The Montessori Room

When children are acting out, it often feels easiest to send them away - time out, to their room, etc.

And I get why. Loud or destructive behaviour can be so overstimulating!

Time outs are also just a quick, easy way to end unsafe behaviour - throwing toys, fighting with siblings, or jumping off furniture.

But isolating a child doesn't usually fix the behaviour long-term. It just gives you a break from it.

Swipe through the slides to learn what Montessori teachers do instead of "time outs"...

We're hosting a little giveaway for our Toronto followers!

This wonderful children's novel, The Wild Robot (available in our shop), has been made into a movie.

will be in theatres September 27 but we’ve partnered with for an exciting giveaway.

There's a special early-bird showing of the movie in Toronto this Monday, September 23rd.

We've got FIVE sets of family passes (each good for 4 tickets) available in store this Saturday - September 21st.

The first 5 customers to spend $100 will get a Wild Robot gift bag and four tickets to the showing on Monday – while supplies last.

Are you ready to join Robot Roz in an epic adventure?

Come by the store this Saturday for a chance to get one!

Your child might be at the age where they enjoy throwing. Great for developing arm strength and coordination... not so great for anything breakable in your home.

This is a typical phase that many infants and toddlers will go through.

Rather than becoming a broken record of "stop that" and "no", what can you do?

Swipe through the slides to better understand this behaviour and learn ways to redirect your child to less destructive activities.

You’re giving THAT to your child?

This is a phrase you may hear repeatedly if you follow a Montessori approach at home.

The basis of Montessori is to trust and respect the child…
..and often that means giving them the freedom to do certain things that most people would consider crazy!

One of these ‘strange’ liberties is real glass dishware.

In a Montessori classroom, they provide children as young as 18 months with real glass cups and dishware.

Swipe through the slides to learn why Montessori does this and how you can safely introduce real glass dishware into the home.

If your child is interested in helping in the kitchen, snacks are a great place to start because:

▪ It’s less food prep than an entire meal
▪ It usually happens at a less busy time of day
▪ You can foster your child’s autonomy by inviting them to choose what they want to eat/prepare for themselves more easily

Swipe through the slides for some easy snack prep activities broken down by age.

Whether it's a walk in the park, a trip to the beach, or just playing in the backyard, every moment outside is a chance for children to discover, learn, and grow. And you don't need much. Simply 'follow the child' and observe where their interests lie.

If you're looking for some ideas on what to do this long weekend, check out our blog posts:

▪ 11 Spring Montessori Activities
▪ Montessori Gardening Activities for Infants + Children
▪ An Easy and Fun Toddler Gardening Activity - Germinating Bean Seeds
▪ My Favourite Montessori Summer Activity - the activity can be done in any season!

You'll find them in the 'Montessori Tips and Activities' section of our site. Link in bio.

Stereognostic bags, otherwise known as Montessori Mystery Bags, are a classic Montessori activity and one that we repeat every couple of months in our at-home program.

Because they’re so fun and easy to set up, I often bring this activity with me when I know my three year old might be a little bored, like waiting for the dentist, in restaurants, or in the car.

Keep scrolling for more information on how to set up a stereognostic bag, some of the benefits of developing the stereognostic sense and ideas on what to include in the bag.

There's SO much focus in Montessori on the development of the hand.

Many of the activities and materials in the classroom are designed to strengthen the hand(s), pincer grasp, and hand-eye coordination.

"He does it with his hands, by experience, first in play and then through work. The hands are the instruments of man's intelligence." - Dr. Montessori

Swipe through the post to learn why Montessori focuses so much on the hands, as well as what you can do at home to support fine motor development.

How many times have you started sweeping the floor, prepping dinner, or unloading the dishwasher, only to have your child rush over to join in?

Depending on the situation, it can either be adorable and fun or... a little frustrating, when you're in a rush to finish the task.

Swipe through the post to learn why we should be inviting children into these tasks now to avoid 'flipping the script' on them later.

This beautifully designed board book box set is new to our shop and we couldn't wait to share it with you.

Designed by a professional watercolour artist and licensed speech therapist, Our Little Library includes five board books that feature realistic illustrations and foundational vocabulary. The durable materials and small book size also make them perfect for little hands.

Includes:
▪ Farm Animals
▪ Forest Animals
▪ Fruits and Veggies
▪ Toys
▪ Transportation

Click the pic for more information.

Scrolling through my Instagram feed this weekend and seeing all the Mother's Day craft ideas reminded me of one of the first Valentine's with my oldest child.

I got this brilliant idea to make heart-shaped Valentine's cards out of his footprints for each of the grandparents. We would mail them out and melt their hearts with his adorable little footprints.

Twenty minutes later - paint all over the kitchen, a lot of frustration, and some smudged footprints that looked nothing like hearts, I gave up.

It was only after I began working with Katie, the creator of our At-Home Montessori program, that I learned about the difference between child-led and adult-led art.

As with most things, when we follow the child's lead and allow them to explore, the results end up being much more meaningful to the child and less frustrating for the adult! Swipe through the post to learn more.

Spring is such a great time for nature-inspired activities. There's so much you can do with items found in nature and it's a good excuse to slow down your walks, taking the time to explore and notice all the little details.

Swipe through the post for 7 of our favourite activities to do in the Spring.

To download the FREE Nomenclature Cards and Scavenger Hunt, search for "11 Spring Montessori Activities" in the 'Montessori Tips and Activities' section of our site. Link in bio.

🥪 Introducing Fluf Snack & Lunch Bags! 🥪

Designed with little hands in mind, these bags feature convenient velcro or zipper closures, making them perfect for independent use by even the tiniest snackers.

Sustainably and ethically made with organic + recycled materials.

Fully machine washable.

Multiple styles and colours available.

Click the pic for more info.

By far, the most common question we get from parents is, "How do I teach my child to do X?"
.. put on their shoes?.. clean up their toys?.. play independently?.. help in the kitchen?

In response, we always ask, "Is your child showing an interest in doing that?"

This is one of the most common misconceptions about Montessori - that you should always be pushing for independence.

Swipe through the post to learn more about the Montessori approach to independence.

My youngest hit a new, very subtle milestone last week.

He grabbed my full 2L water bottle off the ground and carried it around the living room, grunting and proudly smiling at his success.

In Montessori, this strange little obsession that toddlers and young children have with carrying heavy objects is known as ‘Maximum Effort.’

Scroll through the post to learn more about this phase of development and 10 simple activities you can offer to satisfy it.

As parents, if we can manage to find a spare moment to ourselves, it's quite easy to fill - TV, social media, reading, etc

We never have to feel bored. Let's be real - with small kids, we never have a chance to feel bored.

So the second we see our children seemingly doing nothing, we get this temptation to jump in and entertain them.

We think that because we would feel bored in that situation... our child is too.

But the reality is that when it comes to young children, especially infants, EVERYTHING is brand new. Toes are exciting!

Scroll through the post to learn how to tell if your child is truly bored and why it's okay to let your child feel bored once in a while.

Dr. Montessori's words remind us that it's in the simplicity of running barefoot in the rain, feeling the earth beneath their feet, that children discover the wonders of the world around them.

It's interesting to note that there is a sentence that precedes this quote - "It would be too soon for us to say..." Dr. Montessori was remarking on how education didn't value experiences in nature as much as it should. Thankfully, this is changing!

Since this quote was written, much research has been done on the importance of being barefoot. Check out our Friday post for more information.

There's so much focus on development of the hand in Montessori.

But today we're talking about feet and their importance in infant and toddler development.

The soles of the feet are rich in nerve endings, which send sensory information to the brain.

For children, being barefoot is an opportunity for sensory exploration.

It's also a great way to strengthen the muscles of the feet and ankles, as well as improve balance, gross motor skills, flexibility, and posture.

Keep scrolling to learn more about the importance of being barefoot.

An "Invitation to Play" is a really cool concept. It's a simple idea but has so many benefits!

It's a term to used describe the set up of materials in a way that 'calls the child to play'. In other words, the child sees the toys or activity and can’t resist wanting to explore.

Scroll through the post for some examples of how to set up 'invitations to play' (spoiler: it's really easy!) and to learn the benefits of them.

Preparing food is a big leap into independence for children.

It teaches them how to care for themselves and helps build their confidence.

If your child is showing an interest in food prep, you may have noticed an interest in chopping and your use of a knife.

Knives and a hot stove are often the two most common limits in the kitchen...
... which, of course, makes them SO much more interesting to children.

If your child is showing an interest in chopping and you're open to encouraging this skill, there is a safe approach.

Here are 5 steps to safely introduce knives and chopping to your child.

When there is a large family holiday, the changes in schedule, setting, or the people we're seeing, will likely affect our children. If you're headed to a large family gathering this weekend, keep scrolling for some potential stressors and things to consider to help your child (and you!) feel more regulated throughout the day.

Develop your child's interest in nature and care of the outdoor environment with our NEW Buzzy Seed Grow Kits! 🌵🌻🌼

We have 11 kits to choose from and they come with a 100% Satisfaction Grow Guarantee. If, for any reason, your seeds don’t pop up, your plants don’t thrive or you’re just not totally happy with your purchase, Buzzy Seeds will replace your seed packet for free!

Click the pic for more info.

Even if you don't celebrate Easter, those plastic, colourful Easter eggs you see everywhere this time of year are great for so many activities and you don't have to put them away next week.

We usually keep plastic eggs out all year round because of all the uses.

Something as simple as working to open an egg and close it is a fun challenge to develop hand strength and concentration.

Here are 12 activities you can do with them, 4 for under 1 year old, and 8 for toddlers and preschoolers.

Bonus - they all require little to no setup.

Did you know that Dr. Montessori dedicated special lectures to parents? This quote is from one of them, in the book "Maria Montessori Speaks to Parents." It's a must-read for anyone interested in the Montessori philosophy!

As always, Dr. Montessori urges us to 'follow the child.' Check out our Friday post on how to manage your toddler's need for autonomy to learn how to do this. Let's give children the chance to explore and discover their own path, just as she advocated. 🌱

At bedtime last night. my toddler was disappointed that it was Dad’s turn to put him to bed.

He got mad and told my husband that he didn't want ANYONE to come to bed with him. He's going to bed alone.

We know that's not true. He loves his bedtime routine, with either parent, and he's never skipped it.

We also know that he’s feeling frustrated at the loss of control and inability to get what he wants.

Forcing him to comply is pretty much guaranteed to result in an escalation of his emotions - crying, delaying bedtime, and more frustration for everyone.

Instead, we validate his feelings, let him know that it's his choice, and try to get the bedtime routine started - suggesting he reads just one book with my husband.

Ultimately, he'll want my husband to put him to bed. But by helping him feel some sense of autonomy, he's able to let go of the initial disappointment and loss of control.

Keep scrolling to better understand why toddlers behave this way and learn a three-part framework you can use to give your child the independence they crave.