very necessary for independent work. You can offer an object permanence box to help them in internalising this understanding.

5. Your baby is very interested in tactile experiences - but they are not yet ready to feel things without seeing them (which requires the ability to visualise something abstractly - a skill that needs the foundation of object permanence and a more developed long term memory). They might enjoy using this very clever mystery box, which has a clear side which allows them to see what they are touching, and can later be turned over to hide the object from view. In the same vein, this see through music box offers an auditory experience with a visual link to what they are hearing.

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5 things...the eighth month

2011-08-19T21:26:00.001+08:00

1. If your baby is crawling, or trying to crawl, offer incentives for movement. The puzzle ball is great because it rolls only a short distance, which presents just the right level of challenge for a beginner

2. A basket of balls will always be a big hit with a baby of this age. Choose balls for their colours, textures, shapes and other sensory features

3. Collect some little glass jars and make some sound and colour jars for your baby to explore. If you use glass be sure to supervise while your baby plays with these. Don't be tempted to make this into a matching activity - this is really just an intro to sensory elements, and the use of clear jars for the 'sound cylinders' means your baby can see what is making the sound

4. Your baby will love to play some simple musical instruments at this age. Try a floor drum with a soft mallet to start with. Remember that the infant absorbs everything in their environment and uses all that is absorbed to construct their framework of knowledge – for this reason it is really important to use the best quality musical instruments you can afford

Make a basket of different textured fabric squares for your baby to explore. Keep to one solid colour so that your baby can focus on the texture, rather than being distracted by patterns and different colours

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5 things...the seventh month

2011-08-18T14:05:00.001+08:00

1. Toys that offer the chance to put things in and out of containers will intrigue your baby. Even something simple like a small bucket and a ball will offer purposeful activity

2. Treasure baskets are a lovely way to offer independent exploration of safe objects. Choose no more than 8 objects that are safe to mouth, and place them in a basket. Allow your baby to scoot over and pull the objects from the basket and explore the variety of textures

3. Your baby will begin to enjoy games with you – offer them the chance to knock down a tower of soft blocks that you build up for them, and watch their anticipation grow as you build the tower, and the satisfaction as they knock it down

4. Now is the time to begin the introduction to solid food. Your baby might have a tooth or two and is showing signs of interest in your food and drink. Find a small weaning table and chair, and offer food and drink in real bowls and cups. More information on the Montessori approach to weaning here

Your baby might be starting to crawl, or getting themselves up on hands and knees in preparation for crawling. Choosing appropriate clothing is especially important at this stage to make this important work easier to master. Little dresses and cute jeans may look great but can make the work of learning to crawl and move about very frustrating

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5 things...the sixth month

2011-08-16T20:12:00.001+08:00

1. Your baby will enjoy nursery rhymes, finger plays and other shared games. If you can find a Suzuki ECE class nearby, try it out. The Suzuki and Montessori Philosophies are very compatible

2. Anticipation and surprise are something new for your baby. Peek-a-Boo games, and toys that offer surprises will begin to provide amusement for your baby and some shared laughter

3. Your baby’s interest in books is growing and they will want to start turning the pages and holding on to the book themselves. Make a homemade book with several blank pages, and then including one surprise page with a pattern on it, somewhere in the book.

4. Family and friends you see regularly will soon become favourite people as your baby’s social awareness develops. Make a book of favourite people using a soft photo album, or a custom board book

Your baby might begin teething at this age – offering toys that they can chew and bite will help ease uncomfortable sensations. The wooden ring from the Ring on a Ribbon set makes a great teether when removed from its hanging ribbon

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5 things...the fifth month

2011-08-14T08:48:00.003+08:00

1.
Your baby is developing their hand skills from simple grasping to manipulating the objects that they hold. You can offer the Interlocking Discs to provide an opportunity to use two hands together – a new skill which needs practice

2. Your baby has a natural attraction to faces and will love a simple doll figure at this age. Waldorf dolls make a lovely addition to your baby’s toys at this age, with their simple facial features and use of natural fibres in construction

3. Sewing some interesting objects onto the toes of socks and popping them on your baby’s feet will provide an incentive to explore their feet, which they may have just begun to notice

4. Your baby is starting to develop the ability to choose. Offering a low shelf with three toys to choose from will help them to practice this skill. When rotating toys out, only change one of the toys at any time. Your baby has a strong sense of order and a need for sameness - change needs to happen slowly

5. Try offering three books at a time for your baby to choose from. Little choices translate into big leaps forward in independence, and feelings of self-confidence. Try for one favourite, one already read, and one new, to provide a good mix of familiar and novelty.

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5 things...the fourth month

2011-08-12T21:19:00.005+08:00

1. By now you may have noticed your baby reaching out towards their mobiles and waving their arms about trying to bat at things. Offer your baby the Bell on a Ribbon for practising their batting skills

2. Your baby’s sense of hearing is almost as acute as that of an adult. They will be highly motivated by sound and the opportunity to control the making of sounds. Offer your baby a variety of rattles and noise making toys to practice batting with. You might like to make a toy hanger to hang the batting toys from.

3. Your baby’s reflexive grasping is being replaced by conscious control of their hand, even though their attempts at grasping are still crude. Provide lots of chances to grasp objects by choosing a selection of grasping toys that are light, small, interesting to look at and made of natural materials. Rotate the toys as your baby loses interest, keeping no more than 3 out at a time

4. Up till now, your baby’s main form of communication has been through crying. They are more regularly starting to make cooing noises when happy, relaxed and engaged. Try imitating your baby’s noises in conversation style – taking turns and waiting for your baby to respond

Your baby might be starting to roll and become more mobile. Resist the temptation to 'help' them along. Physical development is something that the child can conquer all on their own - and they need the chance to do it for themselves! Movement is a sensitive period in infancy, that is incredibly powerful. Help your baby by acknowledging their beginning attempts at mobility as being real work

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5 things...the third month

2011-08-11T07:37:00.005+08:00

1. Your baby is developing their sense of vision and visual tracking abilities during this time. The Octahedron Mobile will provide something to focus on with its reflective, metallic finish and primary colours

2. The Gobbi Mobile offers further visual information with its subtle gradations of colour, corresponding to your baby’s newly developed ability to see shades of colours

3. Your baby has almost fully developed colour vision, but is now working on depth perception and dynamic visual focusing skills (focusing on moving objects). Offering a mobile that moves freely and gracefully (like the Dancers Mobile, or the alternative Harmony Wings Mobile) will meet this need

4. Your baby might be interested in holding something. While their grasp is still reflexive (not consciously controlled), offering sensory stimulating in the form of the grasping beads will help this reflex to develop into a controlled movement

Your baby’s pineal gland has started to produce higher levels of melatonin, which regulates sleep/wake cycles. This highlights the place of routine and rhythm in the structure of your child’s day – and helps them to synchronise what is happening on the inside, with what’s happening in their environment. If you want to assist them in developing a good sleep/wake rhythm, try keeping daytime naps in a light environment, and night time sleep in a darkened room

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5 things...the second month

2011-08-09T20:12:00.007+08:00

Learn the art of infant massage – this will help you to calm an unsettled baby, and will provide valuable opportunities to connect on a physical level. It also answers your baby’s need for face to face time, which is essential for their beginning language development
Your baby will be ready to transition into their floor bed sometime in these four weeks. A floor bed will allow your baby to see and move freely – both important conditions needed in the sensitive period for the development of internal order
A mirror at floor level will give your little one a view of themselves and will help them to become more aware of themselves, and their body movements
Place art work at eye level for your baby, and rather than having many pieces, avoid visual clutter by choosing and placing one piece and changing it out when your baby loses interest
The Visual Mobile Series can be started during this month. Begin with the Munari Mobile which is designed to capture your child’s limited visual capabilities and stimulate their inherently mathematical mind

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5 things...

2011-08-08T21:28:00.007+08:00

Inspired by Kylie's 5 things series and a question from Sara in her online community forum, I am about to start a series of posts about 5 things you can create, do or provide for your baby in each month of their first year of life.

To kick things off, here are 5 things your newborn may need...

Your newborn’s consciousness revolves around their immediate physical experiences. Prepare a womb-like sleeping environment by making a Cestina (a traditional Montessori sleeping basket used during the symbiotic period)
Your baby needs to get used to being carried and held. Help them to feel secure by making a Topponcino (a small, soft, flexible mattress useful for carrying baby, holding baby and transferring a sleeping baby from place to place)
Your greatest opportunity to connect with your new baby is through your caregiving routines. Prepare the area for physical care (nappy changes, dressing) so that you can offer unhurried quality connection time
The transition from the womb to the outside world is dramatic. Ensure that your baby has continued access to the points of reference they established in utero, to help ease into their new environment (Maternal points of reference include the mother’s heartbeat and voice, Infant points of reference are the ability to move, the ability to touch the face and mouth, the ability to move the hands)
Your baby began preparing for a new rhythm of living in the final weeks of pregnancy. These biological rhythms need to be respected so that the newborn can complete their adaptation to the outside world. Babies naturally sleep when they are tired, and eat when they are hungry. Be a sensitive observer of their signals to facilitate this natural development

this the first post in a series of twelve

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New toddler material

2011-07-05T21:11:00.000+08:00

See our "Things to Buy" page - Materials for Cognitive Development for this new toddler work...a family of penguins made for matching and puzzling!

Free Download

2011-06-10T14:56:00.000+08:00

Spreading some love...

Here is a free download to make a set of Inside Outside Fruit Cards.

Simply print, laminate, cut and round the corners for a fun toddler activity.

Toddlers do not learn from looking at pictures! They learn about their world by experiencing it through taste, touch, sight, hearing and smell. Please, please, please use these cards in the way they were designed to be presented...

Choose one card, and then go out and buy that fruit from your grocer...
Spend some time with your toddler looking at the fruit, touching it, smelling it...cut it open and taste it, tell her what it is called...
When she has had enough, bring out the pictures and say "outside" and "inside".

When you have presented more than one fruit in this way...you can play the card game...

Try simple matching at first - print out two sets
Then try matching the inside pictures to the outside pictures
Then try playing a simple memory game with only two or three pairs...

If you have enjoyed using this little gift from me, please send me a photo of your baby enjoying this learning experience. Everyone who sends in a pic - gets another free download!

Montessori and Attachment Parenting

2011-06-09T20:33:00.000+08:00

As a mother to two boys, and a Montessori educator, I am often asked by parents whether the Montessori approach is compatible with other child rearing philosophies. The most common query is about Attachment Parenting. I must admit that when I was first asked this question almost 10 years ago, I didn’t really know what Attachment Parenting was! After a bit of research, it became clear to me that Attachment Parenting was very compatible with my idea of parenting (my children had not yet been born, but my own parents parented me in this way with great results!). However as I progressed further into my training as a Montessori teacher at the infant toddler level, I realised that not every Montessori theorist would promote the principles of Attachment Parenting for use in the Montessori Home. However, the foundations of Attachment Parenting seemed, to me, to be very much in line with Dr Montessori’s vision for a peaceful childhood.

· The first principle: Preparation for Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting

Become emotionally and physically prepared for pregnancy and birth. Research available options for healthcare providers and birthing environments, and become informed about routine newborn care. Continuously educate yourself about developmental stages of childhood, setting realistic expectations and remaining flexible.

The Montessori approach to parenting is also focused on preparing for the arrival of a new child in a thoughtful and careful manner. Assistants to Infancy work with families to prepare a welcoming home environment for their newborn; they help mother to prepare for a childbirth that is as close to the ideal as possible (a natural, drug-free, non-intrusive and peaceful labour and birth); they offer support during the symbiotic period (the first six weeks after birth) to help establish rhythms and routines for living; they work to protect the important emotional bonding that takes place between parents and infant in the hours, days and weeks after birth.

· The second principle: Feeding with Love and Respect

Breastfeeding is the optimal way to satisfy an infant's nutritional and emotional needs. "Bottle Nursing" adapts breastfeeding behaviours to bottle-feeding to help initiate a secure attachment. Follow the feeding cues for both infants and children, encouraging them to eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. Offer healthy food choices and model healthy eating behaviours.

Montessori too, recognises that breastfeeding on demand, particularly during the symbiotic period, is an important part of helping the infant to develop a fundamental trust in the world. The sensitive period for weaning begins between 5 and 6 months of age. As always, the sensitive period is marked by several signs of readiness which may be different for each child. Montessori practitioners recognise the need to be attuned to each child’s individual needs when weaning, and the physiological and psychological importance of the weaning process. Weaning marks the beginning of a process of separation from the mother, as the child becomes aware of his independence and of his self as a separate entity. When the infant is able to sit up, shows an interest in eating the food of the family, and has begun teething, he is ready to begin the process of weaning. If care is taken to introduce solid food in a positive manner and to encourage the child’s independence, she will take the natural step of decreasing and eventually stopping milk feeds without the need for this process to be arbitrarily determined by the adult. The need for the mother will naturally be replaced with the child’s desire for independence, if care is taken to support and nurture the child first steps towards autonomy. Anne McNamara, in an article written for the NAMTA journal puts it plainly...”Montessorians need to guard against being influenced by our society’s preoccupation with freeing the mother from the baby instead of allowing the baby to free himself from the mother. Mothers need to be supported in letting their babies determine when and how long they need to nurse.

· The third principle: Respond with Sensitivity

Build the foundation of trust and empathy beginning in infancy. Tune in to what your child is communicating to you, then respond consistently and appropriately. Babies cannot be expected to self-soothe, they need calm, loving, empathetic parents to help them learn to regulate their emotions. Respond sensitively to a child who is hurting or expressing strong emotion, and share in their joy.

The importance of this sensitive parenting is highlighted in Montessori’s emphasis on the earliest weeks of life. Assistants to Infancy help parents to become astute observers of their babies and in turn, to be able to respond to their babies’ communications of need in appropriate ways. Sensitive parenting in a Montessori Home requires that the parent learn to negotiate the fine line between offering assistance and becoming the child’s servant. Parents learn to watch their child first, before hastily stepping in, so that they can determine exactly what kind of help to offer the child so that his needs can be met, without undermining his belief in himself as a competent, and capable person in his own right. Dr Montessori spoke of the adult as acting as a ”necessary support for the child who, having lost control of himself momentarily, needs a strong support to which he can cling.” Rebeca Wild, author of Raising Curious, Creative, Confident Kids, affirms the need for empathy saying “To the same extent that they themselves feel loved and respected, they gain the ability to pass on this respect and this love to others, and to feel and fulfil the needs of others.”

· The fourth principle: Use Nurturing Touch

Touch meets a baby's needs for physical contact, affection, security, stimulation, and movement. Skin-to-skin contact is especially effective, such as during breastfeeding, bathing, or massage. Carrying or babywearing also meets this need while on the go. Hugs, snuggling, back rubs, massage, and physical play help meet this need in older children.

Dr Silvana Montanaro writes about the importance of touch in her book, Understanding the Human Being. She says of the symbiotic period (the first 6 to 8 weeks after birth) “the body contact in holding tells the child about the mother’s acceptance and attitude, and can provide great reassurance which will facilitate the passage to the new environment.” “A child can understand, through repeated, direct experiences with a loving parent, that the external world responds promptly to his needs for contact, stimulation and food. There is always an answer to his call and he can trust the environment, as represented by the mother.”

And of the importance of holding the child, “proper holding must convey to the child our joy for this intimacy, in addition to our love, respect and admiration for its being.” She cautions against making the decision to restrict a child’s movements though, stressing that children who have freedom of movement develop a basic faith in oneself, have self-confidence, a sense of independence and autonomy, as well as persistence and high self-esteem. So it follows that Montessori parents must recognise that the child’s need for touch must be balanced with their need for freedom of movement. This requires sensitive parenting and a desire to follow the child, not placing the needs of the adult above those of the developing baby. Carrying a baby and giving her time in her own space should never outweigh one another, but should be balanced and offered in accordance with her needs which she will communicate readily. The key lies in understanding and responding appropriately to her communications.

· The fifth principle: Ensure Safe Sleep, Physically and Emotionally

Babies and children have needs at night just as they do during the day; from hunger, loneliness, and fear, to feeling too hot or too cold. They rely on parents to soothe them and help them regulate their intense emotions. Sleep training techniques can have detrimental physiological and psychological effects. Safe co-sleeping has benefits to both babies and parents.

Maria Montessori was clear about the need to provide the infant with “a low couch resting practically upon the floor, where he can lie down and get up as he wishes”. Her thoughts on co-sleeping were not explicitly articulated.

Mary Matthews, a Montessori Assistant to Infancy, writes in an article for the NAMTA journal that, “a mattress on the floor permits the baby to move freely on the bed and between the bed and the floor. Should the child need to, she can call her parents or seek them. The child who has enjoyed symbiosis is confident that her parents will respond if she needs them.” Mary goes on to say though, “The child who sleeps in the family bed needs the presence of a parent to sleep comfortably. This created dependence cannot assist her.”

My opinion is that if the child is given the freedom of movement provided by a floor bed, and then chooses to leave that bed to sleep in a shared bed, that this is in fact reinforcing the autonomy and freedom of choice that we wish to cultivate in him through the provision of the floor bed. Anne McNamara (who writes in an article of response) shows us that our focus should not be on whether the child sleeps in his floor bed, or in a family bed, but rather that it should be on respect for the child’s freedom of choice. She points out that shared sleep might be considered by some to be “created dependence. But conversely, the separate child’s bed is created independence.”

· The sixth principle: Provide Consistent and Loving Care

Babies and young children have an intense need for the physical presence of a consistent, loving, responsive caregiver: ideally a parent. If it becomes necessary, choose an alternate caregiver who has formed a bond with the child and who cares for him in a way that strengthens the attachment relationship. Keep schedules flexible, and minimize stress and fear during short separations.

The Montessori approach is about developing the “whole” child. Montessori parents need to create environments that nurture every aspect of their child’s development. It is often easier to focus on intellectual development, since this involves things we can see and touch – learning objects. But creating safe spaces in which your child’s emotional needs are met, is vital to the development of healthy future relationships. Dr Jill Stamm, in Bright from the Start, says that “your baby depends biologically on your responsiveness. Though he was born with the capabilities for joy, sadness, fear and many other feelings, he needs help regulating these emotional states so that they don’t overwhelm his system.”

We should also take care in recognizing that the process of separation is precisely that, a process. It does not happen instantaneously on the first day that the child spends away from his parents. Separation viewed through Montessori philosophy takes place on a number of levels, beginning with birth, in which the child separates from the protected environment of the womb, and attaches to the world of life; weaning, in which he separates from the breast as a source of food and attaches to the food of the family and self-feeding; movement, in which the child slithers, rolls, crawls, cruises and walks in incremental steps away from the mother, and attaches to the immediate environment of the home; and the period of self-affirmation in which the child declares himself autonomous and capable of independent living.

The seventh principle: Practice Positive Discipline

Judi Orion, a Montessori Assistant to Infancy Trainer says, “What we have to be careful about here is not to confuse this need for independence, and our desire for them to be independent, with their simultaneous need to be nurtured. Just because they can do things doesn’t mean they don’t need nurturing. Sometimes we push independence at the expense of nurturing. I think we always need to keep that in balance.”

Positive discipline helps a child develop a conscience guided by his own internal discipline and compassion for others. Discipline that is empathetic, loving, and respectful strengthens the connection between parent and child. Rather than reacting to behaviour, discover the needs leading to the behaviour. Communicate and craft solutions together while keeping everyone's dignity intact.

Dr Montessori spoke very eloquently on the topic of discipline. Her idea of discipline was not that of an external condition imposed on the child from outside, but that it is a natural state which grows and develops from within the child, just like any other conquest of development in childhood. According to Montessori theory there are three stages in the development of self-discipline. Stage one is when the child is only able to obey the internal impulses that drive him, even they put him at odds with those around him. (think of a baby who continues to reach out and touch something even when he has been told not to a number of times. The baby is not being deliberate in his ‘disobedience’, he is simply doing what he instincts are driving him to do – explore his environment – even if those drives don’t match up with the requests of his parents). Stage two is when the child is able to suppress his inner drive in order to comply with an external request – that is, he is mostly able to do what is asked of him since his desire to be part of the social group overrides his instinctual drives.

The third stage is when the child obeys joyfully. He has transcended the state of development where he obeys because of an external request – he does the right thing because it is right, not because someone has told him to do it. This stage of discipline is only reached under a specific set of circumstances – where the child is given the freedom to develop his will. Too often parents believe that in order to raise an obedient child, they must ‘break’ his will. But Montessori believed that in order to reach the third stage of self-discipline, the child’s ability to choose must be fostered – and this can only happen in a loving and supportive environment, where children are given freedom to act within clearly defined boundaries.

“Discipline and freedom are so co-related that, if there is some lack of discipline, the cause is to be found in some lack of freedom. To obtain discipline, it is quite useless to count on reprimands or spoken exhortations. Such means might perhaps at the beginning have an appearance of efficacy, but after a while cease to have any effect.” – Maria Montessori

Essentially, misbehavior is the expression of the lack of freedom to meet one’s needs. Authoritarian behaviour on the part of the parents is not likely to create a situation in which a child’s natural state of true self-discipline can be established. Children need loving guidance and a nurturing environment in which to develop their will – which will allow them to be in control of themselves.

The eighth principle: Strive for Balance in Personal and Family Life

It is easier to be emotionally responsive when you feel in balance. Create a support network, set realistic goals, put people before things, and don't be afraid to say "no". Recognize individual needs within the family and meet them to the greatest extent possible without compromising your physical and emotional health. Be creative, have fun with parenting, and take time to care for yourself.

I guess this one speaks for itself. Montessori theory has three essential components as it were: the child, the prepared environment and the prepared adult. She says that “The starting preparation demanded of a Montessori adult is that he or she should examine himself, and become humble, and to ask in what manner does he consider the child?” – The Secret of Childhood.

Dr. Montessori says that the child ‘must be protected by an external environment animated by the warmth of love, and the richness of value, where he is wholly accepted’ – The Child in the Family.

P. Donohue Shortridge says, “If it is the child's job to construct the adult he is to uniquely become, then it is incumbent upon the adult to facilitate that growth rather than to impose her own will on him. The Montessori adult willingly relinquishes her own agenda for the child and instead learns from him what he needs next from the adult and from the environment and faithfully provides it. Fundamentally, the adult removes external obstacles to the child's learning which are ironically often precipitated by the adults themselves.”

And in Maria Montessori’s words once again, “The truly great authority and dignity of parents rests solely upon the help they are able to give their children in building themselves. The child can only build well if this help is given in a suitable way.” – The Absorbent Mind

It stands to reason that parents can only offer suitable help to their children, and can only relinquish their own agenda, whilst maintaining a loving and wholly accepting environment when they themselves are nurtured, respected and part of a support network. I would encourage Montessori parents to spend time within their Montessori circles, building relationships with like-minded families so that they might have assistance in the important task of parenting. It takes courage to allow your child’s voice to be heard and to answer its call in a manner that can only feel right for you. A strong attachment between parent and child is very necessary and undoubtedly this is the aim of proponents of Attachment Parenting, but the potential that the Montessori philosophy has for nurturing those connections for life is untold.

New article coming...

2011-05-25T18:54:00.000+08:00

I have recently read an interesting post on attachment parenting and Montessori and this got me thinking...are these theories of childhood compatible? I am a die-hard Montessori believer through and through, yet also find myself strongly drawn to attachment parenting and its tenets. I have been working on an article to this effect and will be posting it in the next few days...so keep your eyes peeled!

Easter Giveaway - The Winner Is...

2011-04-30T20:21:00.000+08:00

After randomly assigning names to numbers and then using a random number generator, we picked number 21 as the winner of the Toddler Silhouette Matching Cards. There were heaps of entries and I wish I could give every one of you a set of these cards! Thanks for your support and interest - it inspires me to keep doing this...
Congratulations to Cathy Woodhouse of http://www.amontessorihome.blogspot.com/ who liked us on Facebook.

Keep visiting, because another giveaway will be posted soon.

New Activity

2011-04-29T09:37:00.000+08:00

We have just added a new activity for the older toddler in our Cognitive Development section.

Tick Tock - 5 days to go

2011-04-25T08:17:00.000+08:00

There are only 5 days left to enter the Easter Giveaway. Up for grabs is the full set of Toddler Silhouette Matching cards, worth $90 when purchased separately. To enter:

For one entry: Like our Facebook page and leave a comment

For two entries: Post about this giveaway on your blog and email me the link

For five entries: Order something from the website before the end of April

Winner will be drawn out of a hat on 30th April at 8pm (Western Australian Time)

Discipline - A Montessori Perspective

2011-04-24T20:49:00.000+08:00

Discipline – A Montessori Perspective

The concept of discipline is one that cannot really be examined in isolation. It is inextricably linked with many other developmental areas and philosophical ideas. These include obedience, freedom, and the development of will. When discussing the idea of discipline with parents I always ask them first to consider what obedience means to them. So take a minute to consider what it means to you – jot down some key words to help you to crystallise your understanding of obedience and its interrelated subjects before we examine what Maria Montessori had to say on the topic.

“The basic error is to suppose that a person’s will must be broken before it can obey; meaning before it can accept and follow another person’s direction. When people have fully developed their own powers of volition and then freely choose to follow another person’s orders, we have something very different. Will and obedience then go hand in hand in as much as the will is a prior foundation in the order of development; and obedience is a later stage resting on this foundation. It shows itself spontaneously and unexpectedly at the end of a long process of maturation.” – Maria Montessori

If we break down this statement, into key points we see that:

· a child cannot obey unless they have developed their will

· obedience is not something that can be controlled by the adult

· development of will comes first, obedience comes later

· obedience relies upon will power being built up, not broken down

So if we can’t control the child’s ability to obey, then who does?

“The child’s actions in the first period of his life are controlled by the horme alone until the end of the first year.” The horme is the child’s inner guide (in animals this is called instinct, it is there to ensure survival).

Dr Montessori goes on to say that

“Between the first and the sixth year this aspect becomes less marked as the child unfolds his consciousness and acquires self-control. During this period the child’s obedience is closely connected with the stages of ability that he happens to have reached. Hence we first have to know whether the child’s obedience is practically possible at the level of development he has reached.”

As the child gets older, we can expect more of them because they have more self-control. It is a maturity thing. It helps to think of obedience as a skill like swimming. The older a child is, the more likely that they will be able to do everything that is required to swim safely by themselves. In the same way, the older a child is, the more likely that they will be able to control their will enough in order to obey. We wouldn’t think a child was being naughty if we told him to swim and he couldn’t. So a child isn’t being naughty if we ask him to obey and he can’t. He needs to have control over his will, if he is to obey.

And if the child does not have control over his will?

“Before the child is three he cannot obey unless the order he receives corresponds with one of his vital urges.”

“If the child is not yet master of his actions, if he cannot obey even his own will, so much the less can he obey the will of someone else.”

So we as parents need to understand that:

· the child under three cannot obey unless the order corresponds directly with his inner guide. This is important – it protects the child’s development from being swayed off course by our interference. It is nature’s way of making sure that every child will have the opportunity to learn and experience the world around them, so that they may develop into adults.

· This means that when we ask a child to do something that is in conflict with his inner guide he will not be able to comply willingly. We can force him or coerce him into obeying, but it will not be true obedience and may be harmful to his development.

This is corroborated by many people besides Dr Montessori.

“Each human being has marvellous self-regulating mechanisms that are frequently prevented from working because of our interference in vital processes.” – Understanding the Human Being, Silvana Quatrocchi Montanaro

“Children will do what they dislike if they are scolded. However, if they do not have the desire to do it, it will not develop into an ability. When a child has the desire, the ability will become internalised.” – Ability Development from Age Zero, Shinichi Suzuki

“Even if we mean well by our children and are convinced that we know what is good for them, getting them to do our will does not constitute doing them a favour.” – Raising Curious, Creative, Confident Kids, Rebeca Wild

“Actually it is useless to depend upon scoldings and entreaties for the maintenance of discipline. These may at first give the illusion of being somewhat effective; but very soon, when real discipline makes its appearance, all this collapses as an illusion in the face of reality.” – The Discovery of the Child, Maria Montessori

“The idea of painless, non-threatening coercion is an illusion. Fear is the inseparable companion of coercion, and its inescapable consequence. If you think it is your duty to make children do what you want, whether they will or not, then it follows inexorably that you must make them afraid of what will happen to them if they don’t do what you want.” – How Children Fail, John Holt

We also need to understand that young children are programmed to do whatever it takes in order to satisfy their inner needs. These are not wilful acts of brazen disobedience! The child’s needs are determined by his inner guide, and he is bound by his very nature to do everything he can to obey that inner guide, even if it means disobeying his beloved parent.

So we are left asking ourselves how we can establish limits without inhibiting our child’s natural and necessary development. How do we help our children to develop their will, so that they might be able to obey. Discipline is not what we do to our children, it is how we assist our children to gain control of themselves.

“The first idea that a child must acquire in order to be disciplined is the difference between right and wrong.” – The Discovery of the Child, Maria Montessori

We help children to understand this by being consistent, by setting boundaries, by communicating in positive terms, by not apologising for enforcing boundaries, by providing lots of opportunities for the right choices and limiting the possibilities for wrong ones.

Children learn discipline through working alongside others and being part of a group/family. Logical discipline. Not arbitrary rules imposed by others.

“Those who want to participate in group work must accept the discipline of the moment, without which the group would not be able to function.” – Raising Curious, Creative, Confident Kids – Rebeca Wild

We need to be conscious of giving the child the right amount of freedom for their personal and individual needs. This is where most people make a mistake in thinking that when Montessori speaks of freedom , she means that the child is able to do whatever he feels like.

“To let the child do as he likes when he has not yet developed any powers of control, is to betray the idea of freedom.” – The Absorbent Mind, Maria Montessori

So we only give each child, the amount of freedom that they can handle. Sometimes this corresponds to their age, but some children need large amounts of structure and order balanced with small amounts of freedom. “Externally imposed structures remain minimal for what a particular child requires, so the child’s personal control is maximal for what that child can handle.” – Montessori, the Science Behind the Genius, Angeline Stoll Lillard

Importantly, limiting freedom does not equate to controlling our children’s choices. It means simply, that we structure the child’s environment to support his ability to make appropriate choices. As an example...My first child, as a toddler, was consumed by the desire to push buttons. He would spend hours in front of our stereo system turning it on and off, on and off. The washing machine and dishwasher suffered a similar fate. Once he discovered the remote control, that too joined his ever-growing repertoire of button-pushing! He was not content with simply pushing a button – he delighted in seeing something happen when the button in question was pushed – hence giving him an old remote with no batteries did nothing to satisfy his need. He was simply unable to curb the impulse to push buttons, and would not be swayed from his purpose. We could have spent the better part of a year yelling, smacking, fighting and arguing with him. Instead we chose to support his need to experiment in this way and learn about operating the machines in his environment by inviting him to push the buttons for every machine, every single time we were going to turn something on or off. This eliminated the conflict over unnecessary button-pushing (which we were concerned about, since let’s face it, a remote control is only designed to be used a few thousand times in its life, and ours were fast reaching their use by date!), and gave him both the opportunity to push the button and contribute to our family life in a real and meaningful way. He would joyfully leap up from whatever he was doing to push any button at our request – and in turn, the random button pushing lost its appeal.

We must structure our environment in order to support the development of a disciplined will.

“We must provide environments for children in which their “human plan” can realise itself. Our question is therefore how we can avoid conditioning from the outside and promote an optimum process of maturing from the inside.” – Raising Curious, Creative, Confident Kids, Rebeca Wild

“Rather than try to correct the visible signs of a deviation from normal development, the adult needs only to offer, in an interesting form, a means for the intelligent development of the norm.” – The Absorbent Mind, Maria Montessori

We need to remember to help our children to help themselves. Independence leads to strong, positive will development. Learned helplessness is the enemy of discipline.

“He who is served instead of being helped is in a certain sense deprived of his independence. Everyone knows that is requires much more time and patience to teach a child how to eat, wash and clothe himself than it does to feed, bathe and dress him by oneself. The one who does the former is an educator, the latter a servant.” – The Discovery of the Child, Maria Montessori

In conclusion...we give our children the right amount of freedom for their level of development, within limits that are not too constricting. We help them but don’t do things that they can do for themselves. We use words, or actions, but not at the same time because the child can only process one or the other. We encourage independence which leads to self-control, which leads to discipline, which allows the child to reach the third level of obedience.

Coming soon...Rewards and Punishments – Do they work?

Easter Giveaway

2011-04-15T20:56:00.001+08:00

We are pleased to be hosting another giveaway!

The prize?

A full set of Toddler Silhouette Matching Cards worth $90.

Pictured below are the Mammal Cards...

The full set includes Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish and Insects.

How to Enter?

For one entry: Like our Facebook page and leave a comment

For two entries: Post about this giveaway on your blog and email me the link

For five entries: Order something from the website before the end of April

Winner will be drawn out of a hat on 30th April at 8pm (Western Australian Time)

Good Luck!!!

The Long-Awaited Toy Tripod

2011-04-03T17:02:00.004+08:00

Apologies for the long delay in getting this tutorial onto the site - have been very busy making all of this...

Some Puzzle Balls, Weaning Sets, and a Cloth Book Sling, for my friend Rae at Fishica

And finishing off some lovely Hand Development Toys made from Australian Native Timbers, which ~~will soon be up for sale~~ can be found here.

But enough of that and on to the Toy Tripod...

What you will need:

three 19mm dowels that are 1.2m long
three end caps (the kind you put on the bottom of chair legs)
three rubber chair protectors (also to go on the bottom of chair legs, but these are to stop them from slipping)
2m of thin rope
6 rubber o-rings
approx 2.5m of fabric
enough batting to cut a circle 1m in diameter
a sewing machine
one cute baby

So first of all you make the mat that your baby will lie on...

Cut out two circles of fabric 1m in diameter
Cut out one circle of batting 1m in diameter
Pin one of the fabric circles to the batting, with the right side facing away from the batting

Stitch across the two layers in random lines and curves, loosely quilting the fabric - this will be the top of the mat
Now cut 6 rectangular strips 25cm long and 4cm wide

Fold 1cm of one short end of each strip in and stitch to hem the rough edge
Fold each strip in half lengthwise and stitch 5mm from the edge all the way down the length
Turn the strip inside out and press so that the seam lies flat - these are the ties to tie the tripod to the mat
Lay the quilted fabric face-up and mark three equidistant points on its circumference - they will be approximately 90cms apart, no need to get too technical

Pin two ties at each point, with the hemmed ends pointing inwards
Lay the other fabric circle face down on top of the whole lot and pin
Stitch around the circumference of the circle, making sure you stitch through all the layers. Leave a small opening to turn the whole thing the right way

Turn and then stitch the opening closed, or top stitch the whole way round, closing the opening as you go
Press so that it all lays nice and flat

Now lash the three poles together after watching this video and channelling your inner scout. Roll an o-ring onto the poles at either end of the lashings to prevent the rope from slipping up or down the pole.

Pop a cap on the top of each pole and a rubber foot on the bottom of each pole. Stand the tripod up and secure to the mat with the little ties and make a hanging ring with the left-over rope which should be hanging down from the centre of the tripod.

Place your cute baby on the mat, hang a little toy from a piece of hat elastic (although please don't leave a long loop of elastic like the one in my photos - a very dangerous strangulation hazard which I have since remedied) and take heaps of pics. I'd love to see your baby enjoying his or her new tripod, so please email me some pictures!

P.S. I have had an overwhelming response to this tutorial, with many non-sewers asking me to make the mat for them. I am willing to do this, so if you are a non-sewer and think you can manage the rest of the tutorial by yourself, then email me to discuss... :)

Something in the making...

2011-03-15T20:03:00.000+08:00

I am working on a new tutorial for all you folks out there looking for a grasping toy hanger that is not made of plastic and luminous-coloured! Check back later this week to see what I've come up with...

The Crises of Development

2011-02-27T21:13:00.002+08:00

Much of what the adults in a Montessori environment (home or school) need to do for children, is related to the developmental crises of infancy. Dr Silvana Montanaro describes these crises in her book, Understanding the Human Being. She explains that if a child experiences complete resolution of each of these crises, then they should emerge from the period of infancy (the first three years of life) with a basic level of trust in the world, in themselves, and in their ability to function as competent and worthwhile participants of social life.

The key for parents of young children is to know what the crises are, when they occur, the characteristics of each crisis and also, most importantly, how to adequately assist the child in moving through each stage, and on to their next phase of development.

It is most important to understand that whilst we as adults may have a negative connotation attached to the word ‘crisis’, in the period of infancy, it presents a very positive opportunity for growth and development for the child, if supported in an appropriate manner. Each crisis can also be viewed in terms of separation – which also holds negative connotations for the adult. Judi Orion, Montessori Infant teacher trainer, says that “when we talk about separation and attachment , we see separation as a negative thing: we’re losing something. With attachment we see a positive thing: we are gaining something. When we talk about stages in separation and attachment, we have to accept that when a child needs to separate from something, it’s something they no longer need in order to grow. They’re going to attach to what they currently need for their continued growth.”

The first separation that the child undertakes is a separation from the womb.

This is the crisis of birth. Although the womb is a perfect environment, it can only fulfil the needs of the child for a short period of time, and will then no longer be adequate for the developing needs. Birth is a physical separation from the mother. The baby, once separate from the mother, needs to establish an attachment to the outside world, which replaces the connection he had with his mother in utero. Initially the mother is a representation of the ‘world’ for the newborn baby. The infant attaches to the new world she finds herself in, via the mother, in her arms, and through the relationship developed during feeding. This first period of attachment is called the symbiotic period and lasts for the first 6 to 8 weeks after birth. It is a fundamentally critical time, psychologically speaking, for the infant’s development. If the child has a strong attachment to the mother in this period, and if the mother facilitates this attachment, then after 8 weeks or so, the baby will be ready to separate and attach to the world outside of the mother’s arms. The mother is a secure base, from which the baby can experience the wider world, which she now becomes more interested in.

The mother can facilitate the resolution of the crisis of birth, and the subsequent attachment to the external mother, by creating a home environment in which their shared time in the initial weeks of life is protected and separate from the outside world. The role of the father, or other significant adult, is particularly important here, as they can act as a gatekeeper for the family and protect the fragile relationship that is being built between the newborn baby and the mother. The mother should be freely available to the infant during this time, and should respond promptly to any cries or signals of discomfort and need from her baby. The baby should not be handled unnecessarily, or passed around from person to person, but should be granted a period in which he can become accustomed to the new sensations of his body, skin and sense of touch. This is best achieved when a family makes a commitment to providing a close-knit and nurturing home environment that is almost cocoon-like in a way. The baby is not subjected to loud noises or bright lights and sensory stimulation is kept to a minimum. The period of symbiosis is over when the baby shows that he is ready for interaction with the world outside the mother’s arms. The infant becomes interested in noises and lights and is more alert. If the child develops a basic trust in the world in this first 6 to 8 weeks, they are really ready to turn outwards, separate and detach from the mother and go into this wider world.

The next opportunity for separation is usually during the sensitive period for weaning. The crisis of weaning usually begins when the child shows signs of readiness for introduction to solid food. This is usually around 6 months of age. Some of the signs are the ability to sit upright, the eruption of teeth, and an intense interest in watching others eat, even to the point of trying to grab food off the mother’s plate. Bear in mind that the weaning does not refer to the end of breastfeeding, but rather, the start of solid food experiences. The process of weaning concludes when the child ceases to drink milk as their main source of nutrition, and takes a number of months or longer, with each child having a different set of circumstances and needs. Anne McNamara wrote in an article for the NAMTA journal that Montessori parents should “guard against being influenced by our society’s preoccupation with freeing the mother from the baby, instead of allowing the baby to free himself from the mother...Babies are interested in nursing beyond their nutritional dependence on breast milk. This is because breastfeeding has psychological and emotional as well as nutritional benefits....It is important to encourage the observations and intuitions of mothers to know what is best for their children. Mothers need to be supported in letting their babies determine when and how long they need to nurse.”

When introducing food to the baby we take a number of variables into account: the baby’s temperament, her needs, her desire to try new things, and her willingness to try new things. When the introduction of solid food has been gradual, respectful and matched to the child’s individual timetable, and if we are sensitive to their likes and dislikes, they will most often wean themselves from the breast, naturally. Judi Orion explains that we “are not imposing our will on the child, but it does mean that if nursing has become a way we nurture the child, we find another way of nurturing.”

The crisis of objectivisation is another period for separation and attachment, this time of a very physical nature, as the child begins to move. At first she crawls, and then she walks away from the mother, returning periodically for reassurance and validation. It is important for the mother at this point, to communicate our belief in the child’s abilities, through our body language, facial expressions and words. This is also the period in which the child develops object permanence – the understanding that even if you can’t see something, it still exists. The correlation between the development of object permanence and the beginning of movement is striking, as the child who understands that their mother still exists, and is still available to them when needed, is more likely to confidently move away from her to explore their surroundings. It is our desire to see the child move into the walking plane very secure and very confident that she is equipped with many skills and is a capable person. The child who is stifled by her mother, or who’s mother communicates a lack of confidence in her ability to explore the environment and move away from her, will move into this plane with a very different idea about her capabilities.

At around 18 months of age, the child enters into the crisis of self-affirmation, sometimes called the crisis of opposition. The beginning of this period is marked by the use of the word “no”. This period is an ambivalent time for the child, who is leaving her infancy behind and moving towards childhood. She is torn between the drive to move forwards and become independent, and the desire to remain within the protective and nurturing circle that her mother provides. The child demonstrates her desire for self-affirmation through her activities and her language which are directed towards affirming herself as an individual. In the preceding period, particularly the symbiotic period, the child’s trust in the world is established. During the crisis of self-affirmation, the child’s trust in herself is established. This is when the child moves from believing that they are capable, to knowing that they can do things. She is no longer content with watching, she wants action, and most importantly she wants to be a collaborator. So we need to provide plenty of chances for her to do things, even if we think she might not be able to do them!

Silvana Montanaro advises parents that “behind the child’s ‘no’, is the desire to be recognised as a person who is already able to resolve many problems related to him...and to ask for his opinion much more often than is generally done.” She stresses that she is “not suggesting that it should be left to children to decide what to do. The idea is to simply avoid giving only orders and to leave a choice between alternatives when it is possible. In this period what really counts is helping the child to verify the importance of his presence in the family. Real collaboration comes only from those who do not feel overpowered and can contribute freely. We are not risking anything by offering choices, while the child gains very much, because we demonstrate that we consider him able to choose and that we respect his judgement. “

The end of this crisis is marked by the child’s use of the pronoun, “I”. This is the sign that he has really integrated himself as an autonomous human being. He understands that he is unique and not really a part of anyone else, but separate and individual.

“By the age of three, the model for the human being that is developing within the child is complete. Crisis periods are favourable for change, not only in children, but in all who participate in them.” – Understanding the Human Being, Silvana Montanaro

Materials for Cognitive Development

2011-02-09T21:13:00.010+08:00

Matching

Matching Stage 1:
The young child, beginning around the age of 12 months, is starting to perceive fine details and is learning to match identical objects.

Matching Stage 2:
The child progresses on to be able to match concrete objects to identical pictures

Matching Stage 3:
The child is now able to match objects and pictures to non-identical pictures

When presenting this work, choose one object from the box, and place it on the work mat. Then choose the matching object or picture and lay this to the right of the first object. No words are necessary...the child will perceive the match and will indicate an interest in completing the work or taking a turn if they are ready for this work. If your child wants to complete the work but makes an error, don't correct them, this step will come naturally if they are allowed to see their errors in their own time.

Fish Matching (Matching Stage 1 and Stage 2)
As a first step in matching, the toddler pairs the fish models together. Once they are able to do this confidently, you can present the cards to renew interest in the work. The toddler then matches each model to its corresponding picture.
There are 5 different sets available - each has 8 models (4 matching pairs) and a set of identical picture cards. Purchase one set for a beginners job, or add more sets as your toddler becomes adept at matching the familiar models.
Realistic models. Cards are printed on 100gsm presentation paper and laminated. Rounded corners for safe handling. Work is presented in drawstring bag and is ready to use. $20

The Butterfly Life Cycle (Matching Stage 2 and Stage 3)
In this work, the child matches the models of the butterfly life cycle (caterpillar, pupa, hatchling, new butterfly, adult butterfly) to the identical pictures. Once this stage has been achieved the non-identical cards of the set can be introduced, and the child matches them to the models.
Beautiful, realistic models. Cards are printed on 100gsm presentation paper and laminated. Rounded corners for safe handling. Work is presented in a small drawstring bag and is ready to use. $25

Picture - Silhouette Matching

This work is a variation on Matching Stage 2 and can be presented when the child is well acquainted with Stage 2 matching exercises. The child lays out all the picture cards and then finds their corresponding silhouettes. At first, one can start with only two pairs, and then add more as your child becomes more adept at recognising and matching them. An extension to this work is to give the child the names for the animals as they lay the cards out. Most often non-verbal young children will point to something that they want the name for, so wait for this to happen before you start this extension.

$15 per set or $80 for all six sets

Set 1 - Mammals (camel, flying fox, sperm whale, african elephant, sumatran tiger, polar bear, platypus, chimpanzee)

Set 2 - Birds (brown kiwi, emperor penguin, lesser flamingo, reeve's pheasant, black crowned crane, salmon-crested cockatoo, barn owl, keel-billed toucan)

Set 3 - Reptiles (carpet python, egyptian cobra, gharial, gould's monitor, short horned lizard, green basilisk, hawksbill turtle, jackson's chameleon)

Set 4 - Amphibians (asian horned toad, dainty green treefrog, fire salamander, goliath frog, mudpuppy, red-eyed treefrog, surinam toad, terrestrial caecilian)

Set 5 - Fish (alaska blackfish, butterfly fish, gulper eel, ocean sunfish, angel shark, pacific hagfish, potbellied seahorse, scalloped hammerhead)

Set 6 - Insects (bulldog ant, bumblebee, firefly, five-spotted ladybug, giraffe weevil, great green bush cricket, indian moon moth, swallowtail butterfly)

Other sets with the four other vertebrate classes coming soon...

Sorting and Categorisation

The next step after matching work. Sorting and classifying (or categorisation) are skills that we use in thinking and reasoning about everything we see, touch, taste, hear and smell. We use the skills of sorting and classifying to help us heighten awareness, focus attention, and verbalise the patterns that we see. Sorting and classifying are a part of mathematics, a part of language, a part of science...

The young child looks and listens, thinks and learns, defines and redefines. Attributes are sorted and classified and then sorted and classified all over again when something new is added to their framework.

Stage 1 Sorting and Classifying:

The child sorts objects are that identical in every attribute, except for one, into their respective categories.

Stage 2 Sorting and Classifying:

The child sorts objects that differ in more than one attribute.

Stage 3 Sorting and Classifying:

The child classifies objects that are similar but not identical.

Colour Sorting Cards

This work is Stage 3 Sorting and Classifying. There are 60 cards to sort and classify, representing 10 everyday objects, and 6 colours. The cards use real photographs and are laminated with rounded corners. The set comes ready to use in a small drawstring bag, with a separate instruction pamphlet for parents. $30

Picture Frame

This beautiful handmade picture frame is made from recycled pine, and is made specially to hold the Bits of Intelligence picture cards available from the gentle revolution website. It has no glass and is designed to hold the whole set of cards at once, so that you simply rotate the order of the set to change the view. Hang at the child's eye level and change the picture often to maintain interest.

$25

Puzzle Matching

This sweet little wooden layered puzzle helps the toddler to distinguish sizes - from the Daddy Penguin all the way down to the Baby. Built in control of error means that each puzzle piece will only fit in its own spot, and the puzzle can only be completed when all the penguins are placed in their proper position. The puzzle comes with a set of matching cards, a family of penguins all in black. The silhouette penguins are made from velour and provide an extra sensorial dimension to the young child's work, as they run their fingers over the tactile surface prior to matching. Also included is a photograph of a real penguin (not pictured), and the set comes in a little drawstring bag, ready to use.

$30

We also have a dolphin set available now...not pictured, but has the same contents as above with a dolphin puzzle, cards and photo.

Materials for Sleeping

2011-02-09T20:41:00.000+08:00

Tencel Bedding
An increasing number of children suffer from sensitive skin and skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis. Childhood asthma is also on the rise. Often these conditions are exacerbated by the bedding they sleep on. We are pleased to be able to offer a fantastic product made from the revolutionary natural fibre “Tencel”, for your child’s bed.
Tencel is a pure and natural cellulose fibre derived from renewable resource eucalyptus wood. Tencel has amazing properties that make it perfect for use on your child’s bed.

· It is super soft and smooth to touch, for comfort.

· It absorbs moisture evenly and 50% more efficiently than cotton

· It helps to regulate the temperature of your child’s skin

· It retards bacterial growth, offers protection from dustmites and is hypo-allergenic

· It has excellent washing performance

· It is 100% natural and pure

The Cumfysafe fitted sheet offers waterproof yet breathable mattress protection and you can sleep directly on the fitted sheet. Easy wash, wrinkle free and no iron. Comes in five colours (white, pink, light blue, lemon and cream) and six sizes from cot to king, plus pillow case protectors. Whilst this product does offer superior mattress protection, if you are intending to use for bedwetting, I would recommend purchasing a fully waterproof drawsheet (also available from us) to be extra sure your mattress stays totally dry.

Priced from $29.99

Materials for Weaning

2011-02-09T20:36:00.001+08:00

Materials for Weaning

This is one of the three "crises" of separation experienced by the very young child. As such it should be viewed as an important milestone in the infant's development and treated with sensitivity. As always we aim to provide tools that are child-sized and help your baby to be as independent as they can be when learning to eat food.

Infant's Cutlery Set with Pouch

This little cutlery set has a knife, fork and spoon (all 12cm high) and a tiny little spoon for baby's very first tastes of food. The machine-washable pouch is useful for taking the little set with you when out and about, and the flap keeps the cutlery clean and ready to use. Stainless steel, dishwasher safe cutlery. You choose the colour scheme.
$30

Water Bottle

These child-sized stainless steel water bottles are perfect for times when you are on the go. It is important to remember that bottles with teats and sippy spouts do not support a child's move to independent drinking - this is achieved through the use of a small glass at mealtimes and other times when your child wants a drink at home. However, with most families needing to be out and about it is not always practical or possible to provide a real glass and a prepared environment in which to use it! This clever little kit will help your little person to stay hydrated whilst on the go, and offers a spout for every age and stage.

$25

Materials for Hand Development

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Materials for Hand Development
These toys will take the child through the stages of hand development and fine motor control, from the reflexive palmer grasp, to the palmer grip, and later the pincer grip. They encourage the baby to pass objects from one hand to another, to using both hands simultaneously, to using one hand dominantly while the other hand supports.

Grasping Beads

Our grasping beads are made from a variety of materials including wood, resin, coral, stone, glass and pottery. Grasping Beads are offered to the child to help the transition between the reflexive Palmer Grasp and intentional prehension. The child moves from grasping anything placed in his palm, to being able to voluntarily grasp and let go of objects. The beads offer stimulating sensory contrasts with various shapes, textures, colours and temperatures. Offered to infants when they begin to observe their own hands, usually between 10 and 12 weeks of age.
$12 - $20 depending on type of beads used

Montessori Puzzle Ball

A soft ball with great visual contrast due to its unique shape. The ball is very versatile, following your child from infancy through to toddlerhood. At first it can be hung from a hook above the child for batting at and grasping. It can be used for helping a sitting infant (around 6 months old) to develop the skill of tranferring things from one hand to the other. It will be joyfully followed by a crawling baby because it does not roll too fast or too far. It makes a great first catching ball for older toddlers as its shape is easier to catch than a closed spherical ball. A jingling bell can be sewn into the ball for added interest, and a variety of colours and textures can be used when choosing fabrics.
$30 - with or without bell. Made to order with colour scheme of your choice.

Grasping Bell and Hoop
Hang these above your baby's playmat for grasping and batting practice. Guaranteed to bring a smile to every little face, and made with eye-catching black, white and red ribbon with loops for hanging. If you attach a piece of elastic to the top of the ribbon, you baby will enjoy grabbing the objects and pulling them down to his mouth.
Set of 2, $20

Egg and Cup

The Egg and Cup are a favourite toy for the child who is using two hands together and transferring things from hand to hand. The concept of "in" and "out" delights the infant, especially when mum or dad says the words while they perform the action. This lovely wooden toy only needs a little oil (olive or almond oils are ideal) every now and again to retain its beautiful natural lustre. Available in pine $12 or sheoak $16

Mini Maraca

A tiny little maraca, just right for tiny little hands. Only 15cms high, this quality musical instrument has a beautiful tone. Neither too loud nor too quiet, and the perfect weight for a little one to learn "cause and effect". Offered to the young child who is grasping and reaching with intent (usually any time after 12 weeks), they will delight in hearing you say, "shake, shake, shake" while they move the maraca to make a sound. $15

Water Pump

This pump is great for little toddler hands. Simply place the bottom of the pump into a tub of water and pump the yellow handle up and down until the water flows out of the spout. Easy to hold, and pump with a durable design. Helps to develop hand coordination, as the child's hands are doing different things simultaneously in order to get the water to flow.
Perfect for a water table and is great for bath time too! $18

Palmer Grasp Cylinder Block

This is a first introduction to the Montessori Cylinder work which is most prominent at the Children's House level. The Palmer Grasp Cylinder is offered to the baby who is sitting and using two hands simultaneously. Our cylinder blocks are made of Pine and the cylinders are made of Prickly Pear or Poplar wood. They come in raw, unfinished wood and can be preserved with olive oil or beeswax. $18

Pincer Grasp Cylinder Block

The next step in the Cylinder Block series, the Pincer Grasp Cylinder Block offers an opportunity for the baby to develop his ability to grasp things between his forefinger and thumb. The in-out action proves irresistable for this age-group, making this toy a firm favourite. The block is made from Blue Gum and the cylinder is made from Sheoak. $24

Interlocking Discs

Made from Sheoak, these discs provide a fascinating opportunity to grasp with fingers, twist and turn the wrists and explore with the mouth. Sealed with olive oil and sanded to a smooth finish. A traditional Montessori infant toy. $10

Stacking Rings

These stacking rings, made from Karri timber with a Pine base, provide the child with a chance to develop their fine motor skills. Fitting the rings onto the dowels requires patience and perseverance as they are a slim fit. The rings also offer the added dimension of counting 1, 2, and 3. $25

The Visual Mobile Series

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The Visual Mobile Series
The Visual Mobiles are presented to the baby who is not yet reaching with purpose or grasping with intent. They are hung out of touching distance, but not so far away that the baby cannot focus on them.
We sell these mobiles as kits to reduce postage costs. Kits contain all elements of the mobile prepared and ready to hang on the dowels (you provide the dowel, except for the Munari dowels which are provided). A set of instructions for assembling and hanging is included with each mobile kit. Prices reflect the cost of materials used, as well as time to prepare each element. If you would like us to prepare the whole mobile so that it reaches you ready to hang, please just ask!

The Munari Mobile is the first mobile in the Visual Mobile Series presented to the child at between 3 and 6 weeks of age. It is designed according to a precise formula based on the size of the glass sphere (please note that we are currently unable to source the glass spheres from our suppliers. We are now producing this mobile with a sphere wrapped in white satin ribbon, similar to the ones in the Gobbi Mobile) This appeals to the innate sense of order and mathematical relationships that every human being demonstrates from the very beginning of life. The mobile is delicately counterbalanced and moves slowly and gently to offer the young infant an opportunity to develop his skills of visual focusing and tracking. The black and white shapes provide the greatest visual contrast for the infant's limited visual perception, in recognition of the fact that their ability to perceive colour is not fully developed at this stage. This mobile should be hung fairly close to the child since he is unable to focus his vision on objects that are far away - however it should not be so close that he can touch it.
$35 - kit includes specially prepared dowels for hanging

The Octahedron Mobile is the second mobile in the Visual Mobile Series, presented to the child when he becomes habituated to the Munari and to match his developing visual perception skills. Attraction to novelty is a tool of nature which directs the infant to seek out knowledge which they have not previously had about their world. The octahedrons are designed to lay the foundations for future understandings of geometric proportion, relationships and patterns. They are named for the ancient Greek philosopher, Plato. The octahedrons are primary coloured to respond to the baby's growing ability to perceive colour (with red being the easiest and blue the most difficult). Presented between 5-8 weeks of age.
$25 - comes as a kit with everything you need to assemble, you provide the dowel

The third mobile in the Visual Mobile Series, the Gobbi Mobile is a set of small spheres in graded shades of one colour. This mobile is presented to infants between 7 and 10 weeks old. It represents a further step in the development of the child's visual sense, in which she can now perceive more subtle variations in colour. The mobile is named for Gianna Gobbi, an Assistant to Infancy trained by Maria Montessori. Each sphere is individually wrapped in satin ribbon which, when suspended near a window, catches and reflects the light beautifully.
$45 for 5 spheres - comes as a kit with everything you need to assemble, you provide the dowel

This is a handmade, felt version of the Spiel and Holz Harmony Wings Mobile. The original mobile is made from stained wood and contains more elements and colours. We chose to modify this beautiful counterbalanced mobile to fit with the Montessori principle that more than 8 elements in any "work" presented to the infant/toddler is inappropriate for their sensory capabilities. Also, we have represented the colours as they appear on the light spectrum, to build in an element of indirect preparation for future learning.
$35 - comes as a kit, you assemble with thread provided

A Child's Environment

2011-02-04T21:06:00.005+08:00

A large part of Montessori theory and practice is the preparation of an environment that is exactly matched to the child's needs. Montessori adults use the prepared environment to stimulate spontaneous activity in the child, and often when a child is misbehaving the cause can be traced back to something in the environment. By altering the child's environment, we remove the cause for the misbehaviour and the child is once again able to function freely and spontaneously. It is especially important to remember that the young child (under the age of 3) in the period of the unconscious absorbent mind. This means that they are developmentally primed to absorb everything around them, indiscriminately, and use it to form their framework of knowledge and understanding of their world.

"So the first period of life has been fixed for the storing of impressions from the environment, and is therefore the period of the greatest psychic (mental) activity; it is the activity of absorbing everything that there is in the environment."

Education for a New World - Maria Montessori

Infants and toddlers are therefore the most receptive to a specially prepared environment, since it will most likely furnish them with the tools that they are innately guided to seek for their self-development. This concept can sound very esoteric to parents who are new to the philosophy that Dr Montessori proposed, however, it really is quite simple when you break through the jargon and look at it in practical terms.

Every baby is born with an inner guide that helps him or her to seek out the things in their environment which are needed to grow and learn. This inner guide is very sensitive to influences from outside, and can be overpowered by a forceful adult who tries to replace the child's own guide, with his or her conscious adult will. Montessori parents are conscious of the importance of respecting the child's inner guide and understand that they can provide the most beneficial help to their growing baby by exerting their considerable influence upon their child's environment, rather than upon their child!

So how does one prepare an environment for a infant or toddler? There are a few things to keep in mind.

The “prepared environment” (at all planes of development) must

× facilitate spontaneous activity

× accommodate deep concentration

× allow maximum freedom

× foster independence

× nurture the imagination based on reality

× promote social interaction

Montessori Education and Optimal Experience - Kevin Rathunde

1. Keep it Simple

Infants and toddlers are bombarded with sensory information every second of their awake time. Their brains are still too immature to "screen" out the less important stimuli, and so they become overstimulated or overwhelmed a lot quicker than older children and adults. This process of sensory screening takes a number of years to develop, and is one of the reasons why we keep Montessori environments for the youngest child, very simple.

"One of the brain's major learning tasks is to organise the confusing array of sensory stimuli that start bombarding the infant at birth. For this, children need an environment over which they feel some control."

Endangered Minds - Jane Healy

Only have on hand the things your child needs and uses every day. No unnecessary clutter and only a few chosen items for stimulation. So look at what your child is doing developmentally and choose the items that match that development. A newborn baby sleeps a lot of the time. So a carefully thought-out sleeping space will be important for this little one. They will need to feel secure and warm and peaceful. For this reason many Montessori parents choose a Moses basket or Cestina, for the first weeks of life. This provides the newborn with a soft, protective space in which they can nestle yet still see the outside world. A topponcino (a special carrying pad) will also help the little one to feel secure when being moved about and when being passed from person to person.

2. Keep it Ordered

Children in this first phase of development have an extreme sensitivity for external order. That is, they use the order of the things around them, to establish and determine an internal order in their framework of knowledge. The experience of the world, to the young child, is like visiting a foreign country that you have never been to before. Not only is the language incomprehensible, but you are also disoriented and need to learn your way around. This is so much easier in a place where things are laid out logically and in an orderly fashion. Imagine waking up each day to find that the whole town had been changed around during the night and you had start from square one to reorient yourself before you could even begin the day's activities! Changes to your child's environment should take place gradually and preferably in front of them, so that they can assimilate the changes to their internal "map" which they have been developing from birth.

"We like to live in an orderly environment because it ministers to a sense of comfort in us, and aids our efficiency."

Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work - EM Standing

3. Keep it Free

The concept of freedom is central to the Montessori approach. Montessori parents the world over strive to structure their child's environment to support freedom for their little one. If your child is free to act upon their environment then you will be able to observe their true nature, and their needs, both physical and emotional, will become evident to you. This will give you valuable information about what your toddler needs next, and will allow you to keep the environment matched to their changing needs. Freedom should not be confused with license - although as adults we can often err on the side of too little freedom rather than too much! A good rule of thumb is to ask these questions: Is my child acting of their own will? Is this activity safe? Is this activity respectful of other people? Is this activity appropriate for this place? Is my child able to do this independently or can I be available to offer assistance if needed? If the answer is yes, then let them be...If the answer is no, then don't dismiss the activity out of hand. Find a way to make it happen for them so that your answer can be yes! Adapt the environment so that you can allow this freedom for your child.

"To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely."

Source Unknown - Maria Montessori

4. Keep the Choices

Another essential component of authentic Montessori practice is respecting the right of the child to choose their own activity. Even the youngest child has the ability to choose and the more you incorporate this into your daily interactions with them, the greater their sense of self will be nurtured. In theory the child should be able to choose to do any activity, for any duration, at any time.

Therefore it is especially important that you prepare the environment so that it only includes those activities which fit these conditions. If you don't want the child to choose an activity, then perhaps you should consider removing it from the environment so that you don't need to say "no" when your child chooses it.

"A structured environment consists of routine actions, reasonable limits, consistency and child involvement."

Bright From the Start - Jill Stamm

"The environment must be so arranged that they can carry out these activities in their own way and at their own rate."

Education for Human Development - Mario Montessori Jr

By allowing your child to choose, you are directly supporting their will development, and helping to give them a sense of control and mastery of themselves. This is so important for the development of a healthy self-image and sense of worth. If you have put love and thought into preparing an environment filled with "motives for activity", then you can sit back and observe your young child making reasoned and deliberate choices, and engaging with their chosen activity to a high degree. This is rarely possible when you are busy orchestrating their day and when the main activities are chosen by you.

"Every living creature possesses the power to choose, in a complex and many-sided environment, that thing, and only that, which is conducive to its life."

Education for a New World - Maria Montessori

"The first thing to do is to enrich his life by an environment in which he will become the owner of something, and to enrich his mind by knowledge and experience based on reality. "

The Advanced Montessori Method - Maria Montessori

"Sometimes very small children in a proper environment develop a skill and exactness in their work that can only surprise us." Source Unknown - Maria Montessori

5. Keep it Real

Children under the age of 3 learn by imitating what they see around them. Never again will your child want to clean and dust and sweep, as much as they do in this period. By preparing your home environment so that it facilitates and encourages your child's interest in practical life activities, you will be helping them to fulfil their desire to play an important role in their family life. Every child is driven by a deep, social desire to belong. Given opportunities to do real work, that benefits their family, your toddler will feel a sense of satisfaction and take great pleasure in these activities. Think of ways to adapt the home environment to your child's size so that they can be independent in dressing, getting themselves a drink, toileting, brushing their teeth, watering plants, feeding the cat, dusting. A useful way to facilitate this work is to analyse each component of the task. If you walk yourself through every step of the job, and then picture your toddler completing each step, you will probably pick up on things that will not "work" and things they will not be able to do alone. You can then adapt and adjust the activity so that their independence is fostered.

"The exercises of practical life are formative activities, a work of adaptation to the environment. Such adaptation to the environment and efficient functioning therein is the very essence of a useful education."

Source Unknown - Maria Montessori

"A young child's environment directly and permanently influences the structure and eventual function of his or her brain. Everything a child sees, touches, hears, feels, tastes, thinks and so on translates into electrical activity in just a subset of his or her synapses, tipping the balance for long-term survival in their favour. On the other hand, synapses that are rarely activated - whether because of languages never heard, music never made, sports never played, mountains never seen, love never felt - will wither and die. Lacking adequate electrical activity, they lose the race, and the circuits they were trying to establish - for flawless Russian, perfect pitch, an exquisite backhand, a deep reverence for nature, healthy self-esteem - never come to be."

What's Going On In There - Lise Eliot

"It is self-evident that the possession of and contact with real things brings, above all, a real quantity of knowledge. There is no description, no image in any book that is capable of replacing the sight of real trees, and all of the life to be found around them in a real forest."

Source Unknown - Maria Montessori

"The prepared environment should bring the world at large, within the reach of the child at whatever stage of development it is, at a given moment."

Education for Human Development - Mario Montessori Jr

6. Keep it Active

It is important to remember that the young child is very focussed on movement. If an activity offers a chance to work on their motor skills it will be very attractive to them. Children under three are simply driven to move - they are almost incapable of remaining still and find it very difficult to control this strong impulse. In our modern times it is very easy for a day to pass by in which our young children are seated and restrained for most of the day. They might eat their breakfast in a high chair in which they are unable to seat themselves, and need adult assistance to get out of. They might then travel in a car seat to the shops where they are placed in a shopping cart to keep out of trouble while mum does the grocery shopping. Then, back into the car seat to go home. They may then go for a walk (in a pram, because mum needs to maximise her exercise time and can't walk at a toddler pace), or bike ride (in a bike carrier or kiddy trailer). They could even have a swing at the park (in a seat with a chain that is opened and released with a childproof catch)...you get the picture!

If your home environment is structured to provide freedom of movement, your baby or toddler will have fewer tantrums, and be happily engaged for more time each day. Ideas to help in this regard include the use of a floor bed, a conscious limitation on the amount of time spent in restraints, a safe place for gross motor play, activities for free choice which assist the development of fine motor coordination and most importantly, time. A hurried child cannot commit to deep and serious work. They learn to operate at a superficial level of concentration if they are constantly interrupted. This has serious implications for later learning.

"Education is a natural process carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words, but by experiences in the environment."

Source Unknown - Maria Montessori

"A well-designed environment is, of course, safe for infants and toddlers but, more than that, it supports their emotional well-being, stimulates their senses, and challenges their motor skills. The needs of infants and toddlers are to move, to change activities at will, to rest and observe.

Motor competence and emotional competence are closely linked in infants and toddlers. Feeding oneself, crawling to a desired toy and picking it up, climbing to the top of a loft, and going down a slide are all activities that help the infant develop a sense of self, a feeling that he is capable, that he can achieve, that he can master.
The indoor environment must support a child's need to crawl, climb, run, and jump."

www.spacesforchildren.com - Louis Torelli and Charles Durrett

And just in case you had any doubts about the importance of environment in nurturing your young child here are a few more quotes to inform and inspire you!

"The brain literally evolves in response to experience and to the environment. In fact, forming, refining, and eliminating neural connections is the main task of early brain development. The particular network of wires that your child grows is unique to him."

Bright From the Start - Jill Stamm

"People are what they are as a result of their own specific environments. The life force adapts itself to fit the environment."

Nurtured By Love - Shinichi Suzuki

"We must provide environments for children in which their 'human plan' can realise itself. Our question is therefore how we can avoid conditioning from the outside and promote an optimum process of maturing from the inside."

Raising Curious, Creative, Confident Kids - Rebeca Wild

"An important factor in stimulating the nervous system to develop and help human beings to progress and evolve is the kind of environment offered to them."

Understanding the Human Being - Silvana Quatrocchi Montanaro

"Man is the son of his environment."

Ability Development for Age Zero - Shinichi Suzuki

And the winner is....

2011-01-31T20:19:00.000+08:00

The winner of the Gobbi Mobile Giveaway is Amanda of Bloom Where You are Planted! If you could please email me, Amanda, I will arrange to get the mobile to you asap. I assigned numbers to each name, randomly, and my hubby picked number 15 which was your number...

Well done and thanks to everyone who entered and who is now a follower. I am working on an article about the Child's Environment, which will be posted in the next couple of days. So check back soon...

Losing your Marbles?

2011-01-25T09:24:00.000+08:00

This has got to be the coolest toy I've ever seen. It beats a regular marble run hands down!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTxmTTisThY

Gotta get my hubby working on one of these (for me!)

Lost Adventures of Childhood

2011-01-11T22:13:00.000+08:00

This program screened recently on ABC tv here in Australia. The online episode is available for another 12 days if you want to take a look! Very interesting viewing...

Giveaway

2011-01-03T08:19:00.000+08:00

To celebrate the start of this blog and little Montessori shop we are giving away a free Gobbi Mobile to one lucky reader! To enter just sign up as a follower and post a comment telling us why you would love to win this beautiful handmade Montessori Mobile. If you would like an extra entry simply post about this giveaway on your blog and then email me the link.
The winning entry will be drawn out of a hat on January 31^st at 8pm Western Australian Time.
This giveaway is open to Montessori fans all over the world.