Welcome to a new series I've titled 'Ask A Montessori Teacher'. I often have questions that I would like to ask someone who is Montessori trained. Sometimes I feel like I need reassurance, sometimes I need new ideas and suggestions or just someone else's point of view. Do you ever feel like that? The person I go to for Montessori parenting questions is Meghan Hicks. She is a parent to two boys who she has raised in a Montessori way since birth. Meghan has run toddler groups, homeschooling groups, she now works with individuals and families and lectures internationally. She... Read more →

The media has been full of information about the Coronavirus. A lot of the discussion I've been hearing is from overseas. So I wanted to share a little about what we are doing about the Coronavirus here in Sydney. Our schools are open and are operating normally. All of the children's sporting events are going ahead, my children still have weekly training and matches. We are keeping our children informed in an age appropriate way and are taking a few extra precautions like more considered hand-washing. Our Activities We don't live with or have regular contact with elderly or immunosuppressed... Read more →

Is there anything on Etsy that has caught your eye recently? These posts are dangerous for me to write, while compiling these images I couldn't help but to order a new toddler apron and a colour matching set. Etsy never fails, I aways find cute, 'must-haves'! Here are a few other things that I am loving on Etsy: Wooden Solar System Galaxy Set - this is fantastic, you can also get the planets separately. Reversible Children's Apron with Flowers/Mustard - the cutest! Fabric Matching Game - perfect for the toddler in my life. This just isn't about colour but also... Read more →

Living in a different country can be life changing. For children, it can open their eyes to a whole new world. It can be exciting and scary at the same time. We've recently returned from living in the UK and we are still feeling unsettled. You may think that moving from Australia to England would be straight forward, and in many ways it is, but Australian culture is very different to English culture. We speak the same language but are on different wave lengths. We lived in a rural part of England and having an accent means that we immediately... Read more →

Today I'm sharing five things that I've enjoyed this week. Some of these are small moments but these are the things I treasure and want to make note of. We have been doing so much work, play and exploring outdoors. When living in the UK I kept a tally of how many hours we spent outdoors but here in Australia I don't need to, it's just not an issue. We are outdoors almost all day. Otis also walks to school so we are spending a lot less time in the car. This spot underneath a Eucalyptus tree is lovely and... Read more →

Today I want to share some of the counting toys we use with our toddler. Maths is all around us and there are plenty of opportunities to count in everyday living. But we still use a few counting toys that allow the toddler to explore quantities independently or in a fun way. Pictured above is the Tumble Down Counting Pegs. These have been a favourite. They are fun and the dropping of the pegs encourages the child to do it (counting) all over again. The numerals are nice and large and the child can also trace the number with their... Read more →

Ikea is one of my go-to places for baskets and trays. Their tray designs are always lovely and they are prefect for a whole range of practical life activities. Ikea always has a few new items that I want straight away, I am loving this little serving tray (#3) I can see it being functional in some of our children's areas. Here are a few other new (and new to me!) things I'm loving at Ikea: 1. PÅLHULT Travel Plans Poster - this is a wonderful idea. 2. BOTANISK Mold for Paper Pots - with this mold and some newpaper... Read more →

It is important that children in the second plane of development choose their own books and other reading materials. We can provide it, we can present it, but its up to them if they read it. It's during this period that my children start reading books that I don't really approve of, it's when they start reading silly, jokey books. While I don't really approve of these silly, jokey books I appreciate them, I understand they appeal to the young child's sense of humour. I understand that reading is important, autonomy is important, sharing books with peers is important. We... Read more →

How was your week? Busy? The sun has been shining here in Sydney and it's been nice and warm. The birds are all out and we have been exploring our new neighbourhood. This week we found a nature reserve so close to home the children can bike there. Here are five things that we enjoyed this week: 1. On Monday I took Otto to his first art class. The class is based on process art and it was fantastic! I've shown some more images here. It can be difficult to find the right classes for your toddler near to your... Read more →

Does your child know their tibia from their fibula? Puzzles can teach us so much about the world. For toddlers in particular, I love floor puzzles. They are big and chunky and promote movement. Large floor puzzles can also be fantastic for colour recognition, language develepment and even mathematics (including counting). Most of all they are good for developing the child's sense of spatial relationships, visual discrimination, coordination and for building concentration. When used with a friend or sibiling, (or parent) they can help build collaborative skills. For a young toddler, they can also help with completing a cycle of... Read more →

If you have read about Montessori or have children at a Montessori school chances are you've heard the term "freedom within limits". It's a term that can be applied equally to the home as to the Montessori classroom. Children in a Montessori classroom have much greater freedom than those in most traditional classrooms. Children at Montessori schools can freely move around the classroom, they are free to choose the work they want to do, in many schools children are free to move inside and outside. With these freedoms come limits. Children are required to respect their environment, walk quietly and... Read more →

Today Otto (2yrs) attended his first toddler art class. The studio was beautiful, amazing and vibrant. I felt so inspired that I made some adjustments to our art shelves as soon as we got home. But what had me thinking was the focus on process art and how many product driven arts and crafts my other children did at the same age. I know that product driven art and crafts can be useful for a variety of reasons and are often used around cultural events (Easter, Christmas, at school fairs). But do children in the first plane of development need... Read more →

Today I'm sharing five things we've enjoyed this week along with a few links and interesting Montessori inspired home tours. 1. Otis' (8 yrs) favourite podcast. He is naturally inquisitive but this podcast really gets him thinking and he often has more questions after listening to an episode!! I often subscribe him to new podcasts for him to try but this remains his favourite. Some of the others include Tumble, Wow in the World and Fun Kids Science Weekly. 2. Caspar (12yrs) is currently reading speeches that changed the world, he loves the section on Gandhi. 3. Moving house means... Read more →

"The hands are the instruments of man's intelligence." - Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind. Hand strength is essential for activities like writing and using scissors but it is also essential for daily living tasks like doing up buttons, pulling on shoes, tying a bow or pouring a drink. Often we focus on coordination, the pincer grasp and the refinement of movements and touch, which are incredibly important but developing the strength of the entire hand is fundamental. How do our toddlers in the precious first three years of life spend their days? Are our lifestyles becoming too passive? Are our... Read more →

A dedicated reading area in your home, classroom or toddler community is a great way to support young readers. It can also provide a moment of respite from the busy home or classroom. It can be a quiet space, a comfortable space. A space where the child can come to catch their breath and gather their thoughts, perhaps regroup, perhaps even lose themselves in the pages of a good book. Here are some inspiring reading areas from various Montessori environments that I'm sure you'll love! Simplicity is key here (isn't it always)! Simple shelf and mattress with a few cushions.... Read more →