Montessori Pick of the Day

Peg dolls

Peg dolls can be used for endless creative play and art. 

They are fun to decorate for holidays and special occasions too. 

 

Beeswax modeling clay

We used plain beeswax for modeling clay in our classroom.  It was nontoxic and fun to soften in your hands.

I recently found that colored beeswax is available for hand work.  Colors make art even more enjoyable.

 

Home Building for Toddlers

My toddlers loved making cardboard homes with me. I used empty large boxes and cut doors and windows.

Older toddlers love to decorate and color their house.

 

 

Ang's Montessori Cutting Box Activities

A Montessori Cutting Box

This is just beautifu! What an exciting way to teach cutting skills to your preschool child. Check out angahome for an enticing approach for small motor skills lessons and ideas. Luv it

Easter for Kids

Here are a few fun ideas for Easter!

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!

 

Holiday Fun

It's a great time of the year to have fun learning with gingerbread activities. Here are some great ideas for your children and adults too!

Make Fun and Easy Costumes

If you like to make costumes, you don't have to make it complex or difficult. I provided costumes for my sister's drama productions over the years and I learned that keeping costumes simple is best. You can make drama with color and sytle without sewing.

 Here are some more links for fancy dress and costume ideas.

 

Easy and Pretty Hummingbird Feeder

This site has a great idea of using colored bottles for homemade hummingbird feeders. You can find colored bottles and shepherds hooks at your local dollar store, so you don't have to spend very much money to make your yard a paradise for humming birds.

Make Wooden Educational Games

This homemade wooden memory game is a great idea.

You can use free printouts and make them beautiful and sturdy by mounting them on wooden tiles.

Here are some popular printouts you can use:

Memory or matching free printout cards

Sorting and Matching free printout cards

Matching and Sorting smallest to largest  free printout cards

This would make special gifts to the children on your holiday shopping list.