How to Build a Kitchen Helper

My husband made our first kitchen helper for D when she was 14 months old. She was the same age as S is now, with the same needs: to be close to Mama and close to the action (and food). The kitchen helper saved us then, and the double kitchen helper is saving us again now. Goodbye to days of leg clinging or trying to cook an entire dinner with one hand. Hello to days of learning and cooking together (or at least to days where one of us is playing with a whisk, the other is tasting ingredients, and the third is cooking in relative peace!)

This double kitchen helper has made my life easier, but it is also such a wonderful opportunity for the kids. D really does love to help prepare her meals, and enjoys trying new foods so much more because of it. S is already excited to be a part of the process, and soon he will probably be mixing, spreading, chopping, and baking away. I can’t wait to see what they cook up together.

Now that I’ve hopefully convinced you of the need for a kitchen helper, I’ll talk a bit about the plans. My husband gets all the credit. He build this helper in a weekend and wrote the plans in a night so I could get this in our kitchen and on my blog asap. We are so grateful to him! Before downloading these plans, keep in mind he is not a professional builder. He has taught himself along the way, so we cannot guarantee perfection or a safety guarantee. He does work in analytics, so you can count on these plans being extremely detailed and well thought out, with photos and diagrams along the way. These plans will lead you through making a single or a double helper. We can’t wait to see your littles enjoying their kitchen helpers too!

Baby Led Weaning, Montessori Style

A key element in the introduction of solid foods in a Montessori home is respect. We show the infant respect by providing them with real dishes and utensils. Infants in turn learn to respect and care for their environment early on. It is one of the first opportunities for infants to practice autonomy and feel the pride and satisfaction that comes with our trust and respect.

Weaning vs. Family Table

One of the first ways we show infants respect is by setting up a lovely place for them to eat. In our home, we have a couple of options for this. We have two Stokke Trip Trapp chairs for the children which are wonderful because they grow with them. S is still in the baby set, but he can sit right at the family table with us. D has been climbing in and out of hers since 20 months or so. We all sit at the family table for breakfast and dinner, and sometimes lunch.

We also have a Sprout Kids weaning table for the kids to sit at. A low table is great for babies becuase it makes the dropping and throwing game less exciting (dishes have less far to fall). It also allows independence once they are more mobile. It is extra special for toddlers when they can begin to set their own table and clear their dishes. Both D and S love sitting together at their small table, and I just sit on the floor next to them. We typically do morning and afternoon snack, and sometimes lunch here. You can get 10% off the Sprout table with the code MRealLife.

Purees and BLW

When we started S on solids around 6 months, we began with purees. Once he got comfortable with that, we introduced small strips of food, and then bite-sized pieces around 8 or 9 months. Though we didn’t start with traditional baby-led weaning, S has been involved in feeding himself each step of the way. When we began purees, we each held a small espresso spoon. I would dip my small spoon in the bowl and feed him, but he could practice or just play with his spoon as well. Often he would take over and hold it once it was in his mouth. Now, I can load the spoon for him, set it down in his bowl and he feeds himself. He then places it back down for me to scoop again. Soon enough he’ll be dipping, scooping, and feeding himself. (Tip: start with a thick food such as mashed avocado or chia pudding that is sticky and easy to scoop.) Since eight months though, most of his meals are finger food, in baby-led weaning style. He finds a lot of satisfaction chewing and eating what his big sis is, even without teeth! Though we practice with the small fork in the same way, he eats a lot with his hands, which is great too! Infants and toddlers will use utensils when they are ready, if they are available to them.

Real Dishes

We love our small shallow ramekins as dishes because the food can pressed up against the edges rather than falling off the plate when they reach for it with their fingers or utensil. The small spoon and cocktail forks give them practice with the same kinds of utensils we use, while fitting nicely in their small hands. The cocktail fork has sharp tines, making it easier to actually pierce food with. (Supervision necessary.) We have avoided suction plates because they don’t teach infants how to be careful with their dishes. They also often become a game of trying to “unsuction” and toss.

Placemats

We place the children’s dishes on these wonderful, outlined placemats by Khadine Deco. While these aren’t necessary, they allow for infants to know dishes have a designated place on the table. The outlines are great for D because she can set the table by herself, knowing exactly where her utensils and cup go. We have cloth and laminated versions (the latter being easier to clean and re-use frequently!) You can use code reallife10 for 10% off either version.

Glasses

We also prefer to use open glass cups for drinking because they teach children how to properly drink from a cup and allow for natural consequences when the cup is dropped. We use small duralex cups at home because they are much tougher than typical glass, so while they spill, they are unlikely to break/shatter when dropped. The three-ounce version is perfect for S, and the 5 ounce glass is great for D. Clear glass is also preferred because infants and young children can see how much is in the cup before picking it up and drinking from it.

When we first introduced the cup (the same time he started solids), I held it for him as he learned how to sip from it. Once he got used to that, I would let him practice picking it up from the table. There were plenty of spills, but I always keep a small washcloth or napkin and pitcher to refill the water. I also only fill the water cup 1/4 the way full, so it’s not a flood every time. By 10 months he could bring the water cup to his mouth, drink, and set it back down. He doesn’t get it right every time, but he’s learning more every time he tries. If he is just playing or putting food in the water, it’s a sign he’s all done and we remove the cup. He isn’t going thirsty, as he’s still getting plenty of hydration and nourishment from nursing.

Supervision

As you might imagine, using real dishes means close supervision. It is especially necessary to sit with your infant as they eat, either on the ground at their weaning table, or beside them at the family table. It is much harder for them to dishes or food if you’re right there to catch them, and the best way to prevent them from getting in a throwing habit is to stop it before it happens. If S begins to drop food (e.g. to our dog) or push his dishes around a lot, I say “Food stays on the table”, and if it happens again, “It looks like you’re all done!” and sign “all done” with my hands. I then take away the dishes. It’s often a sign that they aren’t hungry or interested in the food if they are playing rather than eating.

Now that S is used to his dishes staying on the table, I am able to walk away and get my own food or do a few dishes while he finishes up eating. I am always close by though. At 10 months, he already shows respect for his environment, in large part because he has been shown respect and trust at mealtimes. Babies are capable of so much if we give them a chance. It also means practicing patience ourselves and embracing plenty of mess along the way!

Communication

A big piece of the weaning process has been clear communication. I talk to S as we get ready for eating, and label the different foods for him. I use baby sign as I talk for words like “eat”, “more”, “water”, and “all done”. He is starting to sign “more” and “all done” now. He also very clearly understands what I’m saying, as he reaches for the water as soon as I ask him if he wants water, with my voice and signing. Including babies in the conversation from the very beginning helps them feel empowered and in control at mealtimes, and beyond. By giving S the tools to communicate back via baby sign, he can tell us when he is still hungry or is all done. This can help to prevent throwing and other difficult habits that often come from an inability to communicate their wants and needs.

On the Go

One of the beauties of using real dishes and teaching respect early on is that it is much more pleasant to take your infant or toddler to eat at restaurants. D has always done remarkably well at restaurants, and (when we are allowed to go out of our house again!), I hope S is too. Often we’ll keep a bib as well as a baby spoon and fork in the diaper bag, but just use the plates and cups that they have there. When we take long walks or go out, we typically bring our favorite straw cups. These aren’t leak-proof so they do need to remain upright, but they can’t pull the straw out which is nice. I taught S how to use this around 10 months by sucking a little smoothie up for him, so he could taste it, and know that he has to suck to get more liquid up from the straw. You can also use squeezable take & toss straw cups to better assist your infant in learning how to drink from a straw (you squeeze the cup lightly and liquid goes up the straw for them to suck.)

The Montessori Kitchen Guide

For a complete and detailed guide to Montessori weaning, challenging behaviors at the table, involving your toddler in the kitchen, and more, check out our 60-page Montessori Kitchen Guide e-Book!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of these links, you won’t pay anything extra, but I will get a small commission, which helps keep this blog going. Thanks for supporting Montessori in Real Life!

A Montessori Toddler Kitchen Part II

It’s been over a year since we first set up D’s functional kitchen. Reading over my original blog post on it, I realized it’s time for an update on how it’s set up, and how she uses it. For details about why we don’t have a play kitchen and how we first converted the IKEA play kitchen to a functional kitchen, see the original post. This little kitchen is D’s favorite spot in the house. This is where she washes hands. It’s where she finds and serves her own snack and beverage. It’s where she finds her placemat and dishes to set her and S’ small table. It is also where she helps prepare her own snacks, such as peeling and slicing carrots, juicing oranges, peeling eggs, or transferring crackers to her plate with tongs. She takes such pride in all that she does here.

Over the course of the past year, D has grown a lot in what she can do at this kitchen. The water dispenser is mostly used for hand-washing at this point. Occasionally she also washes dishes here too. Though it can be used for drinking water, she more often pours from a pitcher with water or milk that stays on her kitchen counter. Setting up a shelf beside the IKEA kitchen has given her more space for this, as well as food prep and serving snack. I also added a mini fridge where we mostly keep veggies and hummus or something similar for her snacktime. She can self-serve, but tends to only do so in the afternoons.

As she helps put dishes away, I placed some colored dot stickers in her kitchen cabinet to help her remember where the dishes belong. We also added a utensil divider for the same reason. Hand towels, placemats, and napkins are now stored in the low drawer of the new cabinet, next to the small laundry bin. As all things in our home, it’s a constant work in progress and it will continue to evolve as she gets older, and as S becomes a toddler himself. I guarantee there will be a Part III next year. :) But for now, it’s pretty close to perfect for D. Links are all below!

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• IKEA Kitchen

• Cutting Board

• Water Dispenser

• Soap Dispenser

• Dish Brush

• Cooking Utensils

• Flatware Holder

• Glasses

• Plates

• Bowls

• Compost

• Cleaning Set

• Art Prints

• Kitchen Shelf

• Drawer Organizers

• Placemats

• Laundry Bin

• Cloths

• Mini Refrigerator

• Large Pitcher

• Colanders

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I know setting up the kitchen and giving your child freedom in the kitchen can be intimidating, which is why Bridget (of Montessori in Motion) and I created The Montessori Kitchen Guide eBook! Check it out for all your questions regarding introducing food and real dishes to babies, weaning tables vs high chairs, functional kitchens in any space, kitchen helpers, tricky behaviors at the table, toddler food prep ideas, and more!

Water dispenser disclaimer: This water dispenser set-up is not perfect. It requires your toddler to turn the knob rather than push a button to release water, which takes practice and getting used to. The dispenser can also tip if not careful, but D learned early on to hold the dispenser with one hand and turn on the water with the other. The lid may also rust, which is natural with metal, but good to be aware of. We did not put a hole in our sink to let it drain, but I’ve seen others do that with a bucket underneath. I just fill the dispenser partway so that it never overfills the sink, and only empty the sink and refill the dispenser up to 3 times a day. That sets a nice limit for D and prevents her from wasting a bunch of water.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of these links, you won’t pay anything extra, but I will get a small commission, which helps keep this blog going. Thanks for supporting Montessori in Real Life!

Plant-Based Toddler Meal Ideas

Fun fact about me: I used to have a food blog! I guess once a blogger, always a blogger. ;) Though I no longer spend my time creating recipes, I still love to cook, especially plant-based food. Though we aren’t strictly vegan (we eat some eggs and fish), we eat very little dairy or meat. We just feel better eating this way, for various reasons. That being said, I want D to be able to make her own choices when she’s older and be able to eat cake at birthday parties, so I do let her have the occasional bowl of mac & cheese or whatever else her friends are having on a playdate. There are many opinions about this, but I respect whatever food choices parents make for their own children, and hope others do the same! :)

Feeding toddlers can be tricky in general, and many of you have asked for ideas. These days D often eats whatever my husband and I are already having (90% of our dinners come from MInimalist Baker!), but here are some of her favorites for each meal that I make on the regular. I also make a note when it’s a meal that D enjoys helping me make, and my hope is that she can help me make every recipe given enough time and practice!

Side note: though you can find links to D’s dishes in our Functional Kitchen blog post, I’ve recently updated her plates, silverware, and cups to accommodate her growing hands and tummy. Even though D is out of the dish throwing phase, I still like to use Duralex because cups just seem to fall and spill more than other dishes. I also really like her new larger utensils because the forks’ tongs are sharp enough for her to easily pierce her food (though she still uses her hands an equal amount). Links below:

Plates | Cups | Utensils

Breakfast

I try to make this self-serve or in parts, e.g. so she can pour or scoop berries or nuts into her oatmeal before eating. All of these are quick, and easy to prepare the night before or morning of (with a hangry toddler in tow)!

• Yogurt & Granola or Chopped Walnuts & Fruit - Our favorite non-dairy yogurts are Forager Cashew and CocoYo Coconut (unsweetened)

• Chia pudding ( I leave out the maple syrup - dates are sweet enough!) - We mix it up with different seed and nut butters such as sunflower seed butter

• Buckwheat pancakes (I use Bob’s Red Mill mix with a flax egg or normal egg). D can help me stir the batter, but her favorite part is to pour on a little syrup from her small pitcher. :)

• Overnight Oats or Old-Fashioned Oats + Hemp or Pumpkin Seeds + Fruit

Lunch

This is usually a small meal because D has eaten a big breakfast and snack already, and is getting ready for nap. Sometimes we combine a couple of the ideas to make a larger meal though.

• Hummus Plate - This is a go-to for lunch or snack. I slice up some of her favorite veggies: cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, and/or snap peas, and serve with some hummus or yogurt dip and sometimes a little bread, or whole wheat crackers too. D enjoys chopping up the cucumber, and carrot if I’ve steamed it a little beforehand.

• Avocado Toast and Tomato Salad - D loves spreading her own mashed avocado on toast. She also enjoys mashing. I usually mix the mashed avocado with nutritional yeast and/or hemp hearts. This is especially good on fresh sourdough bread and served with chopped heirloom/cherry tomatoes. (I mix tomatoes with a little olive oil and basil too).

• Broccoli Fritters & Dip - I use a bit less spice, added one chopped scallion, and reduced salt a lot. We experiment a lot with different forms of veggie patties and falafels because they are great for both lunch and snack as finger food. D enjoys lentils so I like ones such as these, served with dipping sauce or not.

• Smoothies - For the two of us, I typically blend 1.5 cups almond, coconut, or hemp milk, a ripe banana, a couple large handfuls of spinach, a tbsp nut butter, 1 tbsp chia seeds and a splash of sweetener, e.g. maple or date syrup. Sometimes I add frozen berries, avocado, or cucumber too. D loves to add all the ingredients to the blender for us, and help pour the smoothie for us.

Dinner

As I mentioned, usually D just eats whatever my husband and I are having for dinner, or at least a version of it. This is the meal of the day I really enjoy cooking, and having D help me with too!

• Vegan Lasagna - You know a recipe is loved when the page is covered in tomato sauce splatter. :) The one we use and love is from The Minimalist Baker cookbook (my favorite cookbook!) but this one by Oh She Glows is also good! I’ve also made a simpler version by just using store-bought marinara and Kite Hill almond milk ricotta. D loves to help spread on the layers for this one!

• Buddha Bowls - This is another one of our family’s weekly staples, and it’s great because it can be adjusted to what’s in season or what you have in the fridge already. Our favorite is a bowl with jasmine or brown rice, pan-seared or baked tofu, spinach, steamed broccoli, shredded raw carrot, and avocado slices topped with peanut sauce and scallions. We use this peanut sauce from Minimalist Baker, minus the chili sauce for D.

• Deconstructed Tacos - A quick and simple dinner we always enjoy is tacos. For D, I just serve them “deconstructed”. This is usually a combo of black beans, roasted sweet potato spiced with cumin and paprika, homemade guacamole, and corn tortilla slices. Sometimes we make a small quesadilla with dairy-free cheese for her too.

• “Zoodles” or Noodles - Though pasta with veggies and legumes is always a go-to, this version is a fun way to sneak in even more veggies. Using a spiralizer, we make our own veggie noodles (mostly “zoodles” or zucchini noodles). We’ve also successfully used the spiralizer to make squash noodles! We top the zoodles (or just traditional noodles) with tomato sauce, chickpeas or lentils, and vegan parmesan, or homemade pesto. Lots of ways for D to help here, with combining ingredients in the food processor for sauce or helping turn the spiralizer and transfer noodles.

These are just a few of our favorites! Would love to hear yours!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of these links, you won’t pay anything extra, but I will get a small commission, which helps keep this blog going. Thanks for supporting Montessori in Real Life!

A Functional Montessori Toddler Kitchen

There are mixed opinions on whether or not a play kitchen belongs in a Montessori environment, though most lean towards no. In most traditional Montessori classrooms, play kitchens are replaced with purposeful work, e.g. preparing and cooking real food, and cleaning up real dishes. Children not only get more out of this experience, but they typically prefer it. I know that D, at 18 months, prefers practical life work more than anything else. Her favorite activities are the ones she sees us doing every day: putting dishes away, washing hands (D could do this all day), pouring water, helping prepare food, and cleaning up (sometimes making a mess just to do so). I can clearly see D’s focus, satisfaction, and pride as she does these tasks.

To best serve D’s toddler needs, I been making the IKEA play kitchen more and more functional for her. I started by removing the parts that weren’t serving any purpose: the microwave, the faucet that didn’t produce water, and the light-up stovetop. This past weekend, I replaced the faucet with this glass water dispenser that is easy to turn on and off, and can produce a very slow flow of water. She can fill the sink with water, pump a little soap from this soap dispenser, and wash her hands or dishes. It took a few tries to find a water dispenser that fit this kitchen and didn’t arrive broken(!), but we are so happy with the final result. Though she still needs some assistance turning the water on and pumping out soap, she’s not far from doing all this on her own.

I also replaced the stovetop with a cutting board where she can practice chopping real fruit or vegetables. After snacks or meals, I lay out a towel over it for her to place her dishes. For now, this cutting board is most often used to set out snack for her to serve herself. I place a pre-portioned amount for her to scoop or transfer to her plate. Though she likes to fill her water glass from the water dispenser now, she also still pours water and milk from a small pitcher into her glass. She can then carry her plate and glass to her small table to eat. D loves this simple act of independence!

The other big difference between this functional kitchen and a play kitchen is the cupboard. Instead of pretend food and pots/pans, I filled the cupboards with utensils, dishes, and cleaning supplies she uses on a daily basis. On the left she has her spoons and forks, glasses, pitchers, plates, and bowls. I only put a couple of each item out, so that if she wants to “reorganize”, it’s not so overwhelming and doesn’t create a big mess. She likes to help unload the dishwasher each morning and put her dishes back in their place, or at least in the vicinity. ;)

On the right she has larger utensils for helping to bake or prepare snack, towels for wiping up spills, and a small dustpan for cleaning up crumbs and small pieces of food. Each one of these items doesn’t get used every day, but they all serve a function and have been used with purpose. To the left of the kitchen she has a dustpan and brush, a laundry bin for dirty/wet towels, and a compost bin to put her scraps after eating. (The compost we only put out at mealtimes thanks to our always-hungry vizsla!) Lastly, above the kitchen I keep a little wall art for her to look at, and now practice labeling.

About the water: Though not strictly “practical”, I do let D play at the kitchen sink, even when it’s not to wash or drink water. She is clearly getting a positive sensory experience by running her hands through water, and concentration from pouring water back and forth from her pitchers. Although I can’t let her stand at the sink with running water for too long due to wastefulness, I do give her time for this each day! One day very soon, it will lose it's magic, and she will simply use water for its intended purpose, so I’m embracing her love of water for now. :)

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of these links, you won’t pay anything extra, but I will get a small commission, which helps keep this blog going. Thanks for supporting Montessori in Real Life!

Our Little Sous Chef

D has always been a big fan of food and all things related. Now that she is 14 months, we’ve expanded on this “passion” by finding ways for her to be involved in the food making and clean-up process. She LOVES it. D isn’t alone in this. A core element and toddler favorite in a Montessori toddler classroom is practical life, which are the activities of everyday life. This includes tasks such as setting the table, preparing meals, wiping the table, washing hands, dusting, watering plants, etc. Often the things we find monotonous toddlers find energizing. ;) Toddlers are natural imitators, and these types of activities give them the satisfaction of repetition, purpose, sensory experiences, concentration, and belonging in their family or community.

Since D is still a young toddler and not yet walking, I found it challenging at first to come up with appropriate activities for her. But when I introduced activities such as banana peeling and water pouring and watched her handle these tasks with such precision and care, I was reminded of just how capable toddlers can be. Not every activity has been so successful, and it’s important to remind myself that the important part for toddlers is the process rather than the product. Even if she isn’t successfully scrubbing dirt off of a carrot, she is concentrating and figuring out how things work together each time she practices or explores with her hands. And she is more interested in trying new foods. With practice comes precision!

We have a few areas of the kitchen/dining area for her to work. One is the kitchen helper my husband made. He made a simplified version of this one I saw on Etsy. D loves to stand up at the counter with me and both watch and participate in her food preparation. She also sits at her small weaning table to do precise work such as water pouring and peeling at meals. Lastly, she can work at her modified IKEA kitchen, where I fill a sink with soapy water for her to practice doing the dishes, and have a cutting board for her to practice chopping. Variety keeps it interesting!

Here are a few of the practical life activities we have enjoyed in the kitchen:

Spreading - I found this pack of 3 tiny spreaders that are perfect for little toddler hands. She practices spreading mashed avocado, hummus, or nut butter on toast. Often the spreader ends up in her mouth! ;) You can also purchase spreaders from Amazon here.

Water pouring - These small creamer pitchers are perfect for the tiniest of hands! She loves to pour water into her glass or just pour rice or liquid between two pitchers.

Transferring - Sometimes the simplest tasks have a purpose for toddlers. She always enjoys having two little plates on the table, and we practice moving the food from the “serving” plate to her plate before eating.

Mashing - This little masher is perfect for mashing avocado, banana, or even mashed potatoes!

Scrubbing - D uses this scrubber to scrub vegetables such as carrots in her Ikea kitchen sink. She loves the feel of the bristles.

Chopping - This wavy chopper is the easiest way to start. D has had some success with the banana, and next we’ll try cucumber.

Washing - We have a set of these swedish dishcloths for D to wash her dishes with. She especially likes to wring it out in the sink!

Sweeping - D loves to sweep the floor with this little broom and dust pan!

Washing hands - This soap dispenser is simple and easy for little hands to push to get soap out. She still needs our help with this, but we keep it accessible at the Ikea kitchen sink.

Peeling - We started with banana slices with the skin on for her to peel off, and are now trying satsumas. It helps to cut slits in the peel to help them get started.

And there are endless more to come! What are your toddler's favorite practical life activities?

Cups, Straws, and Spoons, Oh My!

This past month has been a huge leap in independence for 11-mo-old D. Now that she can navigate our house quickly and efficiently, she wants to do everything on her own! Namely, eating and drinking. Whether it's the bottle or the spoon, she wants control. And while messes are made and patience (mine) is tested, I'm all for giving her this independence. By giving D her own table, or a place at our table, and the same tools we use to eat and drink, she feels respected, trusted, and like an equal member of our family! 

When we introduced the weaning cup around 8 months, D enjoyed drinking from it but not holding it. Around 10 months, she began to show interest in using it independently - reaching for it on the table or whining when I tried to do it for her. I modeled how we use two hands to bring it to our mouth and set it back down. Gradually, she figured it out herself. While she still struggles with setting it back down upright, she has really gotten the hang of bringing it to her mouth and drinking from it. We just put water in the cup for now, but eventually she'll drink milk from it too. When she starts dipping her fingers or food in the cup, or tosses it, we just take a break from the cup and try again later. While she can play with her food on her plate, the cup is for drinking.

Around the same time D showed interest in drinking from the cup herself (10 months), she began to figure out how to use the spoon. Puree or not, she likes to hold the spoon and "dip" it in her food. When she does have a puree, yogurt, or chia pudding, she has actually figured out the sequence of dipping the spoon, bringing it to her mouth, and slurping - repeat. Video below. As you can see, it's not always a smooth sequence, or super effective. ;) The important thing is to let her practice, because she gets better every time. And it is obvious how much she enjoys feeding herself! There is nothing that makes me happier than her feeling proud of herself for something she has really worked hard on.

Side note: Though D consumes most of her liquids via breastfeeding or bottles, I also give her a water cup with a straw when we are on the go. We have avoided sippy cups based on recommendations from feeding and speech therapists. (For a good article about straw cups vs. sippy cups, check this out: http://noahsdad.com/cup/.) I was also surprised how easy it was for D to learn how to drink from a straw. I introduced the straw at 9 months with these take and toss cups. These simple, inexpensive cups were great because they allowed me to squeeze the cup, causing water to come out, showing her how the straw works. We recently graduated to this water bottle that we can take on the go. That being said, we mostly focus on the weaning cup for water at home, because it gives her a chance to learn how to drink with care, like we do! 

Lastly, at 11 months, we introduced the placemat, so that she would have a place to set her cup back down. I expected her to toss this off the table, but she actually does quite well with leaving it be. These handmade Montessori placemats are great because they have outlines for where to put the silverware, cup, and plate. When I worked in the toddler class, a favorite part of the day was setting their place for lunch! All she's missing is the fork, but to be continued...

Baby-Led Weaning, a la Francaise

How things have already changed since my first post about D's introduction to food! While she enjoyed the simple purees her first couple months of eating, she shifted course around 6 months old. It seemed that she was most put off by the spoon itself. Since she already had 2 teeth, I cautiously gave her a little piece of banana and a couple of those dissolvable puffs instead of purees. She chewed and swallowed like a champ, and seemed to really enjoy it, so I decided to start baby-led weaning with her, with a few spoonfuls of mama's oats thrown in. This created a happier eating environment for both of us, and D quickly grasped "grasping" the food, eventually mastering the pincer grasp. So while this hasn't been the exact Montessori weaning experience I had imagined, it has been the right path for D, and given her more independence and satisfaction! (See links to her set-up at end of post)

As someone who thoroughly enjoys both cooking and eating, I've been enjoying reading about various ways in which to help your child appreciate and enjoy a variety of foods. A few mom friends and I started a "book" club (yes, it is mostly a wine club), and our first read was French Kids Eat Everything. I had really enjoyed reading Bringing Up Bébé pre-baby, so I was optimistic about this book too. General synopsis: Canadian mom and French dad living in Canada move to France with their 2 picky-eating little daughters who (spoiler alert) soon speak fluent French and eat beet puree and fish stew (but don't forget the chocolate croissants). She offers 10 French Food Rules with lots of anecdotes and research. Overall it's worth a read to reconsider how we as adults eat too! *As I guiltily wipe crumbs off the couch* ;)

As most parenting books go, there were quiet a few eye rolls, but there were also plenty of ideas that jived with my parenting style or inspired me. Such as... 

• The focus of feeding babies should be on satiation and taste, rather than calories or fullness. I do think the author makes a good point that in America, we are so worried when we start introducing solids, that it takes away the pleasure of eating. Before the age of 1, babies are still getting most of their nutrients from milk, so eating can simply be a chance for babies to get used to lots of different tastes and textures.

• Introduce real, unprocessed foods, particularly veggies. While the French introduce this in the form of purees, I've done this with whole foods (I'm okay with those messy fingers). Introducing food in its "pure" form helps to develop their tastebuds for a whole variety of foods. I do think giving D a piece of broccoli has more benefits for her future enjoyment of broccoli than disguising it in a puff cereal or muffin. That being said, I believe snacks and pancakes always have a place in our life, in moderation. :)

• Your child doesn't have to like the food, or even eat it, but they do have to taste it. This is an easy rule to start with babies. I've heard it a thousand times but I still need the reminder that it can take a dozen introductions for a baby to like a new food. Variety and "eating the rainbow" is so important, and if we stick with only the food they immediately like, it'll be that much harder to deal with the picky toddler years! Now that the local farmers market is open, I'm using that as an opportunity to introduce new fruits and veggies, for both of us!

• Make mealtime a pleasant and relaxed place to eat. This is definitely one of those "easier said than done" rules for most families. I do find that when I sit and eat with D at the table, she is generally happier during the process (though she does also love her weaning table, so we do both). This "rule" also incorporates the idea of setting the table before eating. We don't make it fancy, but giving D real dishes gives her a sense of autonomy and a chance to learn consequences of throwing ("all done!").

• A little (healthy) fat is good for babies. The French are pros at making vegetables taste delicious, and I'm pretty sure their secret is butter. The key is that they are cooking with high quality ingredients, including the fats they use. From what I've read, there is nothing wrong with adding a tiny dab of butter or olive oil to your baby's steamed veggies, and in fact, babies need healthy fats more than anything at this stage. Other good sources of fat that we've introduced are avocado, chia (sprinkled on fruit), nut butter (mixed into oats), eggs, and yogurt.

While I was inspired by the French way of eating, it was reassuring to remind myself of the "American" parenting tendencies that I am also very much on board with. Such as...breastfeeding on demand, letting D make her own (limited) choices, eating with our fingers and playing with food (exploration!), snacktime, and giving kids power and ownership! In my opinion, childhood should still be a time for playing in the dirt, and eating it too. ;)

D's mealtime set-up:

• Weaning Table

• High Chair

• Pyrex bowls

• Ramekins

• Duralex glasses

• Small spoons
  

Deliciously Messy Food, Montessori Style

As a foodie myself, I was eagerly anticipating D's introduction to solid foods. Avocados, delicata, plums, oh my! As most things in child rearing, there are numerous methods for when and how to start solids, so you have to just pick your path and go with it. I leaned on my mama intuition, my fellow Montessori bloggers, and D's readiness to figure out how to start this exciting food journey.

D started showing signs of readiness for solids a little after 4 months, so we started at 4 and a half months. Specifically: good head control, super interested in our food (and licking her lips accordingly), doubled her birth weight, and 2 early bottom teeth. Most importantly, when I tested out giving her a little spoonful of food, she closed her mouth around the spoon, swallowed, and smiled wide!

Though I was tempted to start with baby-led weaning (no purees - just small bits of whole food), I felt more comfortable starting with homemade single-food purees, to help her ease into solid foods and digestion. I purchased this all-in-one baby food maker to easily steam and puree my own veggies and fruits. I started with whole-grain cereal, followed by avocado, butternut squash, sweet potato, and then apple. I wanted to start with vegetables rather than fruits so that she didn't only want the sweet stuff! To make the purees extra creamy and digestible, I mixed in a little breastmilk too. Because D’s body still only needs the nutritions that come from milk at this point, she's really just tasting each of these foods rather than filling up on them.

Although we have this awesome high chair that will grow with D through the years and be perfect for family meals, we are starting D off at this weaning table. This is a baby-appropriate table and chair that she can sit up in by herself and eventually get in and out of without adult assistance. The weaning table promotes independence, child participation, and a focus on treating infants as "real" people. Very Montessori. :) Already I can see that D wants to do as I do, particularly when it comes to eating, and this is one step in that direction. 

My favorite elements of the Montessori "weaning" set-up is that D gets her own spoon to self-feed. While I started out feeding her myself, she right away wanted to take hold of the spoon, so I began to let her. I was surprised at how good she was at getting the puree right into her mouth (or at least close)! We have some lovely bamboo & rubber spoons but they are still too big for her, so this week I purchased these sweet little espresso spoons for her to feed herself. You can see photos of her first experience with this spoon - not bad! For now, I'm scooping the puree with the spoon and then handing it to her. I still feed her too, so we each have a spoon and take turns. Obviously we are just embracing the mess. But with a bit (a lot) more practice, she'll be feeding herself like a pro.

Why the silver spoons, pictures above the table, and glass bowls? They all promote the feeling that our home is just as much D's as it is ours. She is just as deserving of the kind of dishes and set-up we have ourselves, and she learns to care for them as we do. It's a way to show D respect while also teaching her how to respect her environment. Obviously there are many ways to do this, and using plastic is totally fine, but this is one way to go about introducing food, Montessori style. I imagine we'll do some breakable and some non-breakable dishes depending on time and place!

In the next month or two we'll introduce a small glass for her to learn to drink water from and more whole food to explore and taste. There'll be breaks and messes, but also lots of opportunities for learning and enjoying glorious food! The beauty of an independent weaning table. But one baby step at a time. :) The food journey is only just beginning!