"Extra" Activities vs. Free Play

Do I sign my toddler up for that gymnastics class or just let them jump off cushions at home? Is my child going to be behind if I don’t sign them up for a music class? What if I benefit from these classes as much as my child? Does this activity align with Montessori? These are the types of questions that I often hear from parents of young childen and questions I’ve even asked myself.

Let’s first talk about how organized activities might fit in with Montessori. This isn’t a simple answer. Some Montessori families are involved in a variety of extra activities/sports/classes and some families none. It’s a personal choice, but one that should be the child’s as much as the adult’s. And by no means are any organized activities necessary for young children. I’ll share how we think about it in our family.

If you’ve been here a while, you won’t be surprised to hear that we try to find a balance of planned activities and free time, leaning more heavily on the free. I want my children to have plenty of time and space to independently explore and discover. This, however, doesn’t rule out other activities. This spring, the kids are each signed up for one weekly class. We offered a few options for them to choose from that fit with our schedule and weren’t a huge time commitment. D chose dance (continuing from fall and winter) and S chose soccer. In addition, we take the kids to the pool once a week and S to an gymnastics open playtime when D is still in school. Beyond that, their free time is spent playing, often independently and with each other. That might be at home, in our backyard, with friends, or at local parks and playgrounds. 

Different families will make different choices that fit their needs and schedules. I can see clear benefits to both organized activities and free play that are worth laying out for those who are trying to decide what feels “worth it”. I’d also like to add that although babies and toddlers can’t always choose to be involved in an activity, they can be really beneficial to parents who might otherwise not have social opportunities (oh hey, pandemic). It’s okay to consider yourself in these decisions!

Organized Activities 

• Learning or building on a new skill 

• Following directions from a new adult

• Stepping out of comfort zone 

• Expending energy

• A special weekly outing 

• Time with new peers

• Opportunity to meet other parents

Free Play

• Doesn’t cost anything

• Endless room for creativity

• Open exploration and discovery

• Free movement 

• Opportunity to grow in independence

• Time with family or friends

• No time constraints

Although our family prioritizes free play above all else right now, I recognize that the kids may choose to be involved in more organized activities when they are in elementary school and beyond. As with all things parenting, priorities and interests shift with time, and different circumstances necessitate different choices!

7 Tips to Get Out the Door on Time

It’s back-to-school week here! With the excitement and the nerves also comes the anticipation of rushed and sometimes stressful mornings. My goal for this school year is to make it to school on time without rushing. It makes such a difference when we start the day off slowly and follow a routine. I know that this will require a lot of preparation (and self-discipline on my part!) Whether you’re trying to get out the door for school or any other activity, I am confident these tips will help your morning flow more smoothly.

Practice - Reflect back on recent stressful mornings…which parts were the most challenging? If a child is frustrated by not being able to put on their own shoes, can we help them master this skill more indendently? Making time in the slower afternoon or weekend to practice skills such as this can make the more hurried times less tense.

Prep Ahead - Certain choices and tasks can be done ahead of time to minimize the morning to-do list. For example, we can let children choose their outfit the night before. I also like to make packing snack boxes/lunches easier by chopping fruits and veggies and making sure the pantry is stocked on Sunday.

Organize Entryway - Although admittedly challenging to maintain, an organized entryway is a game changer for efficiently getting out the door. When everything we need for the morning is already at the front door, we eliminate the need to run around and zoom in and out the door before leaving. In our house, this means having low hooks for the kids’ backpacks and coats, a basket for socks and hats, and a low shelf for shoes. This also makes it easier for them to put everything away as soon as we get home.

Allow for Autonomy - Independence looks different at different ages, but even the youngest of toddlers want a sense of control. The more control they feel, the less meltdowns occur. This means giving them opportnities to get themselves ready. It also means offering choices. Can we let them serve their own cereal or make their own toast? Can they help pack their lunch box or backpack? Can they choose between the two pairs of shoes by the front door?

Routine Chart - Young children crave predictability and routine. It gives them comfort to know what comes next and confidence to be able to initiate that next step. Routine charts are a great way to establish a new routine. We have made a number of routine charts, cards, and checklists over the years, both with our own photos and these printables from The Creative Sprout. We typically reference these for the first few weeks of a new routine, and then bring them back out as needed throughout the year.

Set the Timer - Sometimes it’s simply the transition from morning play or breakfast to getting ready to go that’s the challenge. Our favorite tool for transitions are to set a song or a timer to indicate when it’s time to end one activity and start another. The kids know that when the song or timer ends/beeps, it’s transition time. Playing or singing the same song during a morning routine can be a really gentle but effective way to move things along.

10-minute Buffer - One trick I always count on is to prepare to be early. When we plan to be somewhere 10 minutes early, we are usually on time. That 10 minute buffer allows for the unpredictable and often inevitable slow down to occur! And occasionally, we’re actually early.

What are your favorite tricks to getting out the door smoothly?

Transitioning from Naptime to Quiet Time

Many parents fear the day their child stops napping, and understandably so. Naps are a time of peace and quiet for parents and children alike. However, the end of naps doesn’t have to mean the end of rest. Rather, children can transition from nap time to quiet time.

D stopped napping quite early, around 2.5. She was getting a very long consolidated sleep at night (13 hours), so I knew she’d be okay sleep-wise but I also knew she needed some downtime to make it through the long day. As D was already often playing in her room instead of napping, it was a natural transition for us to simply call it “quiet time” instead of “nap time”. She turned this phrase into "home time" as she considers her bedroom her own little home. Since 2.5, she spends this time (1-1.5 hrs) in her room, with the door open, playing pretend with her dolls, animals, and tea set, and "reading" books. This is an important time for both of us to have quiet in the day, and come back together in the afternoon feeling refreshed.

Often the transition from a nap to quiet time isn’t so natural, but it’s still possible! If this is something you’d like to start but aren’t sure how, here are some tips for quiet time success: 

1. Enjoy a little one on one time first. Children need time together before they can feel ready to be apart. Spend a little time reading, playing, or enjoying a meal together, without any screens or distractions, prior to quiet time. 

2. Keep your routine consistent. Every transition is easier once it becomes part of your daily rhythm. Setting the expectation that quiet independent play will happen daily around the same time, will ensure a smoother change happens.   

3. Create a space that is special and cozy. Quiet time can happen in their bedroom or a shared space. Whichever you choose, make it a place they want to be. This might include a few favorite toys, books, comfy pillows, or even music or an audiobook. Make sure everything that they have with them is safe for them to use independently. 

4. Start small. This might mean 5-10 minutes to start. Explain how and where quiet time will happen and when you will be back. Make the first quiet time very short so they trust you and feel okay about it (if they are engrossed in play, quietly stand near their door and wait for them to look up. Let them know that they may join you when they feel ready but let them know there is no rush. Gradually add on 5 minutes at a time. How long quiet time lasts is really up to you and your child. 

5. Use visual cues. A helpful visual tool for children in quiet time is a time-to-rise light. When the light changes color, they know quiet time is over. We love our Hatch but there are others. Another option is a visual timer but this makes some children anxious, as they watch the clock slowly tick down.

It may take a bit of time to transition into this new routine, or it might be a seamless transition from nap time like it was for D. Either way, keeping your home quiet and choosing an activity for yourself that is calm and quiet will help create a restful atmosphere and give an opportunity for everyone to recharge each afternoon.

What is a Daily Rhythm?

What is a daily rhythm and what makes it different from a schedule? Schedules are often rigid, encompass each moment of the day and follow a clock. A daily rhythm on the other hand is fluid and leaves time for spontaneity, while still providing a general pattern to our days. Though the exact time at which things happen might change day to day, the general flow of events is quite similar, even season to season. For example, in summer, bedtime might be a bit later, but the events leading up to it remain the same. In the summer more free play will be spent outside, and walks might be quite a bit longer than in winter.

In a world so big, young children are often overwhelmed, but having a daily rhythm allows them a sense of control over knowing what comes next. This is empowering and comforting to them, and often for us as adults too! 

A daily rhythm also allows us to move at a slower pace. Rather than pack in a bunch of events (even fun ones!) into a day, we can make sure there is plenty of time for free play. This allows children time to become engrossed in whatever they are drawn towards. 

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Following a daily rhythm allows for more flexibility than a strict schedule. No day is exactly the same, nor should it be. We travel and go on day trips and adventures. We have playdates and soccer class. Some events happen 1x a week and some 1x a month. Some are planned and some are spontaneous. A daily rhythm allows for this flexibility while still meeting everyone’s needs for routine. 

How can you create a daily rhythm?

What works for one family doesn’t necessarily work for another. Your daily rhythm will look different than mine. If you are interested in creating one but don’t know where to start, first begin with the fixed aspects of your day (such as mealtimes, naps, or school) and then plan a rhythm around that. It also helps to jot down things you want to happen every day (e.g. periods for uninterrupted play, walks, reading) and add those in. There may be other things (e.g. art projects, baking together, library outings) that you make a specific day for each week, or just choose to do spontaneously. When creating your daily rhythm, try to avoid adding the times, at least at first. Focus more on the pattern of events, to reduce pressure and let the day happen organically.

I have included a template you can print to create a daily rhythm yourself! Click the image below to download.

A Montessori Approach to "Clean-up Time"

“How do you get your kids to clean up after themselves??” This is one of my most frequently asked questions. And one of the most frequent comments parents have when observing a Montessori classroom or home is how tidy it is. There are a few reasons for this.

1. Maria Montessori believed in providing a beautiful and orderly environment for children. Young children are able to focus better and feel more at peace when their spaces are clean.

2. Less clutter allows for more movement in the shared space.

3. Children are a part of the community, and that means we all help each other keep our shared space clean and safe. This includes cleaning up after ourselves.

Children are more willing to help clean up after themselves in a classroom vs. a home because rules and expectations are often more clear at school, and home is where they know they are safest and comfortable. That being said, there are many ways we can help our children, even toddlers, consistently clean up after themselves when playing at home too. Most children are capable of cleaning up after themselves by 18 months, but children can be increasingly independent with age and practice.

Have a place for everything - It is very important to have a specfic spot for everything. Our children can only put toys and materials away if they know exactly where it goes. It is especially helpful for children if they can see what’s available just by looking at the shelf, e.g. books facing outward, materials on trays, and toys in clear bins or wire baskets (see Polished Playhouse post!)

Only put out what they can put away - This often means minimizing what is out at a time. The amount that is displayed depends on the child - their age and their current interest in dumping vs. cleaning up after themselves. In general, less is more. A toddler can put away 8 blocks, but not 48. I always encourage rotating materials more often and having less out at one time to prevent toy and mess overload.

Model it - We are our children’s best role models and they are ALWAYS watching. If we slowly model putting a material back on the shelf before we choose a new one, they are far more likely to do so too. It is also helpful to think about how we model tidying up after ourselves throughout the day. If we leave our own spaces cluttered, they are more likely to as well.

Make it part of the routine - The more we incorporate it into our day, the less of an issue it becomes. Most days, clean up happens naturally as we play. The children know that we put one work away before choosing the next. When they are busy playing independently with open-ended toys, they know that we clean up before rest time, or at least before bedtime.

Wait for a Natural Pause - It’s important not to interrupt a child who is concentrating with something to remind them to put a work away. If my child hasn’t put a work away and has already moved on, I wait until they are done with the new work before pointing out the one that need to be put away. This lets them know we respect their work and their concentration while still following through on clean-up.

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Especially in a home versus a classroom, there are times when the children are playing independently, particularly with open-ended toys, when toys aren’t put away one at a time. This isn’t a bad thing, but it can lead to a bigger mess, and one that is harder for young children to initiate clean-up with. For S (17 mos), I simply continue to model. With D (3), here are some strategies I use:

Frame in the positive - When simple reminders are needed, I try to phrase in the positive instead of the negative. Instead of saying “You can’t ___ until you clean up!” I’d frame it in a positive light, e.g. “After you put these toys away we can make snack together!" That subtle difference makes a big difference.

Play a bell or Sing a song - Something about music makes everything feel easier and lighter. One tip is to ring a bell when it’s clean up time. Another is to sing a simple song together. These little tricks can make a big difference.

At the end of the day, we pick up toys, pick up toys, pick up toys

At the end of the day, we pick up toys, and put them all away.

Tomorrow we’ll take some out again, out again, out again

Tomorrow we’ll take some out again, and have fun when we play!

Offer choices - When there are toys all over, and it’s feeling overwhelming, it’s helpful to break it down and offer choices. For example, "Would you like to put away the blocks or trains? You choose." I typically help by cleaning up the one she doesn’t choose first.

Empathize - On that note, it’s important to show compassion. If our child is tired or hungry or just having a hard day, it’s okay to let the clean-up expectations go. In these instances I’ll say "It's been a long day. You can help or stay close to me while I tidy this up." That way, D is still involved in the process, seeing empathy modeled, but not forced into cleaning.

Keep in mind that all of this is a gradual process. I always recommend starting small, and giving them a little more responsibilty as they get used to being an active participant in the clean-up process. Our patience is key to clean-up being a positive and natural follow-up to play, rather than a battle of wills!

Montessori Tips for Self-Dressing

Most of us with young ones have struggled with getting our kids dressed. Once a child is crawling, the struggle begins and it can either get easier or harder when they insist on “I do it!!” As you can imagine, it’s a lot easier when our children have the skills to match their will. The more toddlers and preschoolers can do themselves, the more enjoyable the dressing process is for everyone! Keep in mind every child develops these skills at different ages, but you can expect your 3-year-old to do everything (maybe barring shirts) on their own.

Though getting dressed takes us seconds, it can take children a whole lot of minutes. This is the time we have to really channel our inner-patience. Set aside time for your child to practice dressing when you are NOT rushing out the door. Let them layer on those pants and wear a puffy jacket around the house in the summer. The more practice, the easier and quicker getting dressed will be when you actually are in a hurry. It’s also useful to make sure they have a step stool or chair in their bedroom and by the front door to sit on to get dressed. Additionally, hooks for coats and clothing that is accessible will allow them greater independence and joy!

I recommend introducing one item of clothing a time. Expecting a child to put on socks, shoes, pants, and shirts all at once is asking too much if they are starting at ground zero. Similarly, each item of clothing should be broken down into steps. For example, putting on shoes can be broken down into at least five steps per shoe: figure out left vs. right — open the velcro — slide foot in — put heel in — velcro closed, and then repeat for the other foot. When we are helping our child learn how to put on their shoes, we can think about those steps backwards. This means, if there are six steps, let them do just teh last step. When they can do that independently, invite them to do the last two steps - and so forth.

Here are some tips to make independent dressing easier for your child:

Shoes - We have found simple, single or double velcro strapped sneakers to be the easiest for putting on. You want it to be sturdy so that it doesnt bend down when the child puts their foot in. Shoes with heel tabs or teaching them to use a shoe horn can also help a child get their heel in easily. You want to make sure the shoe isn’t too tight. You can even have an extra pair that’s a size too big for them to practice with (and they will grow into soon!)

These shoes by Ten Little are pretty awesome because they make it easy to differentiate left versus right. You can also DIY with a large sticker cut in half. Last year, we used a different sticker method, with red dots for left and blue for right. Show your child how you first match the shoes to make the sticker whole or match the colors, and then put the shoes on the correct feet.

Socks - Socks are often tricker than shoes for toddlers. To practice the motion of putting on socks, let your child stretch rubber hair bands. They can even practice pulling hair bands over their feet onto their ankles, and back off again. When you do introduce socks, make sure they are extra stretchy, no taller than ankle socks, and maybe a size bigger than their feet. Again, start by only pulling them over their toes and let them just pull over the heel, until they get the hang of that step.

Underwear - These are easier to get on than pants, so start here first. Show your child how you find the waistband (that’s where the tag is!) and turn the tag to the back. Then point out each hole where each leg goes. As mentioned above, break this into steps so that they help with the last step, and finally, the first. This means they start by simply puling up the waistband in the front, then the waistband in the front and back, and finally, putting both legs in and pulling all the way up. Allso, make sure they are sitting down when they begin to put on underpants, so they don’t have the added challenge of balancing in tree pose!

Pants - If the weather permits, start with shorts. The shorter the leg, the easier to put on! It is also helpful to find pants that are roomy, stretchy, and have elastic waistbands without buttons or zippers. Avoid leggings until they’ve mastered jogger-type pants! We use the same step-by-step method as with underwear.

Jackets - This is our favorite thanks to the “Montessori Coat Flip”! Putting on a coat can be made a lot easier for toddlers with this trick. Lay the coat out so the hood/tag is at your child’s feet. Show them how to insert their arms into the arm holes and then stand and flip the coat over their head. Voila! The zipper or buttons can be a bit trickier. I’d recommend offering practice with dressing frames, which make learnigng how to button/zip easier with the fabric pulled taut.

Shirts - Shirts are often the trickiest for children to put on and take offf themselves. Again, start by letting them do the last step. Pull the shirt over their head and have them find one arm hole at a time. When they can get their arms in on their own, show them how to find the neck hole (biggest one) and pull it over their head. Then let them try it all together. It is easiest to start with short-sleeved shirts and then move to long-sleeve. Once again, it’s also best to make sure the shirts are roomy rather than tight!

Don’t Correct!

When your child does figure out how to get dressed, there will likely be a lot of backwards and inside out clothing. That’s okay! If it’s not bothering them, let it go and do not say anything. We want them to be proud of what they’ve accomplished rather than frustrated about not getting it exactly right. If they are bothered by it, you can offer the least amount of help to get it turned around or corrected. Make sure to acknoweldge how far they’ve come in their self-dressing journey!

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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 "Stuck-at-Home" Daily Rhythm

Well, for at least the next six weeks, we are home. While D was only in school a few mornings a week to begin with, this has still been a big shift for us. Especially because we are also avoiding playgrounds, restaurants, errands, and group playdates. What are parents to do?! I know many of you are in the same boat, so I figured it could be helpful to share what our days look like during this strange, isolated time. I hope that we can all help each other out, coming up with strategies, activities, and humor to help each other get through some long days.

Last week was our first week off of school and activities, and I mostly just winged it. That didn’t work out so well for us. We had a lot of empty time to fill, and everyone felt irritated and even a little bored. While we already follow a daily rhythm, we’ve had to adjust given the circumstances. After our first week homebound, it became apparent that we need a bi more structure and activity to our days! While no day looks or will look exactly the same, and no weekly plan is followed exactly, I am looking forward to having a guideline to follow.

Weekly Rhythm. Here is this week’s plan. As I’ve been home more myself this weekend, I’ve had time to do some activity prep! You will see more details of these on my Instagram account this coming week. :)

Daily Rhythm. This is our daily rhythm while we are home for the next six weeks. It may change slightly, but it’s working well so far! I’ll post a few more details and clarifications below the chart.

Wakeup. I generally wake up an hour or so before the kids, to get myself ready, drink coffee, and respond to messages/work on my blog or IG. When the kids wake up (generally 7 to 7:30am), I get S up and nurse and change him, and my husband gets D up. We all have breakfast together and my husband leaves for work (these days that is our bedroom/home office).

Free Play. You’ll notice a lot of “free play” in our daily schedule. Free play could mean a number of things. It could be each of them playing with their toys at their shelves, together or apart. Other times it means D playing pretend with her dolls, open-ended toys, or vehicles and roads. Much of this time consists of the children leading the play while I am present with them, engaged or observing. This first part of the day is also a good time for me to show D a new activity or give her a lesson on a new work. Other times free play is more independent, and I can work parallel to them, doing dishes, folding laundry, or cooking. If S is extra fussy, I wear him.

Rest. The morning is full with play, movement, food, and work. So while D no longer naps, she still enjoys rest time. She can choose to take rest time in her room or downstairs. Lately she’s been choosing her room. It always lasts an hour, and we use her Hatch machine to indicate when rest time is over (it is pink during rest time and turns blue after an hour). She actually often asks to go down for rest time once S goes down for nap. It’s a nice reset for all of us in our days.

Independent Play. When D has independent play time (often in morning and sometimes in the afternoon when S is napping), we are both working. She knows I’m not available and she chooses activities that don’t require my help. Sometimes I set her up with some art or sensory play, or she just reads books or plays by herself. While we limited TV to a couple times a week prior to the CV situation, I’ve been more lenient now and letting her watch an episode or two (usually Daniel Tiger) most afternoons.

Movement. We try to get outside once a day, which usually just means walking or exploring from our house, but sometimes we drive to a different park or meet up with a close friend. We are avoiding playgrounds and groups right now, so our options are more limited, but we are lucky to be living in such a beautiful area, with forests, water, and a lot of green space. We generally get out rain or shine, but if it’s terrible weather, we might do an obstacle course, dancing, or Pikler climbing and sliding.

Naps. As for S, he takes two naps at this point. His morning nap is an hour or less and his afternoon nap is usually two plus hours. I still nurse him before and after each sleep, and he eats three meals a day with us. He has been putting himself to sleep since he was a baby (thanks Taking Cara Babies!) so naptime sequences are pretty short and sweet (nurse, sleepsack, sing songs, kiss goodnight). D usually joins us (she loves to mimic the sequence with her own baby doll).

Food Prep. Another big part of our day is food prep and eating. D loves to help me cook, and she always prepares her own afternoon snack which I set up in her small functional kitchen during her rest time. We are usually in the kitchen together before lunch and dinner with her as my “sous chef”. The kids typically eat dinner pretty early, and while I might sit and have a bite with them, my husband and I usually eat our real dinner after the kids have gone to bed. We just find it’s a nice time for the two of us to catch up and enjoy a more relaxed meal. When the kids start staying up a bit later than 6:30/7, we’ll definitely do family dinners.

Bedtimes. One nice thing about my husband working from home is that I can often escape for a run or walk by myself in the early evening. So sometimes my husband will take over dinner with the kids, and then I’ll come home in time for the kids’ bedtime. He is also home to help out with bedtime now! The kids now take a bath together, and then we cuddle and read stories in the nook. My husband gets D ready (brush teeth, jammies, songs) and I nurse S and sing him bedtime songs. They both fall asleep independently and quickly these days!

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 Montessori Bedrooms Tour

In continuation of our Montessori Home Tour part I, here is part II - the kids’ bedrooms and bathroom! As all of the playing happens in our common areas, their bedrooms are really just for reading together and sleeping. Therefore we try to keep their rooms pretty minimal in terms of toys and distractions, and completely safe for exploring. They have both been sleeping on floor beds since 6 months old, and it’s worked wonderfully for our family. (Scroll to the bottom or read thorugh my previous sleep posts to learn a bit more about our sleep journey.)

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D’s Bedroom

D's room mostly stores her many stuffed animals, baby dolls, and their accessories. We keep them in baskets on her cube shelf, though they often all end up on her bed with her! Though she hardly naps these days, she has up to an hour of rest time in her room each afternoon when she “reads” her books and plays with her dolls and animals. Her Sprout floor bed (twin size) has allowed for this freedom since she was crawling, but at night, she’s (almsot) always stayed in bed and just slept. (Now that she isn’t napping, she falls asleep immediately upon lying down and sleeps at least 12 hours straight!) Before bed, we read books together in her teepee. In her closet, we keep her Sprout wardrobe with her clothes. We keep the doors to her closet closed, but she can pick out her own outfit each morning, hang up clean clothes, and put dirty clothes in her hamper. Here are links to her bedding, sheets, fox rug, tassle garland, tassle wall hanging, and animal prints.

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S’ Bedroom

S’ room is bigger and we are hoping that once he is a little older and more capable, the two can share a room. He sleeps on a crib-size floor bed my husband made for D when she was his age. At this point he usually has one morning nap on the go, a long afternoon nap here, and sleeps soundly here through the night. Both of them love to curl up in the reading nook together before bed, and D LOVES to come in here and greet him upon wakeup. The cozy floor cushion is made by Nursling, and pillows and art are from Target. Here are links to his crib sheet, woodland prints, woodland quilt, cube shelf, and floating bookshelves. If you’d like to see more of how his room was set up as a younger infant, or for more links, check out this blog post! Once he is crawling, we will remove the changing station, rocking chair, and maybe the pull-up bar, depending on how active he is!

Both kids have a Hatch sound machine/night light, cordless blackout blinds (D’s are open during her rest time), and a video monitor.

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Kids’ Bathroom

This is the bathroom where D has a little self-care area. If we had more room, I’d love for it to be at her level, but for now it works to have it at the big sink with this adjustable step stool. For teeth brushing, we take turns, so my husband or I brush and floss her teeth first, and then she gets a turn. She also likes to comb her own hair and put on some lotion after her bath. In this bathroom, we have a toilet insert, but she prefers her small potty. S is very excited to be sitting in the big tub with his sister now! Once he’s standing, we will do stand-up diaper changing in here as well.

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 note about sleep: First off, I want to preface with the fact that I am not a certified sleep coach or sleep expert, so please consult your pediatrician or a sleep consultant if you or your child are really struggling with sleep. Sleep is SO important for happy and healthy children and parents. Neither of our babies were great sleepers from the get-go. We did learn from our sleep journey with D, that we could implement healthy sleep habits at birth, which made sleep much easier the second time around, with S. You can check out a couple of great sleep books in my parenting book list.) With tips from sleep experts, we helped instill good sleep habits early on by following consistent routines (NOT rigid schedules), paying attention to wake windows, helping them gradually shift from falling asleep nursing to falling asleep on their own, and setting up cozy, conducive places for rest. With the floor bed, they never feel “trapped”, and I love that it offers the benefit of extra snuggles at their level when needed. :)

Our Montessori Home Tour

After many questions on the topic, I decided it was finally time for a home tour! Hopefully this will help give you a visual of our home and how we set up Montessori spaces for both our infant and toddler. I have tried to include links to all of the furniture, materials, and decor I often get asked about. I am going to do the home tour in two parts: main floor and upper floor (bedrooms). This is the main floor post. As we don’t have a play room, the main floor living room is where our children work and play. Especially at their ages, I find it easier and more cozy to “coexist” here by making it accessible and welcoming for all of us. With our open floor plan, I can keep on eye on them in the living room from the kitchen. This set-up provides us a nice balance of togetherness and independence.

You’ll notice each of the children’s spaces offer opportunities for independence. Toddlers, and even babies, thrive when they are given choice, freedom of movement, and autonomy to “do it myself”. By setting up a home with accessibility and autonomy in mind, children feel confident, joyful, and respected. I hope this peek into our home gives you a few ideas too!

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Entryway

When we head outside, this is where D puts on her socks, shoes and coat. She also takes off her shoes and hangs up her coat when we come back inside. To give her a bit more autonomy, we always keep two options for socks, shoes, and a coat that she can choose from. To help her remember which shoe goes on which foot, I placed corresponding colored dots on her shoes and on the floor (e.g. pink dot on left side of floor and in left boot). To put on her coat, she does the Montessori “coat flip” trick, where she lays it out in front of her (hood towards her feet), puts her arms in the holes and flips it over her head. The beautiful weather sign is from Etsy and the step stool is IKEA. The hooks came from Target Dollar Spot last spring.

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D’s Space

This is D’s play of “work of the child’ space. Here we keep her Montessori materials which are rotated every 2-3 weeks to keep her materials inviting and exciting. (Note: I never rotate all her materials at once, but rather choose to switch out just the ones that she hasn’t used at all or has completely mastered and is bored with.) This is where we keep most of her traditional Montessori materials, as well as some of my DIYs. My husband made her shelf but you can find a similar low shelf from Sprout. The small bookshelf is IKEA, as well as her reading chair. (We rotate books every month or so.)

To the right of her chair is her small floor table from Sprout. Right now, we use it to hold her light table up. Though most of her toys get rotated in and out, the Grimms Rainbow and Peg Dolls always stay, as she is regularly using these for color matching and creative play. As for her trays, we like these simple, unfinished wood ones as well as this Beech one. You can find several of her other current shelf materials on my Amazon storefront.

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Movement Area

Next to the fireplace, we keep a basket with her movement or gross motor activities. This includes her yoga mat, yoga pretzel cards, roll and play game, silk scarf, stepping stones, and tactile mats. These are always kept here, rather than rotated. We also keep her wavee board and Pikler triangle (which my husband made) out or stored behind our armchairs. All of these activities are especially helpful when we are stuck inside or we need to redirect energy!

Open-ended Toys

In our bookshelf next to the fireplace, we keep open-ended toys in these baskets from Target. We do rotate these materials, but very infrequently. Currently, these baskets house our Way-to-Play roads, wooden vehicles, wooden town set, and Brio train set. I didn’t introduce baskets with this many toys until after her second birthday, when she was no longer interested in dumping, and was willing and able to clean up big messes. It’s best to only put out as many materials as your child can realistically clean up. Other favorite open-ended toys that enter rotation here are Magnatiles, musical instruments, and wooden blocks.

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Toy Storage

We re-purposed our coat closet to make a toy storage closet. Priorities right? ;) Thanks to being a former teacher and current blogger, we have a lot of toys and Montessori materials. This cubbie cabinet has worked out perfectly for us. I can see what’s inside each cubby, while still fitting all that I need to inside. The materials that are much too young or old for either child in a couple of plastic bins in the garage. We keep books that aren’t in rotation in our office/TV room on some built-in shelves up high (not pictured). We keep this door closed so that D doesn’t open it, and I only rotate when she’s asleep.

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S’ Space

For now it works best for us to keep D and S’ play spaces separate. Though of course they spend time in each other’s spaces, it helps to define their work and give them each a sense of ownership over their belongings. As S is working on crawling and needs a lot of space for free movement, this reversible and washable play mat has worked out really well. My husband also built his low shelf, but again, you can find a similar one from Sprout. I rotate his toys less frequently than D’s, as he enjoys many of his teethers and rattles for weeks on end. We love this acrylic mirror (attached to the wall with command tape) that allows him to see himself and his own movements. You can find several of his materials on my Amazon storefront. The others are a Tag Toys glitter drum, an Etsy puzzle ball, and Essential Montessori cylinder.

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Art/Sensory

In our dining room, we keep this IKEA Flisat table and Sundvik chair, used for art and sensory activities. We keep a few art supplies or whatever sensory material we are using in these bins that fit right into the table. Favorite sensory materials include water beads, kinetic sand, rainbow rice, dried beans, and simply water. When the tabletop is on, we use it as an art table for activities like coloring, painting, play dough, stickers, cutting, and gluing. We typically have one or two options available at this table at a time for her to choose from. I store the rest of her art supplies in a kitchen cabinet.

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Kitchen

You can read more about how we set up D’s functional kitchen in this blog post. This converted IKEA play kitchen has served us for over a year (introduced around 16 months, with water dispenser around 18 months). This is where we keep her dishes (such as these plates and cups), utensils, cooking tools, and cleaning supplies (such as this set and these washcloths). She washes her hands here as well as serves herself water. We don’t use this for dish washing as much as the kitchen helper at our sink these days.

My husband made her the kitchen helper and it is used at least twice a day. She loves to help me prepare meals or sometimes just have a snack and watch. If you are looking to purchase one, I recommend this simple one for older toddlers/children or this larger, more stable one for younger toddlers.

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Dining

Though both of our children eat family meals at our dining table in their Stokke Trip Trapp chairs, they also love their small Sprout weaning table. Although not necessary, we find benefits to having both options. Typically, D eats her breakfast and snacks at the weaning table (S joins her for breakfast these days). Lunch and dinner happen at the family table. The Stokke chairs are nice because they pull right up to the family table, the baby set comes off, and the height is adjustable to work for many years. D started climbing into the chair herself around 20 months. The weaning table is wonderful because D can set her own place and clean up after. We love her beautiful Khadine Deco placemat with outlines for setting her place.

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Bathroom

Our downstairs bathroom is pretty tiny, so there isn’t much room for self-care. We do squeeze in this small potty and step stool which she can use to get dressed or store her tissues or hairbrush. She also uses this stool to wash her hands at the sink, but needs my help turning the faucet on. (Upstairs, in our larger bathroom, we use this taller step stool so she can independently turn on sink and brush her teeth.) While we have an insert so she can sit on our toilet, she much prefers the small potty, which she feels more comfortable using all by herself. In the basket of our vanity we keep a couple of pairs of underwear, several books, and wipes. It is very rare for her to have an accident these days, but it’s always good to have a change of clothes available.

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PS. Our couches and coffee table are from Article!

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 Daily Rhythm with a Toddler and a Baby

Last winter, I posted D’s daily routine in this blog post. Obviously our lives have changed quite a bit, and we have some new routines, while others remained the same. Montessori influences all aspects of our day: from self-serve breakfast to independent playtime to walks in the forest together. I try to set up a “rhythm” without any rigid schedules or agendas. Though D goes to school a few mornings a week, we don’t go to other formal classes (except swim class on the weekend). I like to leave space and time for the kids to just play, for D to not feel rushed, and for time with family and friends. No day looks exactly the same, and weekends are more spontaneous, but as I write this blog post, there are clear patterns to our “typical” day.

Throughout our daily rhythm, you’ll see a lot of free play time. In Montessori, we often call this a work cycle. For D, this means a variety of things. Sometimes it’s independently working at her shelf with her materials. Other times it’s playing pretend with her dolls and stuffed animals. Free play time also includes art, sensory, and practical life. Not all of her time is spent playing independently; sometimes we’re at her shelf together doing lessons or she just wants me to sit with her. She and I also like to play games like hide & seek and do yoga together. And of course, she always loves to bring her little brother toys and “play” with him! We try to incorporate all types of play into the day, which honestly just happens naturally. During her work cycle, she gets to take the lead and choose what interests her. You can read more about how we encourage independent play in this blog post.

A note about Baby S: Now that he is four months old, he’s fallen into a fairly consistent rhythm. Rather than exact times, I use wake windows (he’s usually awake for 90-120 minutes before he’s ready for sleep again), so take these times with a grain of salt. Some days he takes three naps; other days, four. He also typically nurses both before and after sleeps, which works out to about every 1.5 to 2 hours (As he’s had some reflux, he nurses at just one side at a time; otherwise, I’d probably lengthen that to 2-3 hours.) He has been putting himself to sleep since he found his thumb and fingers around 3 months. Over the next few months, his wake windows will lengthen, his sleep will consolidate more, and he will hopefully start sleeping through the night, but this is our rhythm for now. You can read more about how and where he sleeps in this blog post!

D’s Schedule (27 Months)

7:00 to 7:30am - Rise and Shine - My husband typically gets D up and helps her get ready for the day before he leaves for work.

7:30 to 8:30am - Breakfast - I let D serve her own breakfast (e.g. oatmeal with toppings or avocado toast) and we read or play a little together. Then she goes potty and gets on her coat and shoes before we leave the house.

8:30 to 11:30am - School/Out and About - We are usually out of the house. A few days a week D has school (where she is given a 2-hr work cycle), and other days we go to the park, run errands, or have a playdate with friends.

11:30 to 1pm - Lunch - Back at home, we eat lunch together. Then she has a little independent play time while I get S down, or she “helps” me. We often read quite a few books together before her naptime, while she sits on the potty.

1 to 2:30pm - Rest - D goes down for a nap or has quiet time in her room if she doesn’t sleep. She plays with her dolls, books, animals, and a few quiet toys.

2:30 to 5pm - Work Cycle - This is typically a time when she works freely with her materials at her shelf, both with and without me. We also try to get out for a short toddler-led walk.

5 to 6pm - Dinner - She helps prep dinner in her kitchen helper. Then she eats her dinner at the family table (I sit with her and eat a little pre-dinner snack too.)

6 to 7pm - Wind Down - We read books or play together until bedtime begins. She also helps me clean up her toys around the house. We start bedtime around 6pm if she hasn’t napped.

7pm - Goodnight - If she’s napped, it’s bedtime with her Daddy when he gets home. Bedtime consists of using the toilet, bath, brushing teeth (we do it first, then give her a turn), changing, books, songs, and a kiss goodnight.

S’ Schedule (4 Months)

6:30 to 7am - Rise and Shine - S wakes up and nurses.

7 to 8:30am - Free Movement - We get ready for the day, he has movement and play time on his play mat, and we head out of the house most days.

8:30 to 10am - Nap 1 - He takes a nap in the carrier since we are usually out.

10 to 12pm - Together Time - We cuddle and have some playtime together or he’s alert and looking around if we’re outside. He usually also has some story/song time with me and his sister before his second nap..

12 to 2pm - Nap 2 - He takes a nap at home on his floor bed in his nursery.

2 to 4pm - Free Movement - S has movement time on his play mat. We also spend some time playing with his toys together, and his sister likes to sing to him or bring him toys as well.

4 - 5pm - Nap 3 - He takes his last nap of the day, usually on his floor bed.

5 to 7pm - Together Time - At this time, S often accompanies me and his sister through dinner prep and her dinner. He plays on his mat, but if he’s fussy, I wear him in the carrier for a bit. The three of us also read quite a few books together.

7pm - Goodnight - We start his bedtime routine and he goes to sleep in his bassinet in our room. His bedtime routine consists of: bath, change, nursing, books, sleep sack, songs, and a kiss goodnight.

9:30 to 10pm - Dreamfeed - I nurse him while he’s mostly asleep (to get a longer stretch when I’m sleeping) and he goes right back to sleep in his bassinet.

He typically nurses once around 3 or 4am, and then goes back to sleep in his bassinet until morning.

As for my routine, I try to wake up before the kids, around 6am so I can get myself ready first, and make breakfast before D comes downstairs. I am often able to catch up on emails and messages in the early morning too. Most of my work/blogging/material making/shelf rotation happens during nap or in the later evening though. Since D likes to help me with some of the house chores, and enjoys her independent play, I’m able to get things like dishes and laundry done while she’s awake. As my husband doesn’t usually get home in time for dinner with D, we typically enjoy our own relaxing dinner (I meal prep with D in afternoon) after we put the kids to bed. It’s a nice time for us to catch up on the day. On weekends we eat as a family. A couple evenings a week, I go to a workout class, which is hard to make myself do but I’m always glad I went!

Well, that’s the rhythm of my typical day with two babes! And don’t worry, we have our hard days with no rhythm whatsoever too. Sometimes I just have to let it all go, and try for a better day tomorrow. :) What do your daily rhythms look like?

Our Toddler's Daily Routine, Montessori Style

I often get asked about our daily routine, or rhythm. As a new parent, when D was nursing around the clock, I found it difficult to fall into a routine. But now, with an 18-month-old, I find we are all happier when we have consistency throughout our day, and know what’s (generally) coming next. Though we never stick to the exact same schedule each day, we definitely follow similar patterns.

Here is a sneak peek into our typical weekday:

7:00 - 7:30am - This is around when D wakes up. I typically get up earlier and try to sneak in a shower and make some coffee before the day begins. Upon waking, she grabs a book from beside her bed and “reads” on her own until I greet her. We read a book together in her bed, change out of her diaper, brush teeth, and head downstairs.

7:30 - 9:30am - D is always hungry right away, so we either eat what I’ve already prepped or she helps me make something simple, like cereal or oatmeal. We eat breakfast together at the kitchen table. She loves to drink her milk out of a cup with handles that looks like my coffee. “Cheers!” ;)

After breakfast, I have her use the potty, and I do dishes/tidy/get our bag packed while she plays for a bit. By the time we are ready to go, she usually already needs a snack/breakfast #2! Assuming we have time, she sets her place at her small table and eats it there.

9:30 - 11:30am - Almost every morning we leave the house for some kind of outing, usually lasting an hour or two. A few mornings a week she has a class. Right now she’s part of a Montessori parent-child class, dance class, and swim class (with dad) once a week. The other mornings we typically go on a walk, to the park/library/grocery store, or have a playdate. Some days we venture out to the kids museum or aquarium!

With her friend Marley (Montessori in Motion)

When we get back home (or before, depending on activity), she has at least an hour of free time to play/work. I let her take the lead here, choosing her own activities. We do a mix of playing together (she often wants to read books) and playing on her own, but I encourage independent play, even if that means she’s packing and  unpacking tupperware. :) Sometimes I can get some of my own work done during this time.

Note: When she is awake, she wears underwear. Though she still has some accidents, they are becoming less common.. We are also working on her putting on and taking off her own shoes before and after outings!

11:30am - 12:00pm - This is typically when we eat lunch together. . I’ve noticed she doesn’t eat as much at lunch as other meals, so I find it easier to give her small healthy meals throughout the day. She’s usually just ready for nap by this time.

12:00 - 3:00pm - Before nap time, she sits on the potty, and then we go to her room and read a book and sing a couple of songs together. I put her down with a couple of books and she happily puts herself to sleep. She usually sleeps about 2 to 2.5 hours, but every day is a little different!

I get most of my work done when she naps. That’s when I blog, respond to emails, switch out materials on her shelf, and craft. It’s also when I can do a little meal prep and cleaning. I’ll admit now that I’m pregnant I occasionally nap too. ;)

3:00 - 5:00pm - Once she wakes up, it’s snack time (often her making avocado toast) and then it’s another hour or more of free time for D. She’s especially focused on her work if I’ve switched out a few things on her shelves during nap. Often this is when she wants to do some sensory or art play too. If the weather is decent, she likes to lead a little walk around the neighborhood, stopping at every puddle along the way. I’m also starting to find ways for her to help me prep dinner.

5:30 - 6:00pm - This is typically D’s dinnertime. I sit with her at the kitchen table and eat something small too. If my husband is home in time, he joins us. D is quite a slow eater, so we usually sit together for a good amount of time. It’s such a good opportunity to spend quality family time together, without distractions.

6:30 - 7:00pm - We start our bedtime routine around 6:30 or 7:00, depending on her nap. This usually starts with potty and then a bath. Then we brush her teeth, change into PJs, read a few books, sing a song, and kiss goodnight. She is usually pretty wiped and asleep by 7:30pm.

7:00 - 10:00pm -  My husband and I usually eat our real dinner together after D goes to sleep. As she gets older and stays up a little later we’ll probably change this and all eat together. But for now, it’s nice to eat one meal in peace and catch up on our day sans toddler. Then it’s time to relax, often with an episode of the Great British Baking Show before bed. ;)

Some days are quite different, but that is our typical weekday routine. What does your routine look like?

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!