I have joined in with Carine from the Montessori Family blog, who is doing a Montessori challenge for every month this year. Each month I will be posting about a space in our home and talking about the challenges we face with it, and how we have improved it or plan to improve it. This…
Read MoreMontessori coat flip
(Well, in this instance, cardigan flip.) The coat flip is a fantastic trick to help toddlers put on their cardigans and coats independently. I have been demonstrating the Montessori coat flip to Frida for a couple of weeks now but she has shown absolutely no interest in trying for herself. Today she finally decided to…
Read MoreMontessori toddler wardrobe
Now that the rest of Frida’s room is working well for her, I thought it was high time that I finally organised her closet space into something more Montessori-inspired. Because we don’t have the space in our home for a dedicated playroom, Frida’s room doubles as her main play-space (well, actually it is only a…
Read MorePractical life: cleaning for the new year
Happy 2017! A new year always makes me want to clear and sort and clean and tidy, especially after the festive period. I know it is a cliche to talk about starting the year as you mean to go on, but I think there’s something positive and important about trying to set positive intentions for…
Read MoreIntroducing knobbed cylinders
For Christmas, my mum bought Frida a set of mini knobbed cylinders. I’m not sure exactly which ones they are as I didn’t choose them, but this set looks the same. Knobbed cylinders are a traditional Montessori material, used to develop a child’s sensory awareness as well as problem solving skills and fine motor skills.…
Read MoreFarewell, 2016
I hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas / Chanukah / festive season. Please excuse my absence over the last couple of weeks – I thought I would treat myself to a short blogging break over the holidays. We have had a wonderful few days, celebrating with my side of the family on Christmas…
Read MoreWater transfer using a pipette
Today Frida spent some time working to transfer water using a pipette. This is a really nice activity for toddlers as it helps develop their fine motor skills and concentration, as well as being a water activity (most toddlers love water). To set this up I used: Tray Two glass ramekins, the one on the…
Read MoreWhat’s on Frida’s shelves (20 months)
If you are rolling your eyes at yet another shelf post – hear me out. Sometimes I go for months without really adjusting Frida’s shelves, but sometimes I find myself changing them up every few weeks. I really do try and “follow the child” – if Frida is using something and engaged by it, I…
Read MorePractical life: baking chocolate and banana cake
Frida and I did some baking this morning. I’ve got yet another virus, and so wanted to do something which would allow us to stay indoors and keep Frida engaged (and, um, satisfy my craving for something with chocolate). Frida was involved in every step of the baking process, and it made me realise how…
Read MoreFrida says (20 months)
Frida is 20 months today! I’ve been keeping a note of some of the things she’s been saying over the last month, as I know i’ll forget them otherwise. Here is my round up at 19 months. I am loving how chatty and funny she is. Language is still definitely the thing that she seems…
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