• Home
    • Praise and Press
    • About
  • TLB Classes
    • Class Descriptions
    • Online Parent Education Classes
  • Blog
    • Homeschooling
    • Charlotte Mason
    • Booklist
    • Reading and Storytelling
    • Cultivating Love of Learning
    • Parenting Thoughts
      • Memory-Making
    • Five in a Row
      • Before Five in a Row
  • Shop
    • Request/Pre-Order Books Here
    • TLB Gift Card
    • My Account
    • View Cart
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Lost password
  • Book lists
    • Living Books Planning Tool
    • Filipino Living Books Book List
    • Philippine History: A Booklist
    • Catholic Homeschooling Booklist
  • Search the TLB Book Shop
    • Picture Books By Age
      • Board Books
      • Ages 0-2
      • Ages 2-4
      • Ages 4-6
      • Ages 6-8
    • Chapter Books
      • Ages 8-10
      • Ages 10 up
    • Homeschooling
      • CM Homeschooling/Living Books
      • Five in a Row
      • Before Five in a Row
      • Math Books
      • Catholic Books
    • Philippine Published Books
      • Free Downloads
      • Ages 0 to 2
      • Ages 2 to 4
      • Ages 4 to 6
      • Ages 6 to 8
      • Ages 8 to 10
      • Ages 10 and up
      • Chapter Books
      • Board Books
    • Classics
    • Award-Winning Books
    • Recommended Reads for Parents
    • Educational Toys and Materials

The Learning Basket

You Are Your Child's First and Best Teacher

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

7 Things to Make for Your Child

May 26, 2015 by Mars Medina 12 Comments

  • Total2.5K
  • 2.4K
  • 0
  • 44

montessori at home

One of the things I’ve enjoyed about being a Montessori teacher was creating materials for the children and the classroom. I have therefore always planned to do Montessori at home and  to craft things for my own baby and her environment.

Pinterest can attest to this as I excessively and obsessively tap that red ‘Pin it’ button, each time with a promise to make those pins one day: a topponcino of the softest organic cotton, the different Montessori mobiles, natural wooden rattles, hand-sewn Waldorf dolls, and every other thing I find a tutorial on.

As a Montessori teacher, I had hoped that my home when my daughter arrived would be just like my classrooms everyday—prepared, with the many beautiful and purposeful materials I have lovingly and thoughtfully made.

It wasn’t.

With so many options to consider, materials to collect and pegs to copy, I was overwhelmed. But soon,  I realized that of all the things that we can make for our children, here are seven that are most important. And they’re not exactly just objects to make with our hands.

1. Make Observations

While I was pregnant, I was like every other soon-to-be first-time mother. I lost sleep reading about sleep training, cloth diapering and breastfeeding. I scrutinized every product from nail clippers to the different kinds of carriers. I researched every single thing – because I was thinking that I was preparing to be a mother.

But while all that was beneficial, I also realized that the best source, the best person to teach me how to be my daughter’s mother—was her. My daughter, she was teaching me how to be her mother.

And the best way for me to learn is to observe her. She has been and is going to tell me exactly what she is ready for and how she will learn and do things best. As Maria Montessori said, “Follow the child”.

2. Make Opportunities

I set up our home environment with providing learning opportunities in mind. As such, there should be opportunities for movement, for language, for sensorial experiences, for independence, for happiness, for success.

Our Montessori infant room, pictured above, has a floor bed, a reading nook, a pull-up bar, and a lot of space to move about.

3. Make Obstacles

While making opportunities is important, I think making obstacles is equally so.

An obstacle may be in the form of a stool, for example, placed where she usually crawls to encourage her to pull up to stand instead.

Sometimes, it may not be so much as making obstacles, but making the most of them by learning from them. Just the other day I started introducing my baby to an open glass cup for drinking and for our first try, we had a spill. But we were also able to do cleaning up—which she enjoyed as much.

montessori at home

4. Make Order

Our house is far from all the pictures I have saved on Houzz (another overworked app), but it has enough order so much so that my child knows where to get the rhythm instruments when I start singing “You Are My Sunshine” and she knows where the books are when I ask for “Suky the Kitten”.

My daughter’s Care of Self Shelf in her bathroom gives her the opportunity to learn grooming. She recognizes the routine and would take a towel to wipe her mouth after meals. She’s also been helping to get diapers and putting clothes into the hamper.

montessori at home

Establishing routine is part of making order, too. All to help the child make sense of the world and to respond to, as Montessori puts it, the child’s natural sensitivity for order.

5. Make Obvious Acts of Love, Kindness, Respect, Integrity

In Montessori, we make a presentation of just about everything to show the children how to do a task and to show grace and courtesy. We model everything–working with the materials, contributing to the community, living with morals.

As parents, we are in the best position to do this!

6. Make Own Original Songs and/or Stories

I think every parent has made up a song or a story, like this story I made here.

I say this with some confidence because my husband, who would rather carry the weight of the world than carry a tune, has invented songs for our little girl. They’re fun. And in my case, when things get a little challenging, they help keep me fun.

7. Make At Least One Memory Daily

I read somewhere that mothers of young children are their time-keepers. I realized then that being responsible for my daughter’s daily schedule, I had to consciously make something out of her every day.

So, I started a One-Memory-A-Day journal. I feel like I owe it to her, to make sure that the first few years of her life, when a lot of her life is basically what I make of it, is meaningful and worthwhile.

It can be as simple as this entry: Today we opened the window to let in the breeze. I lifted my arms to welcome the wind and you did the same. We watched the birds fly by. It seems like they’re flying nearer everyday. It looks like they’re beginning to see that we are friends.

And along the way, yes, we try to “Make Magic”.

tlb heart

 

Related Posts

  • Why aren’t those shrimps orange?Why aren’t those shrimps orange?
  • How to handle your child’s meltdowns in a positive wayHow to handle your child’s meltdowns in a positive way
  • Finding “The Quiet Way Home”Finding “The Quiet Way Home”
  • Virtue in Focus: PerseveranceVirtue in Focus: Perseverance
  • To Little T and Baby Boy on Mother’s DayTo Little T and Baby Boy on Mother’s Day
  • Kittens for Keeps: Beaches, Kittens and Making ChoicesKittens for Keeps: Beaches, Kittens and Making Choices
  • Our Road to ReadingOur Road to Reading
  • Easter Story Stones: A Gift For Your FamilyEaster Story Stones: A Gift For Your Family
  • Total2.5K
  • 2.4K
  • 0
  • 44
«
»

About Mars Medina

A trained Montessori preschool teacher, Mars is now a new mom to her 9-month-old. Montessori is still in her everyday as she blogs about Montessori activities at home on Montessori on Mars. Check out her shop, too, for some beautiful and purposeful learning materials.

Welcome


Hi there!

Whether you are a busy working mom, a work-at-home mom, or a stay-at-home mom, you are sure to find parenting and learning inspiration on our pages and parent education workshops to empower you to be your child’s first and best teacher.

Make magic with your child!

Search for Blog Posts

Search Learning Ideas

  • Before Five in a Row
  • Booklist
  • Charlotte Mason
  • Cultivating Love of Learning
  • Educational Materials
  • Five in a Row
  • Fun Friday Ideas
  • Homeschooling
  • Memory-Making
  • Parent Education
  • Parenting Thoughts
  • Past Parent Education Classes
  • Reading and Storytelling
  • Uncategorized

Upcoming Events

preschool homeschool

NOW OPEN — Everything you need to start homeschooling your preschooler is right here (November 13 to December 11 2021)

In these uncertain times, we can still enjoy our children while helping them to love learning. Learn everything you need to know to start homeschooling your preschooler in this comprehensive online parent education program.

Subscribe

Get updates on learning ideas, parenting events & shop offers!

Copyright © 2022 · Web Design by Fancy Girl Design Studio · Shop Set Up by Marge Aberásturi

Copyright © 2022 · Learning Basket Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in