Forest Montessori

Montessori From Birth

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MONTESSORI TODDLER KITCHEN AND 10 FOOD PREPARATION TRAY IDEAS

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Toddlers are active learners, readily absorbing, engaging and learning in their environment. Most parents notice that children love to participate in activities that have to do with looking after ourselves and our environment. Dr. Montessori quickly discovered that children in her school wanted to help care for the classrooms, themselves, their classmates and the environment, so she introduced child-sized tools to help them succeed.

Montessori Kitchen

Anika’s favourite practical life work is making her own snack in her Montessori kitchen.
We have repurposed an old spare shelf as our toddler kitchen. All modifications are straight forward including- attaching a water dispenser with 3mm tape and keeping a bowl underneath, which acts as a sink. We also have a cleaning set, bibs, apron, hand towel, rubbish bin, table and chair, cutlery and glass tray and a large thick towel to be laid under the bowl before washing hands in this area. Many families also use the IKEA Duktig kitchen and there are several hacks online on repurposing it the Montessori way but this simple setup works well too.

This area serves as our permanent handwashing, juicing station and snacking station. Here are some of our favourite “food preparation” tray’s that are displayed on a daily basis so Anika can help herself to a self-serve snack at any time of the day.

Tray 1- Pouring tea
Tray 2- Peeling and slicing eggs
Tray 3- Spreading nut butter on cracker
Tray 4- Peeling and cutting banana
Tray 5- Pouring milk on muesli
Tray 6-Cutting and scooping kiwi fruit
Tray 7- Fruit skewers
Tray 8- Slicing strawberries
Tray 9- Scooping passionfruit
Tray 10- Slicing cucumber

Benefits of Setting up a Toddler Food Preparation Area

Children love preparing their own food for the simple pleasure of it but this corner is valuable in more ways than one…

• The child is learning to look after themselves. These activities promote independence.
• The child is learning to take responsibility at home and they love to know that they are valuable contributors in the family.
• These activities involve a lot of movement, which is great for gross and fine motor development.
• The child is learning new skills, learning to use kitchen tools, cleaning while building their vocabulary and knowledge of the world.
• All the above activities need specific set of sequences to be followed. For example- wear an apron, get the tray to the table, sit, prepare, eat, put rubbish in bin…….this develops concentration.

Find it here…
Most of our wooden cutlery and tea set is from op shops or flea markets in Bali. Here are some items, we have sourced locally…

Water Dispenser- Storage Box
Egg cutter- Stevens
Food Preparation Tray’s- Daiso (Japanese dollar shop)
Cleaning set- Melissa and Doug

Books for Babies (Montessori Voices version)

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In the proliferation and pruning process, simpler neural connections form first, followed by more complex circuits. The timing is genetic, but early experiences determine whether the circuits are strong or weak. Source: C.A. Nelson (2000). Credit: Center on the Developing Child

The importance of reading in the early months is essential for brain development. Latest research (chart below) shows that neural connections for language absorption is the most critical in the first year of life. Source: C.A. Nelson (2000). Credit: Center on the Developing Child

Reading books is a great way to bond and interact with your baby. Reading aloud with your baby also has the following benefits: (KidsHealth.org)

  • It teaches a baby about communication.
  • It introduces concepts such as numbers, letters, colours, and shapes in a fun way.
  • It builds listening, memory, and vocabulary skills.
  • It gives babies information about the world around them.

What are Montessori approved story books?

“Fantasy is very interesting to the older child, but only confusing to the very young. A rich foundation of stories about the real world is the best preparation for creative imagination. We should check that books present reality, since at this age children are trying to make sense of the environment and the life around them. There is nothing more extraordinary and interesting than our daily life. Fantasy can come later- after reality has been experienced and absorbed.” – Understanding the Human Being.

So some important features of a Montessori approved book for children are:

  • Based in reality.
  • Number of words per page is age appropriate.
  • Includes interesting details and pictures.

A Timeline of How we Read with baby…

“How” we read to Anika has evolved every month, after closely observing and following her development. Here is a timeline of ‘how’ we have read to her in the past 7 months….

1 month and 2 months old- We made books a part of our daily routine from early on. In the early days, babies can only see high contrast pictures so we loved reading small black and white books from the Usborne series and some black and white flash cards. In the early days, Anika enjoyed the visual aspect more than the oratory, so we spoke little and watched more. We did not disturb her concentration while she was absorbed. Once she looked away from the page, I then named it and turned the page.

3 months old- During this time, babies can see primarily colours well. We loved reading small simple books with 1 picture per page and no words. Following her interest, we started talking a little more about each page.

4 months old- Anika started grasping everything at this time. So instead of constantly saying “NO” we choose books that were safe for her to grasp and chew on. “The Indestructible Series” has been a favorite ever since and the books ‘Mama and Baby’ and ‘Baby Faces’ are particularly loved.

5 months old- Anika was lifting her playmats and everything around. So we introduced her to “lift the flap” books. It took us few weeks of role modelling but she got a hang of it soon enough and has since loved playing an active role in our reading sessions by lifting the flaps. Anika was interested in oratory as much as visual, so we started talking a lot about each page. We also added a lot of synonyms and actions into each page.

6 months old– From around 6 months onwards, a child’s language absorption power increases drastically for the many months to come. We started pointing and narrating everything in the environment at all times from here onwards. Anika showed special interest in body parts by exploring our facial features. So we introduced her to books about body parts and started pointing and naming each one of them. We also sang songs like ‘head, shoulders, knees and toes’ which fascinated her.

7 months old– At 7 months, Anika shows that she recognizes and understands several words. She started pointing to which book she wanted to read and also to the pictures of few words that she understood. Anika showed special love for animals and we read books about animals. At around 7 months onwards, babies’ brains starts classifying things into different categories (Wonder Weeks). So we introduced her to farm animals and sea animals of Aotearoa by displaying pictures of them at her eye level. This gives us a great opportunity to encourage movement (as she wants to touch all the animals while rolling and scooting) and conversations about where they live, the sounds they make etc.

Books are an excellent language resource for children. They also give them a peek into our real world. Some other tools that we use for language development are – narrating everything in the environment, displaying pictures on their eye level and singing nursery rhymes.

Our Top 15 favorite books for the First Year: Here is a list of our top 15 baby books for the first year. Most of these have real-life pictures and factual information. Although, we do give a bit of leeway for classics such as Goodnight Moon.

  1. Baby’s very first black and white book series by Usborne
  2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Little Learning Library by Eric Carle
  3. Touch and Feel Playbook by Eric Carle
  4. Mama and Baby- The Indestructible Series
  5. Baby Faces- The Indestructible Series
  6. My First Body by DK
  7. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
  8. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little toes by Helen Oxenbury
  9. Goodnight Moon
  10. Global Babies
  11. Baby Touch and Feel Animals by DK
  12. Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers
  13. I see by Helen Oxenbury
  14. Good Dog Carl by Alexandra Day
  15. Smile by Roberta Intrater

A Montessori- Inspired Gift Guide

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Clockwise: Playsilk, grimms cars, peg puzzles, willow rattle, xylophone and Grimms stacking bowls

With the festive season approaching soon, I thought I would share a Montessori-friendly gift guide for different ages.

This list is not exhaustive but I hope it gives you some ideas for your little ones. Many of these toys are classic Montessori, some are open ended and others are just classic toys that I have seen children have loved and used for a long time.

INFANTS

Some examples of well-loved rattles for Infants

Willow Rattle- Anika’s absolute favourite rattle! This beautiful heirloom piece is hand made in NZ.

Cage Rattle- This is a classic Montessori rattle. It also rolls away slowly making it a great incentive to crawl for babies.

Bell Harmony- This amazing grasping mobile was Anika’s favourite for months and I highly recommend it. 

Flip Fingers- This Montessori inspired toy is absolutely beautiful and so loved at our home.

Flip Fingers

Playsilks- There are 1001 ways a child can use a playsilk, all the way to their teenage years.

An open-ended toy that all children love- Play silk!

TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS

GRIMMS WOODEN TOYS- I can’t recommend these toys enough! Some of my favourite picks are large rainbow, stacking bowls, bead grasper, coloured cars, coloured geo-blocks and 12 rainbow friends. Anika uses many of these as a baby and will continue to use them well into her toddler and preschool years. This is the beauty of quality open-ended toys.       

These Grimms car toys are well worth the investment

MONTESSORI SKILLS- These are all my favourite Montessori inspired toys for toddlers and pre-schoolers that teach them real-life skills…

Beehive Lacing– I have used this at schools that I use to teach in and it was an absolute favourite for many children.

Brooms- More than anything else, children want to do and be just like the adults in their environment! I have an indoor broom and outdoor broom as Anika’s Christmas present and I know this will be well loved and used.

Pound the Ball- This is every toddler’s favourite toy! It’s great to hammer a ball and be able to see the cause and effect at the same time.

Pound the ball- An all-time favorite Toddler toy!

Peg Puzzles- This is a great selection of peg puzzles and perfect for exercising pincer grip along with matching skills for toddlers.

Sand and Water play toys- Dr. Montessori said that children are sensorial learners and this great collection of sand and water play toys are excellent for their sensorial exploration this summer.  

OUTDOOR TOYS- Outdoor is a favourite place to be for most children. Here are some toys that will be used for years outside..

Metal Colander Set– Colanders are a favourite toy for sand and water table. I love that these colanders have holes in them and children love to see sand and water drip through these.

Hula Hoops- Every child’s favourite way to move! Hula Hoops are so great to learn coordination and rhythm for pre-schoolers. For the younger children, it makes a great open-ended toy to use it as a jumping game, rolling it around etc.

River Stones– are another classic outdoor toy that builds and promotes skills such as jumping, judging distances, coordinating and balancing.

Classic Ball Set– I love this classic ball set. Great investment for a long time to come..

ART AND MUSIC- Every child enjoys art and music. Here are some of our favourite picks…

Crystal Organza Rainbow Pack– If play silks are over budget, then these crystal organza rainbow pack are a great solution. Babies to Teenagers love fabrics and use them in multitude of ways over and over again. In my opinion, there is clearly no better open-ended toy than this!

Toddler Top 40 Fun Songs– I have been collecting Music CD’s since I was a teacher, so I do have heaps of them but this is a real favorite with Anika. Her face lights up as soon as I put it on. I absolutely love the song collection!

Julie Wylie CD’s– Another favourite is music CD’s by Julie Wylie. I have used these so much at preschool and children love them!

Xylophone– We love this xylophone and it’s surely one of those investments that children use for years.

Floor Drum– This drum is on our wish list and so much fun for children to play. No better way to keep your toddlers engaged.

Brain Development from Birth to Three years (Montessori Voices Magazine version)

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The crucial importance that Dr. Montessori gave to the first few years of life, a century ago is resurfacing in today’s neuroscience. Dr. Montessori said that it was in these early years that the nervous pathways are established and the basic associative structures of the brain are completed. This will then serve as a foundation for how each experience for the rest of our life is processed, registered and recalled. The latest findings in neuroscience reiterates the same and that 85% of brain development happens in the first three years of life.

Dr. Montessori said that the significance of the first three years lies in the fact that child has an “unconscious absorbent mind”, which means that everything that is received from the environment is processed and stored in the brain cells with no effort. Neuroscience calls this “tacit (non-conscious) time frame”, where child absorbs how the social world works and this gets wired into how the brain works.

Since these first years are so crucial, here are some ways teachers and whanau can support the child during this period:

1. Pregnancy/ prenatal life- Dr. Montessori recognized these nine months as crucial for a child’s brain and emotional development. She said mother’s attitude and acceptance towards the baby played a vital role in babies development.

“It is very important to talk to the fetus and it is equally important to sing to him; this stimulation is like a massage for the brain and body.”- Understanding the Human Being.

Today, neuroscience confirms that a positive environment, mind set and experiences for a mother during pregnancy will have lifelong consequences for the child. Moreover sensory stimulation like talking and singing to the fetus aids in development.

2. Prepared Environment- Dr. Montessori emphasised that one of the key roles of an adult was to give the child a “prepared environment”. In the first year, this environment includes an area for rest (floor bed), area for change (change mat with supplies), area for feeding (comfortable chair) and an area for movement (horizontal mirror and a shelf with developmentally appropriate material).

“The most important way to achieve a better use of brain is to give it information of better quality and quantity in the first years of life. It is especially in this period that the brain shows a great capacity for developing very specialised functional circuits.”- Understanding the Human Being.

Today, neuroscience confirms that 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.

3. Responsive care and communication- Dr. Montessori famously said…

“Of all things love is the most potent.”

Research in neuroscience has proven that a child’s relationship with the adults in their life is the most important influence on their brain development. With responsive care, the brain’s systems learn to work well and keep the person healthy and socially engaged. What is learned in the early life will be applied ever after to relationships.

“Human relationships are NO 1 ingredient of child’s future success”- Theodre Roosevelt.

Talking to your baby not only helps in brain development through language information it has received but also helps in building neural networks as baby starts to make sense of the world around her. A child also absorbs the “emotional environment” of the home, so positive attitudes and emotions of the family members are crucial.

4. Observing and Responding to the child– Dr. Montessori emphasised that when a young child is observed and then responded to at the earliest, it helps them build trust in the world that their cries are heard. This also shapes their perception of the world, whether they will view the world in positive light and become optimistic or not.

Today, neuroscience agrees with this and further states that ‘when young babies cry they are not having tantrums or being emperors. They have needs and communicate them the only way that they can.’

5.  Play/ work time- Dr. Montessori stated “Play is a child’s work” and the Montessori Method is based on this. Today, neuroscience emphasis on the same. While baby plays, the sensory information she receives establishes important neural connections. These experiences provide a critical foundation for future development. 

Neuroscience agrees with Dr. Montessori that babies are ready to play from birth and it is their method of learning self-control, social skills and building intelligence.

6. Providing opportunities for development- Montessori emphasized on the importance of ‘freedom of movement’ for a child’s growth, which meant maximum awake time on tummy/ floor and no use of containers (walkers, swings, bouncers etc). 

Neuroscience confirms the above and today more and more pediatricians all over the world recommend using minimum contraptions and giving babies freedom to move, which is essential for their growth.

7. Outdoor time– Dr. Montessori emphasized on the importance of nature for a child’s development and said…

“The best way of invigorating a child is to immerse him in nature.”

There is so much research in neuroscience that shows the connection between physical exercise/ movement and mental acuity. The brain loves exercise and research has shown it increases brains executive function anywhere from 50%-100%. Once a baby is comfortable with bright day light, letting her spend some time regularly outdoors is great for her sensory development and for gaining an understanding of the world. As it is rightly said, trees make the best mobiles.

8. Face to face conversations rather than screen time– Dr. Montessori said that children in the first plane of development (birth to 6 years) are sensorial learners. They need to touch, feel, taste, smell, move and experience the real world. And no screen can provide this information in a natural or full-sensory way.

“There are many who hold as I do, that the most important period of life is not the age of University studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six. For that is the time when man’s intelligence itself, his greatest implement, is being formed….The child has an intelligence of this unconscious type, and that is what brings about his marvellous progress. It begins with a knowledge of his surroundings.” – Maria Montessori

CDs and TV programs promoted as “educational” and aiding development have now taken away those phrases because they don’t. Neuroscience says that screen with animated characters teaching them colours and numbers is a means of passive absorption and can never replace a face to face real life interaction for learning and brain development. Although screen time is a very sensitive topic and for many families it can’t be eliminated altogether. Preferably no screen time or very minimum supervised time is recommended specially in the first 3 years.

9.  Follow the child– Dr. Montessori always emphasized on “following the child”. She said every child has their own innate nature and it is part of education to recognize and utilize these predispositions, because education can aid and direct nature but can never transform it.

Every child has their own innate timetable and latest research in neuroscience shows that comparison or pressure could actually be a roadblock to their natural brain development. Observing, following and supporting a child through their personal and unique needs is optimum for their development.

10. Hold them- Dr. Montessori time and again recognised a baby’s need to be physically close to their whanau and stated…

“One observes, too, that the little one, going about with his mother, never cries unless he is ill or hurt in some way. Sometimes he may fall asleep, but he does not cry.”

Today, neuroscience reiterates that babies are meant to be held. There has been a lot of recent research which show that daily separation/ isolation for extended period causes enough stress in babies to induce epigenetic effects that heighten stress reactivity, causes deficits ion memory function in adulthood, causes underdeveloped serotonin receptors, endogenous opioids and oxytocin (happiness hormones) and influences the presence of various hormones and neuropeptides right when systems are being established.

Montessori philosophy is based on the child reaching their highest human potential. We have one hundred billion cerebral cells and we use only 2-4% of them. And a better educational environment, from the very beginning, is the only way to realise this potential. Neuroscience has established that the experiences that a child has in their environment determines the connections that are made in their brain. The richer the experiences and the more she experiences the more the connections are made. Within our brain, we have synapses which connect neurons together and allow signals to travel. In the first 2-3 years of life there are an immense number of these connections being made, a process known as synaptogenesis, which aids the child to adapt to their time and place. In conclusion, it is safe to say that much before neuroscience proved the above, Dr. Montessori made the above known through her extensive work and scientific observation with children.

Here is a brief timeline of brain development from conception:          

Pregnancy- during this crucial period 20,000 brain cells are being added every minute.

First 3 years- A staggering seven hundred new neural connections (synapses) are formed in the brain every single second, equating to over one thousand trillion synapses by a child’s third birthday

10 Treasure Baskets for babies

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Have you seen one of those videos where babies choose random real-life home objects to play with rather than toys? Let me tell you, its true babies love random stuff found at home. Make sure they are child size objects, made of natural material, safe to mouth and put them in a basket and we call these ‘treasure baskets’ (aka heuristic basket). We have been exploring these since Anika was 5 months old and she still loves them at 8 months and I am sure she will enjoy these for many more. Here are some ideas…

Basket with balls of various textures
Basket with hairbands and wooden bangles
Basket with socks
Basket inspired by objects we find outdoors
Basket with wooden material
Basket with sponges/ brushes
Basket with blocks
Basket with wooden rings
Basket with teethers
Basket with rattles

Hope this gave you some ideas <3

Observations at 7 Months Old

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Babies are amazing! Everyday, they seem to be doing something new. Below are just few things that I can remember for what Anika got upto at 7 months old….

  • First intentional word was Tasha (Sasha whole patting our dog). She does make sounds like mama and dada but they are not intentional yet.
  • Loves giving cuddles.
  • Directs her day by pointing to what she wants to do next. Ex- points to CD player when she wants music on!
  • She has started showing a very cheeky side! She bites and then gives big cuddles. She offers food and then takes it away!
  • She recognizes many words and points at them correctly. Some of them are- stars, light, daddy, Sasha, dog, cat, birdie, mama….
  • She lifts on all her fours. Tummy crawls backwards and in circles. 
  • She spends a lot of time doing push ups.
  • Anika absolutely loves social interactions with babies and adults. 
  • She shows a clear preference for wanting to go outside at all times.
  • Recognizes people she sees every week and extends her arms out when she wants to be carried by them. 
  • Loves to throw everything, including her food!
  • Hates wearing a bib! Loves feeling the food while eating it.
  • Got her first tooth and the second one is on the way.
  • Loves small things like a speck of dirt! Loves to play with hoodie strings, labels, zips and clothes.
  • Recognizes herself in the mirror and pictures and loves it!  
  • Loves holding things in one hand and manipulating it with the other hand.
  • Dancing is her all time favorite thing to do.
  • Recognizes all her favorite rhymes.
  • Enjoys putting the ball in the hole, in object permanence box. 
  • Loves taking out rings from a stacker. 
  • Plays peekaboo by herself and invites others to join in…
  • Loves taking out all the tissues from the tissue box and tearing it into pieces.
  • Flip fingers was her all time favorite Montessori inspired toy. We are so grateful for this amazing gift from Every Educaid.
  • She also explored a whole lot of treasure baskets.

Why sitting baby up did not work for us and transitioning back to floor time

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Most websites on google will tell you that ‘sitting’ is a developmental milestone that comes before crawling and babies generally start sitting independently once they turn 7 months old. I knew, I would never prop my baby to sit but at the end of 5 months, Anika could sit independently (without propping) and she loved it, so I helped her to sit up from supine position whenever she requested (extending hands and arching back).

I knew something wasn’t right. But I told myself it’s just a phase, she does not like floor time and it will get better soon. Like this few weeks past by, no signs of wanting to go back to floor time. Sure her sitting posture improved and she wanted to sit for even longer each day. But having to put her up in a posture that she couldn’t get into or out of, just didn’t feel right. What was I doing wrong? Many books and most sites on google say, sitting comes first before crawling….but my heart was aching and I knew I was doing something wrong. It was a light bulb moment for me, when i joined all the dots and realized…Anika started disliking tummy time only once she could sit. There was a direct link! Sitting wasn’t helping her get more mobile or independent, which meant it was a bad move. I started researching this and found this article by RIE expert Janet Lansbury, please read it.

  • Sitting is much easier than back time and also better view, so why will a baby want to go back on their tummy or back? I wouldn’t either.
  • Anika needed to depend on me to sit her up, which does not encourage independent play.
  • I always have a pillow behind, “just in case” she falls back, which takes away her and my confidence in her sitting ability.
  • She has been tummy crawling backwards since last month but things have not moved forward from there because she is not getting substantial tummy/ back time (prerequisite to crawling) to progress.
  • She moves 360 degrees while sitting and she can get into crawling position from sitting but if done organically it should happen the other way around. That is, she should crawl before being able to put herself into the seated position.

Decision was made it took me 4 days to undo her sitting habit. This is how I went about it…Firstly, hubby and I were convinced as could be that we had to stop seating her. There was no 2 ways about that…

Day 1– was the hardest day. On an average she would spend 30% play time (not counting meal times as sitting is a given) on floor and 70% seated. We pretty much did a 50% seated and 50% floor time on Day 1. She complained and every time she did, I would just lie down and put her on my tummy and start interacting with her. This was the only way we were getting through this…Anika never complains because she honestly believes that mama makes the best mattress 😀

Day 2– 60% floor time and 40% seated time. I continued putting her on my tummy when she complained. I also started going down to her level (on my tummy) and interacting with her. I got some new work material out to keep her interested and busy.

Day 3- 80% floor time and 20% seated time. Babies are creatures of habit! It’s amazing how quickly they adjust! Very few complaints and I continued to engage on her eye level when she did fuss.

Day 4- today was 100% floor time while playing. Not too many complaints. So happy it’s progressed well. 

It might not be a 4 day transition for every baby. They all are so different but here is a blog I wrote few weeks back on “20 ways to Encourage Tummy Time“, which will also be helpful. Here is another great read to go about the transitioning back to sitting by Janet Lansbury.

My aim of wanting to transition her back to floor time is not so she can crawl faster but I would love for my daughter to have graceful, organic movements which come when a baby is allowed to develop at their own pace.

What next? A very clear focus on NEVER putting her in any position, she cant get into by herself. This means not standing her or walking her either. Hubby and I have been pulling her to stand (naughty, naughty!) while we dance with her. Last 4 days, I go on my tummy/ back and dance with her she does not seem to mind. I think I might look like a drowning octopus though haha. I also plan to share these articles on why I wont walk, sit or stand my child with my in-laws because they spend time with her every week. Its important everyone is on the same page. Hope this blog helps someone <3

Montessori Baby Timeline- Our favorite Montessori Mobiles, Rattles and Books for the first 6 Months

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I recently had the opportunity to work together on Instagram with some amazing Montessori mum’s who shared lots of fantastic information for our miniseries called ‘#themontessoribaby’. Check it out if you haven’t already! I enjoyed sharing timelines for most topics as a way of reflecting back on past 6 months depending on what has been Anika’s favorite and how each book, mobile and rattle has worked for her developmentally. Montessori mobiles, rattles and books are baby’s “main toys” for the first 6 months and here is our timeline for each….

Montessori mobiles timeline

Babies have an immense capacity to concentrate for long periods of time and these early years are a sensitive period to build concentration. Montessori mobiles are scientific in the sense that they are developmentally appropriate to a child’s growing visual sense. Here is the sequence we introduced the Montessori mobiles in…

  1. Munari mobile– We introduced this to her when she a month old. Since babies can see only high contrast colors in early days, this black and white mobile was perfect for developing tracking skills and concentration.
  2. Octahedron Mobile– introduced at 6 weeks old. Babies eye sight develops at rapid pace. This mobile introduced primary colors in 3 dimensions.
  3. Gobbi Mobile– introduced at 8 weeks old. Gobbi introduced gradation of colors from the darkest to the lightest.
  4. Rainbow mobile– introduced at 9 weeks old. Introduces secondary colors and was Anika’s favorite mobile.
  5. Dancers mobile– introduced at 11 weeks old. It shows realistic shapes, movements and bodily expressions.
  6. Wooden figure/ whale mobile– introduced at 13 weeks old. Represents concrete and realistic form which aids in visual development and tracking.
  7. Ring on ribbon or bell chimes mobile– introduced at 15 weeks old. Strengthens grasping skills that is developing at around this time.
Baby Books Timeline

We have read heaps of baby books from day. 1 and we have read lots. Anika showed a preference for the following during each month….

  • 1 Month Old and 2 Months Old– We loved reading black and white books as she could only see in high contrast. She also enjoyed concentrating on high contrast flash cards. She enjoyed the visual aspect more than the oratory, so we spoke little and watched more.
  • 3 Months Old- She could see primary colors well and we loved reading small simple books with 1 picture per page and no words. We started talking a wee bit more about each page.
  • 4 Months Old– She started grasping everything. We loved reading the ‘indestructible series‘ for grasping and chewing. Instead of constantly saying No, we choose books that were safe for her to mouth and chew on.
  • 5 Months Old– She was fascinated with ‘lift the flap books’ which made her an active participant in our reading time. For the first few weeks, she watched me open the flaps and slowly she started trying to do it herself. I have written about our top 3 favorite lift the flap books here. She also enjoyed visual as much as oratory, so we talk heaps. I also added a lot of synonyms and actions into each page; example- elephant was too big is described as he was huge, gigantic, humongous, massive (with actions) etc. She seemed to understand some words and many actions, even if not she enjoys the description.
  • 6 Months Old- She was fascinated with body parts and loved to stare and play with my eyes, nose, ears etc. So we loved reading “My first Body” book along with some other favorites from the Indestructible series and Lift the flap series.
Montessori Rattle timeline

Rattles help in strengthening hand muscles and developing baby’s grasp. 2 Montessori concepts we always follow with any material are:

  1. Are they ready for it?- Never set them up for failure! It should be doable, not too easy (results in boredom) and nor too difficult (results in low self esteem).
  2. Order of introduction- Every material is introduced in order from the easiest to the most difficult, when they are ready for it. So here is the rattle timeline that we followed with Anika…
  • 2 Months old- We introduced the soft crochet black and white rattle. This soft and light weight (and safe!) bell rattle perfectly fit in small hands.
  • 3 Months old– We introduced the stick rattle. We love this willow rattle and also the wooden rattle. The stick is a firmer texture for a babies growing hand control and excellent for grasp refinement.
  • 4 Months old- We introduced circular rattles, which gave her a different grasp to work with. It also gave her an opportunity to practice hand to hand transfer.
  • 5 Months old- Anika could grasp and hold things with both her hands and the egg rattle was great to practice that skill.
  • 6 Months old– Anika was slithering and the rolling rattle encouraged her to move more.

Observations at 6 Months old

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My little girl is growing too fast! I miss all the cuddles in the carrier all afternoon already! Well, she is happy to sleep in bed now. My cuddle time is replaced with lots of food preps and cleaning time cause little Anika loves to eat by herself and I love to cook for her. Its a way to love her, if you know what I mean?

Here are some observations at 6 months old:

PHYSICAL

  • She rolls both ways swiftly and can roll all the way across the room.
  • At the start of this month she could sit independently for 5-10 minutes. At the end of this month, she hardly ever falls back for long periods of time. I still do place my breastfeeding pillow behind her just in case.
  • She has started staying in push ups (while on tummy) for lot longer and also comes on to her knees. She can slither if she wants to but its a very frustrating experience for her.
  • Anika can stand when supported for few seconds. Loves playing sit and stand game.

OTHERS

  • She is obsessed with dots and moles.
  • She seems really fascinated with body parts. We read lots of books and sang songs for the same.
  • Her favorite hangout changed from her Montessori room to our bathroom! She can stay playing there all day.
  • She takes all her day naps in bed, unless unwell then she wants to go back in the carrier.
  • First few months, people really intimidated her and she preferred to stay with me and my husband. This month, she has loved interacting with people. So we have had lots of outdoor adventures.
  • She absolutely loves her food and feeds herself during all the three meals.
  • Shows that she understands some words. Ex- Sasha (family dog, looks around for her), scream (responds by screaming when we row row row the boat), trees, lift, pull, push (does all the actions correctly), come……
  • Shows that she has a good memory. Ex- searches for the converter in the wall socket that was there yesterday. 
  • Reading books, dancing, gnawing in her teethers, exploring treasure baskets and understanding the cause/effect of everything at home were her favorites this month. 
  • She loves action songs and her favorite for the month was ‘wheels on the bus’.
  • Shows strong logic/ reasoning and keen interest in making sense of the world. She looks below the basin to see where the water goes. She cries if we put music on our phone without showing her where the voice is actually coming from.
  • Pulls the neckline of my tops towards her when she wants to feed.
  • Loves playing with strings, zips, labels and keys.
  • She directs me towards where she wants to go with her arms and legs (extended out or flexed back) and her eyes. 
  • She loves discovering every little detail at home. She has learnt to pull and push most doors at home! Her current favorites are watching me manipulate the pedal to open and close our rubbish bin, pulling out the toilet paper roll and watching the shower water disappear in the drain! She guides me to these favorites and demands I show her or let her do it 😀

She is shown her personality more and more this month. She feels so aware, so happy and so strong-willed. I am sure there are heaps more which I cannot recollect at the moment…but all in all time is passing by too fast and I am trying to make the most of the days, when I can still call her my ‘baby’.

Montessori Shelf at 6 Months Old

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I love preparing Anika’s Montessori work shelf every month depending on her skills and interest. Here is a brief description of each work on the shelf at 6 Months old…

  • Diffraction Mirror Paddles- We are so so lucky to receive beautiful gifts from Every Educaid. Thank you Sarah! Anika enjoys swiping the paddles clockwise and anticlockwise to build her hand strength and muscle control. The reflection in the mirror is enticing. I cant wait to take it outside so Anika can really enjoy its diffraction properties.
  • Basket with objects that roll away slowly- Anika is slithering! These objects that roll away slowly encourage her to crawl. We have been using all of these materials again and again for different purposes from early months. We have our black and white puzzle ball (part of Lovevery gym), teething ball, bell rattle and a soft ball. To be honest, an avocado or a lemon would work just as well too 🙂
  • Treasure Baskets- Anika LOVES treasure baskets. Just random things from around the house with different texture, made up of natural material and that are safe to mouth. We have 2 treasure baskets on this shelf (bottom left), one has different kind of brushes and other one has various wooden objects.
  • Tissue box with playsilks– Anika loves pulling everything! So I did a DIY (video on Instgram) with a tissue box and placed a few playsilks inside that she could pull. Its one of her favorites.
  • Sound shakers- We got these glitter shaker bottles from Every Educaid that are perfect size for little hands. I filled them up with various beans. Anika loves to shake and hear the sound each bean makes.