I was provided a Dock A Tot for this post, but all opinions are mine and mine alone, I have loved this company from the get go. I love their products and highly recommend them for every mom.
Good Morning Ladies,
I didn’t find the Montessori Method until Aria was close to two. Research led me to the method and I really fell in love with the stories and successes it had with kids. I wish this stuff had been implemented when I was a kid. Montessori Baby is such a fun way to start your journey with your baby, make tummy time fun and help pass time in between naps.
The Montessori Method is a way to teach a child in a way that they can learn. We all learn in different ways. Some kids have a photographic memory, some learn by experimenting and failing, everyone learns in different ways. The Montessori Method helps you teach in a fun way that will help your child retain the information taught. You can see my different lesson plans for Aria below.
After my sister had her baby she took her to a Montessori daycare. She recently became a stay at home mom and was curious how to bring Montessori to her home. For all you momma’s like my sister, here are ways you can implement this theory at home with your sweet little babies.
Let’s get this party started.
I gathered some fun stimulating toys that are perfect for starting out. Now some of the Montessori Method lesson plans do involve things that are a choking hazard but if you are the one handling the toy and watching like a hawk you can use these products. Please don’t leave your baby alone, it’s sad I have to say this but I know I need to.
(shop the photo below, click on the toy you want to shop for and the link will take you to the exact toy)
The Essentials:
–Roll and wiggle Ball: This is such a fun toy to not only help tummy time, but it will also encourage little ones to get up and crawl to the toy since it rolls away from them. It has repetitive songs imitating animal noises, the color of the animal and counting songs. Repetition is key when teaching kids.
-Piano Mat: We have raised aria on music. Every feeding she had we listed to classical music or some type of nursery music. So doing tummy time while they push on the piano keys to make music is great stimulation. Ella (my niece) loved this mat.
-Elephant: This elephant is much like the roll and wiggle ball, the little songs are repetitive and teach the alphabet, animal noises and counting. There are little shape puzzle pieces on the front and back so they can learn hand coordination as they get older. When Ella was here I would hand her the shape while she was on her tummy and help her put it in the correct slots. Of course she instantly tried to stick them in her mouth but if you do this over and over and over they will catch on. I feel like this technique helped Aria with her coordination.
–Jumbo Blocks: These are giant legos and kids are born with legos on the mind. Again when Ella was here I would help her line up the dots and build little towers. She would sit in my lap as I did so. This helps pass time, its great for bonding, and again helps with their hand coordination skills. It also gets them tired for their next nap, so win win.
-Bumbo: This not only helps them to sit on their own but it is a great way to get yourself a shower. I would put Aria in this and give her the dragon fly toy and scooted her in the bathroom with my while I showered. She was in my eyesight at all times and I could actually shower while she got some sitting up time.
–Baby’s First Words Book: I love this book and I had every intention of buying it in Spanish for Aria when she was little, I actually should go do that now. I would love for her to be bilingual. This book is a great way to teach baby their first words and reading to your kids from the get go offers them so much in the long run. You can read all about the benefits (here).
– A huge mirror: There is so many benefits to putting your baby in front of a mirror while they do tummy time, or play time. Babies love mirror because they love seeing faces. Their face, their different expressions, their parents or caregivers expressions. They are great for teaching baby to recognize their reflection, helps them with visual tracking and even mimicking.
–Dock A Tot Grand: This is great for babies/kids 9-36 months. Perfect for tummy time in front of the mirror. Ella loved hanging over the top on her tummy and staring at herself in the mirror. Dock A Tot is a fantastic brand that makes fantastic products. I highly recommend them to everyone! They have two sizes, there is a smaller size but Ella grew out of that and moved on to the Grand. The Grand is huge, my three year old even took a nap in it (here). It is soft and comfortable with amazing patterns for any decor, I really cannot rave about this company enough.
Now you know what to have on hand or improvise with your own similar toys. You know how to use them and how to teach your sweet little ones at a young age. I would love to hear how you do Montessori in your own home. Any tips you have for new moms?
Montessori Lesson Plans for Toddlers: (Dental Health) (Hibernation) (Rainbow) (Learning to Read) (Sensory)
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Beautiful pictures!