I have tried to think about what would define our home as a Montessori home, because it is, but how? I do not have works for my daughter – she comes to school with me and has a whole class full of works and two wonderful teachers, thankfully that is off my plate – but I still support and develop the basics of all Montessori activities — coordination, concentration, independence and a sense of order. Here are a few ways that I have found that work for our family.
The Learning Tower
I bought this Learning Tower on Craigslist when I was about a minute and a half pregnant. It is by far the most used and most useful piece of equipment we own. Imogen uses it to help prepare food and plays on/with it when she doesn’t feel like helping. I didn’t realize what an old model I had till I saw the one on Amazon!
Her gymnastics school
Food Prep and Eating
A solid chopper. I thought I had ordered the handled one form Montessori Services, but this is the one that came, and I am glad because I do love it. She can chop through anything with this and she loves doing it. It is amazing what she will eat if she has been part of the prep.
Both of these cups – toddler cup, current cup (the juice size, and you can buy them individually in the store, we only have 4). When she and I are home during the summer I do set up a tray with a pitcher of water so she can refill her glass.
I have an odd habit of buying salad and dessert plates and using them as dinner plates, my family has adapted to the small size and never have four matching plates on the table – thankfully they are all child sized.
Imogen is still sitting in her Tripp Trapp chair, which we have used since she was 6 months old. I have always loved the way it positioned her at the table. I haven’t had to help her in or out since she was about 2. We are at the point where there are no buckles or straps, it is just Imogen’s chair, and it works perfectly. I bought a previous model when it was on clearance, but here is a more affordable IKEA option.
Entry Way
This little Command Hook has held up for 3 years and far too many coats! Imogen is able to hang at least a sweater and a coat; I don’t want to tell you how much I have managed to fit on there. Her shoes go in the wire basket to the right.
Child Sized Furniture
A dear neighbor gave us this table from Community Playthings, and I do love it. It sits in our family room like a coffee table, but Imogen knows that it is her space to do any of her art, games, crafts and the like. She sits on a little chair that was a thrift store find.
We also use an IKEA Lack table quite often for different activates, and IKEA has lots of affordable options for child sized furniture.
Toys and Toy Storage
This will have to be the next post. I am in desperate need of culling our toys and revisiting the less is more philosophy. This won’t happen till the end of school, but in the that time I am going to try to really observe what Imogen is playing with and what has fallen to the side. She is really changing the way she plays and it is an interesting transformation I promise I will take before and after pictures of our playspaces.
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