My Blog
Independent Children = Happy Children
Take a look at this beautiful and sensible kitchen arrangement from An Everyday Story, which encourages independence and satisfies the needs of two different-aged children. My favorite part is how she uses cupboards as shelves. Using the space you have instead of feeling like you have to set up additional shelves is INSPIRED!!
A Celebration of Work on Labor Day Weekend
Going to work... Doing housework, yard work, homework... Yuck! For adults, work is something we want to do as little of as possible, because it takes time away from play! (This was recently confirmed by the Twitter Mood Map, which showed that people are considerably happier on the weekends, when fewer of us work.)
It's therefore understandable that one of the Montessori concepts which can throw parents for a loop is the idea that their little child will "work" in the classroom. Here are some…
It's therefore understandable that one of the Montessori concepts which can throw parents for a loop is the idea that their little child will "work" in the classroom. Here are some…
Happy 142nd Birthday, Maria Montessori!
142 years ago today, a baby girl was born in Chiaravalle, Italy. She grew up to become a visionary and advocate for the rights of children. Her legacy lives on in the work of countless teachers, administrators, and parents who have seen the child through her eyes and have tried to understand the secret of childhood.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARIA MONTESSORI!!! Thank you for guiding my parents so I could have a happy childhood and for helping me become a more capable parent so my son can grow up with jo…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARIA MONTESSORI!!! Thank you for guiding my parents so I could have a happy childhood and for helping me become a more capable parent so my son can grow up with jo…
He Likes to Move It, Move It...
I had the good fortune of capturing Zach on video while he worked on his gross motor skills. (Please pardon the wonky camera angle; I didn't want him to know I was filming him.) I want to share what I recorded because I feel it illustrates several key principles for supporting the development of movement...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhZOv680Q9k
Motives for movement: The development of movement is two-pronged. There is an evolutionary drive to move that comes from within the child, but it mu…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhZOv680Q9k
Motives for movement: The development of movement is two-pronged. There is an evolutionary drive to move that comes from within the child, but it mu…
To Walk is Noble
A recent post on How We Montessori addressed the importance of letting toddlers walk when they show enthusiasm for it. Yes, a walking toddler slows you down, but what's your hurry? Parents are always claiming that they want to stimulate their child's intelligence, and yet they put a stop to the ONE activity that will most enhance cognitive growth - purposeful movement.
It has always driven me NUTS to see three-year olds being pushed in strollers. Have you looked at a child's face when he's sit…
It has always driven me NUTS to see three-year olds being pushed in strollers. Have you looked at a child's face when he's sit…
The Items In Our Basket Go Round and Round
Zach just turned 7 months and he's on the move! I'm intrigued by how much effort he puts into his movements and can only imagine how difficult it must be to drag yourself around a room when your arms won't hold you up reliably, your legs tuck under you but then splay right out again, and your head weighs the same as the rest of your body. Regardless, our little boy continues to grunt and inch his way towards whatever catches his attention.
To support this developmental phase, I've placed in his…
To support this developmental phase, I've placed in his…Gobbi Tutorial, Part II (Hanging the Gobbi)
To see Part I (Making the Gobbi mobile), click here.
My dear friend Junnifa, who's taking the Assistants to Infancy training, was kind enough to give me guidance and sent me the two pictures that show how to hang the Gobbi mobile. I love her beautiful results! Thanks Junnifa!!! :)
Materials:
First, draw a straight line on a piece of paper or a whiteboard. Line u…
My dear friend Junnifa, who's taking the Assistants to Infancy training, was kind enough to give me guidance and sent me the two pictures that show how to hang the Gobbi mobile. I love her beautiful results! Thanks Junnifa!!! :)
Materials:
- Large piece of paper or whiteboard
- Pencil or marker
- Ruler or straight edge
- Dowel
- More embroidery thread (optional)
First, draw a straight line on a piece of paper or a whiteboard. Line u…
Dog Days of Summer
When Zach was a newborn, we had a hammock set up in our family room/bedroom. I spent several nights dozing with him on that hammock in the fog of early motherhood. We eventually took it down to put up the mobiles, but a few days ago Zach was grumpy, so my husband decided to rock him. Within minutes, our baby was asleep with his hanging wooden ring safely tucked in his hand (check out the toes!!)...
When my husband's younger sister was a baby, she received as a gift a cloth frog that could ass…
When my husband's younger sister was a baby, she received as a gift a cloth frog that could ass…
The Realities of a Floor Bed (i.e. You don't always get to call the shots with a Montessori child)
This week, Zach came to the exciting realization that he could transport himself across a room. Using a combination of army crawling, slithering, and rolling, he covers the span of his bedroom in mere seconds. His new-found ability has made me appreciate the genius of the floor bed even more, but it has also reminded me that nature is in charge here, not me.
Yesterday we had to go to L.A. for the first half of the day, so poor Zach basically spent 5 hours in a car seat (mostly asleep). Needle…
Yesterday we had to go to L.A. for the first half of the day, so poor Zach basically spent 5 hours in a car seat (mostly asleep). Needle…
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