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Montessori Short Bead Stairs
It’s hard to think of a way to make maths more attractive to a child than with a treasure chest of jewels. The Montessori Short Bead Stair is appealing to adults and children alike. It is irresistibe! There’s something about the colours, the compartments, the order, the shiny surfaces which is so inviting that you want to find out what this box is all about. What is the Montessori Short Bead Stair The beads are a material used by children throughout their primary school years to learn mathematical facts and processes. From straightforward counting to simple processes like counting on and addition to step counting and even multiplication and the…
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Montessori Appropriate Fiction about Animals
In our home we tend to stick to five principles of Montessori Appropriate fiction, you can read more about them here, this can be tricky because Alfie LOVES animals and finding realistic animal fiction is tough. I’ve divided this list in two the first section features books with nothing unrealistic in terms of behaviour or ability, the second has some very mild fantasy. I’m happy to include some fantasy (Alfie is 3.5y) because this is a home not a school! Alfie spends so much time with real animals he knows the limits of their abilities. Likewise he can ‘read’ animal behaviours so knows they can think and have feelings eg…
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Dealing with Unwanted Gifts in a Montessori Home
What to do with non-Montessori gifts, alternatives to sugges and what to say when they just won’t listen!
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Montessori with Young Children Close In Age
7 tips from Montessori Moms for doing Montessori at home with two or more children
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Helping Siblings Share
Five Montessori inspired ways to encourage sharing between young siblings
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Potty Training with Montessori
Potty training was one of the parenting challenges I was dreading. I’d heard horror story after horror story and had built it up to be an impossible task…and a messy one and a stressful one and a long one and a potentially psychologically damaging one. No wonder I was dreading it! However I’d also heard from several Montessori parents that when a child was ready they would potty train themselves. That sounded idea! Where would I find one of these Montessori kids?! As it tired out that’s exactly what happened. Starting Potty Training with Montessori Two weeks ago following his afternoon rest I asked Alfie if he wanted pants or…
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Montessori at Home: Preparing a Toddler for a Newborn
Before Indi’s arrival one of my main concerns was Alfie’s reaction. Would he be jealous? Would he feel left out? Would he experience resentment? Would he become anxious? I think this is a worry that many parents share when introducing a toddler to a new baby. I’ve made a list of all the ways we prepared him to be a big brother and I’ve tried to list them in order of their helpfulness. When I thought about what a toddler would find stressful about a new baby’s arrival I started to understand the amount of changes a child would have to adapt to in a short space of time. My…
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Montessori from Birth: Parenting For Peace
One of the things that people seem to notice most about Alfie (and Montessori kids in general) is his maturity. I don’t mean in the sense that he isn’t childish – he’s not even two yet! I mean in his peacefulness which strangers recognise in his ability to wait patiently, to fix himself a snack, to answer questions or follow directions and to find purposeful activity in whatever environment he’s in. Montessori with a Newborn How has this happened? Through the principles of Montessori. From the start of Alfie’s life we allowed him independence. From the moment he was born we accepted his individuality. We tried to understand that he…
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The Symbiotic Period – Caring for a Newborn with Montessori
The first week’s of a newborn’s life are referred to as They Symbiotic Period. Their primary occupation in this phase is adjusting to life outside the womb. Unlike other phases of child development this phase is shared with the whole family. When you have a newborn it’s easy to forget that this tiny, mewing bundle is no longer an extension of your body! It is important to respect the child during the Symbiotic Period and give them the space, love and time they need to absorb the changes that birth brings. Parents and siblings have similar needs during this wonderful time. What is The Symbiotic Period? “Developing the right type…
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Montessori Baby Shower Gifts
The best Montessori baby shower gifts. Toys a newborn will use and adore in their first months.
