Montessori Pick of the Day

Learn to Tell Time Game

This Clock Game is attractive and a creative way to teach children how to tell time. What a fun way to learn! 

It's very Montessori and hands-on.

Wonderful Reading with Legos

This teacher has a wonderful, and very Montessori idea, using legos for reading activities.

I'm in awe of this creative idea and I know children would love reading in this classroom!

Shop for the Best Toys

Toys, there are so many to choose from. Action toys and figures, computer games, toys that bake and make woodworking projects, almost anything we can imagine. Montessori is based on development of the senses, small and large coordination and building academic skills through a hands on approach. Some Montessori type toys are inexpensive, basic, traditional toys. They will give your children hours of fun learning.

Here is a list of some toys I would recommend.

Nesting Blocks 

These blocks fit into each other. You can find these with basic infant toys. Each piece of the toy gradually changes in size. A child can learn concepts of bigger and smaller, how to distinguish small differences in size. This little lesson is essential for the skills of reading and math.

The stacking and nesting tower is similar to the pink tower, but you can use it for both nesting and stacking. This is a toy your child can use for counting, number recognition, and understanding incremental differences in each block. 

Wooden Blocks 

 Sets of blocks that have different sizes and shapes are great for conceptual learning. For example, two triangles make a square, two square blocks make a rectangle-just basic geometry. The basic concepts of gravity, balance, and design are a part of making block structures. .

Here are some ideas for block play.
Have your child make the buildings as high as his or her ankle, knee, hips, elbows, waist, shoulder, and head. This helps measure distance in proportion to your child's body as well as teaching parts of the body.  
Ask your child how many different shapes he or she can make from the blocks. You may have to first introduce to them how to make a cube, square from 2 triangles, and 2 half circles make a whole circle-the list can go on and on.
Using a tape measure or yard/meter stick, let your child measure the dimensions of his or her building. Which side is longer? Which side is shorter?  How tall is the building? How wide? How long?
Block play is a great lesson for visual perception, kinetic learning, and the beginning concepts of geometry.
Teach names for concepts such as on top, beside, behind, underneath, next to, above and below, square, triangle, rectangle, cube, cylinder and circle.

Lego Kits

These were my children's favorite toys. They are great for small motor skills as well. The complex structures and designs seem infinite.

Dolls  

Any doll that a child can dress, wash, and even cuddle is great for developing small motor skills and social and language development.

Balls 

Balls from super big to small are great for large motor skills. Bigger balls are easier for younger children to throw and catch.

Play dishes 

Tea parties are a great opportunity for pouring, a great practical life skill. Washing and drying dishes and stacking and putting the dishes away is a favorite Montessori task.

Tricycles 

Pushing legs on a pedal are great for large muscle development. Steering developes visual perception.

Jungle Gym

If you have room in your garden or backyard these are a great investiment. You don't have to own one, just use the one at your local park for your child's development and adhanced coordination.

Jump Rope 

Jumping is a great activity for coordination for adults and children.

Chalk 

Writing with chalk is great for small motor skills that will help your child's writing and art skills later.

Hopscotch 

Hopscotch is great for large motors kills, foot-eye coordination, balance and counting.

Jacks 

Bouncing the ball and picking up jacks is not only good for motor skills but also encourages counting.

Marbles 

This game can give insight to physics, movement and development of spatial refinement and coordination.

Cars and Trucks 

Pushing a car develops coordination and large and fine motor skills.

Wooden Puzzles 

Puzzles help with fine motor skills and refine perception of space and depth. Easy wooden puzzles with knobs are great for developing the pencil grip. Start with puzzles with only a few pieces and work up to more pieces, and eventually to simple jig saw puzzles.

 

Sewing or Lacing Card 

Sewing cards develop fine motor skills, perceptual concepts and eye hand coordination. They also promote hand work skills

Beads and Wooden Bead Sequencing Set 

Big, wooden beads are easier for young children to handle. This activity helps eye to hand coordination, small motor skills, and promoting sequence patterns. 

Purchase good quality toys that will help your child create, learn and enjoy learning!

 

Thanksgiving Ideas for Kids

I love Thanksgiving. It is a great time to teach about being thankful for life. Here are some of my favorite links for lessons, handwork, art and costumes.  

Pumpkin Carving & Costumes

This newsletter has my favorite links for pumkin fun and making homemade costumes. Happy fall!

Free Botany Lessons & Worksheets

Studying plant life is easy and simple by observing your surroundings. Here are some free lessons with science reading and learning printouts.

Wildflowers

Sprouts

Roots

Free Science Lessons and Printouts

It's that time of the year when school begins, budgets are slim, but not to worry. Check out some free, fun and educational science lessons.

Squirrels -printouts about anatomy and food squirrels like to eat.

Beavers - printout about anatomy and many other resources.

The Swallowtail Butterfly -beautiful printout of the butterfly life cycle.

Frogs-  great printout and reading cards of life cycle

Linear Verses Patterns in Learning

This little video is amazing. Why do we remember video games from our childhood and not math from our textbooks?  Video games provide patterns that our brains use to gather information. We repeat the process and push the boundaries while playing video games.  Linear learning from text books is soon forgotten when we don't understand the patterns and use the lowest form of learning, memorization. Montessori used hands-on materials for math that provided patterns for learning. I wonder if she would have considered video learning games?

Was Montessori the First Italian Female Doctor?

I was taught that Maria Montessori was the first woman to graduate from medical school in Italy. She was the first certified female doctor. I was told recently that she was not the first female medical doctor in Italy. I thought this was a very intriguing comment.

I did a little research and this is what I found in Rita Kramer's book, Maria Montessori, A Birography on page 48 as follows, "...The examiners summoned her back into their prescence and conferred the degree of doctor-laurea-of medicine, making her [Maria Montessori] the first woman to graduate from a medical school in Italy." It goes on further on page 49, "When Maria Montessori was given her diploma as a doctor of medicine and surgery, many of the words printed on the document had be changed in pen and ink from the masculine to the feminine (for example, 'gli esami sostenuti dal Signor_' to 'dalla Signora') The impressively elaborate document had not been designed with the idea in mind that it might be intended for anyone not of the masculine sex."

I am still very interested to find any female doctors who preceded Dr. Maria Montessori.

Montessori New Year's Celebration

Use birthday celebrations for New Year's party ideas for your children and family. A new year is a type of birthday and a new beginning.

Here are some ideas you can adapt for New Year's.

Montessori Birthday Walk

Happy New Years Activities

Birthday Ideas for Kids