I hope you’re doing well. Whatever part of the world you’re joining from – I hope you are feeling well, healthy, and embracing the “new normal”. Today on the blog we have Guest blogger Maria (from Momizen ) talking about applying the principles of Montessori Development right at home. I hope you will enjoy some of these tips and will embrace the Montessori Mode if you have decided to choose that path.
Below you will find 6 simple steps on how to apply the basic principles of Montessori theory in your own home. Disclaimer: Though shops are closed you will be able to find useful items for decoration listed in this article, online.
#1 Low bed
A low bed instead of a baby crib with railings will help your baby feel independent of his very first steps. You can use large pillows on the sides as well as a fluffy puzzle rug, so you won’t have to worry about your little explorer getting injured trying to get down and crawl over to you.
#2 Low shelves
Like the bed, all furniture in the child’s room must be adjusted to its size. Your baby should feel that he/she can reach for their toys on their own without your help. In this way, their independence and self-confidence are strengthened from day one.
#3 Montessori- based toys and activities
There are a lot of fun activities for children both outdoors and inside the house that are in line with the Montessori model. Recommended toys suited for all ages including newborn babies, toddlers and school aged children are also designed especially for allowing the imagination to grow. Silent books and activity kits all specially designed to promote your child’s development are ideal for your little ones to play and enjoy. The key ingredient of all of these toys is that they give children motivation and urge them to make new discoveries every day.
#4 A few stimuli
During early development as well as later stages, the stimuli in the child’s room, such as paintings on the walls and toys should be few and should be accessible, or slightly above reach in the case of paintings. This is to ensure that favorite toys or interesting objects are reachable so that he/she can access them easily and play without too much assistance. Keeping the room minimal is key to offer children options, but not countless options that may create anxiety. As for décor, it is recommended to place posters or paintings on the walls with geometrical shapes, preferably in black and white, which act as stimulation for vision development.
#5 Organisation
All items must be combined and sorted in our child’s room according to their use. The same goes for toys, bunnies, etc. To achieve this, simply use boxes and storage baskets that you can find on every home storage section of online shops. Personally, I recommend transparent boxes compared to opaque ones, because they are perfect when it comes to finding what you are looking for in pressing moments. It also helps the children remember and identify which items belong where, and may encourage the tidying up process.
#6 Mirrors
“Mirror- Mirror on the wall,” said the evil queen, but a child-safe mirror on the wall just above the floor, with a rug underneath, will keep your baby busy and help them to develop while discovering themselves. Additionally, lying down on the floor next to your baby in front of the mirror enhances interaction, awareness and establishes a strong bond between you, while you both are having fun!
Following these simple steps, you can all very easily incorporate the principles of Montessori theory into your own child’s upbringing and thus help him develop and become an autonomous and self-sufficient individual.
Maria made a moved to Switzerland 7 years ago, shifting from a 10-year career of banking in Athens to a full-time mom of 3 children. Focusing in particular on the need for families looking for things to do with small children while having fun, Maria took an entrepreneurial turn and partnered up with a talented team of developers to design Momizen, a technologically advanced web application for finding fun and educational things to do with kids on-the-go. Maria holds a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Business Administration from the Unversity of Kent, in Canterbury.
Stay tuned for more resources, we have some great content lined up with experts in various fields – marketing gurus, coaches, wellness experts, chefs, and teachers to get you through this tough time. Stay safe and healthy! Make the most of your quarantine with My Swiss Story.
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