Here are a few of my ideas; please chime in at the end with your own!

1. Give Them Plenty of Good Choices

If there’s nothing constructive to do, it’s too easy for them to start misbehaving. Making sure there are always age-appropriate, interesting activities available keeps it easy for them to channel their energy in creative ways.

One good friend of mine who ran a lovely Montessori toddler classroom kept baskets up on high shelves around the room with activities in them. Anytime she noticed someone was at loose ends, she pulled a basket down and did a simple presentation. The children did of course have materials down at their level, but this kept things fresh since not everything was out all the time.

2. Set Simple Limits

If you make too many rules, it’s difficult for kids to remember and follow them. Keep them simple and clear. Repeat them often. As much as possible, try to state them positively; “Use a quiet voice” is better than “No yelling!”.

3. Turn to a Higher Power

You may certainly find yourself saying a quick prayer when one child bites, hits, or kicks another. I know I did! But in this case, the higher power I’m referring to is books. Books are wonderful and magical, and authoritative simply on the merit of being printed and published. Even very small children sense that the words in books carry weight.

Reading a story, with pictures, can illustrate correct behavior to a child in a way that no amount of instruction from a parent or teacher can. The book removes the interpersonal tension from the situation. Stories have been used to teach moral lessons from the beginning of time; it’s ’cause they work.

Book recommendations? Actually, there are too many to list; here’s a whole slew of books for kids about dealing with social situations, misbehavior, and emotions.

4. Control the Environment

In Montessori, we are very familiar with the concept of the prepared environment. Materials are carefully chosen and arranged to provide maximum interest and accessibility for the young child. In the same way, we are careful about what we keep out of the environment. By making sure that all the choices are good ones, the child is gently guided to work that benefits the community rather than detracting from it.

5. Find Other Ways to Say “No”

I was talking to another friend of mine who works in a Montessori toddler classroom, and I asked her what the hardest part of her day was. She paused for a second, and then said “Finding ways to say ‘no’ without using the word ‘no’.”

I was fascinated by this and asked her to explain. She said that kids hear ‘no’ so often, it loses its meaning. It also begins to trigger an automatic response of defiance. By finding other ways to state it, you’re able to convey ‘no’ without all the baggage that ‘no’ usually brings.

Examples include saying “Danger!” when a child reaches for a wall outlet, or “Not for _____ (child’s name)” when a child tries to grab some candy. Other options include:

“We treat others nicely.”
“Let’s see if we can find a better way.”
“We’re going to do this right now instead.”

The next time you’re about to say “no”, try rephrasing it. You may be amazed at how different the response is.

6. Show Respect for the Mind of the Child

We know very well, in theory, that the first six years of the child’s life are the foundation on which the rest of their life rests. A child’s distinct personality asserts itself long before those six years are over. What seems like frustrating behavior, on the surface, is simply the child’s attempt to break out of the cage of babyhood and move towards independence.

Maria Montessori often spoke of the awe and wonder that adults should have when working with young children. It’s easy to lose that awe if we focus on the negatives rather than the positives. I love the fact that in Montessori, we empower children to do daily tasks themselves.

The more respect we can show them for their own choices and actions, the less conflict there will be. From the dressing frames to snack preparation, we’re removing barriers to the child’s independence. We’re basically saying to them, “I think you can do this!”

Rethinking the Terrible Twos

In writing this post, I reflected back on my own kids and the time they spent as toddlers. While I’m not sure I could rename this time the “terrific twos”, as I’ve heard it suggested, I do see now just how necessary and vital it was that they asserted their independence after spending babyhood completely dependent on adults for everything.

I firmly believe that the Montessori method gives us that elusive key to understanding and encouraging children through the toddler years. Let’s use it!

The Montessori Bed

Sleep is absolutely one of a newborn’s chief needs. At first, the baby may be sleeping in the parents’ bed or in a bassinette beside the bed. When the time comes for babies to move to their own beds, you have a couple of choices. Dr. Montessori advocated a floor bed that babies would be able to get into and out of on their own. This is in keeping with the thought that freedom of movement is crucial to the developing child, and by putting a baby gate at the door of the safely prepared bedroom, the little one can get up without being in danger.

Many Montessori schools use a modified crib – it’s basically a crib without legs, so that it sits on the floor and has a railing on three sides. I think this idea can be implemented once the baby has learned to crawl, so that they can get in and out of bed by themselves, especially if they roll off the bed. (See picture).

Both the Michael Olaf Company and Lordequip.com carry the European floor bed frame that is well known in Montessori circles. It’s designed to fit a crib-sized mattress, but if you would prefer not to purchase a frame, you can simply buy a twin mattress and the benefit of this route is that the bed will serve the child’s needs for many years. I like the idea of putting a railing next to the mattress – or having a three-sided railing as mentioned above – that way the baby can still crawl in and out of bed, but isn’t likely to fall out while sleeping.

Owing to the synthetics and harmful chemicals present in most commercial mattresses, and their potential connection with SIDS, I strongly advocate purchasing an organic cotton mattress for your Montessori baby. Naturepedic.com offers these in different sizes, and if you can afford them, it is likely to be the most important purchase you make for your nursery or classroom.

Environmentally Safe Dinner Ware

Many Montessorians prefer not to use plastic cups and plates, as research shows it can give off harmful toxins. A charming alternative is lead-free, toxin-free, ceramic baby dishes. These dishes, made by Emerson Creek Pottery, are handmade, hand-painted, and completely safe for use by babies and toddlers.

The Montessori Baby’s Environment

If you go the route of a floor bed, there are some important things to consider. The first is that the floor should be kept clean, and this concept can start with the floor covering, itself. Hardwood, with perhaps a handmade braided rag rug, would be a good choice. Commercial carpets are generally synthetic and may cause allergies. Because the baby will be sleeping right next to a floor, it’s important that it be as hygienic as possible.

The room needs to be carefully baby-proofed, and this article will get you started thinking about safety basics. I recommend sitting on the floor of the nursery and trying to view it from the child’s point of view. Anything sharp or dangerous protruding? Anything that could be knocked over or pulled down? Are outlets covered? Make sure you have safety-proofed all rooms where the baby will be playing.

The fun part comes in thinking about decorating the child’s room. Dr. Montessori strongly believed in making the environment beautiful. Keep the general atmosphere uncluttered and soft to avoid overwhelming the baby’s sensory perceptions. If you plan to paint the room, choose a non-toxic paint and make sure the room is thoroughly aired out after painting. A few lovely pictures hung on the walls are a very nice touch. Michael Olaf has the most exquisite mobiles featuring hummingbirds and butterflies and these help infants to explore their longing to reach out to the world.

Montessori Baby Clothing

The Internet offers a wide variety of organic cotton clothing for infants and this is, in my opinion, the optimum choice. Newborns seem to be comforted by swaddling in a soft blanket, perhaps because they have begun life in a small space, but keep swaddling loose enough to allow some movement. As the baby grows, clothing should be simple, correctly sized and roomy enough to allow the baby to kick and stretch, to roll and crawl.

Montessori Infant Toys

No doubt, everyone in your family will be eager to give gifts to the new baby. Find a gracious way to ask them not to overburden your home with too many ‘things’, and perhaps point them in the direction of the Michael Olaf catalog for suitable, wonderful toys. For the very young baby, I am a fan of handmade cloth toys. A simple bear or kitty shape made of well-stitched cotton gives babies something to grasp and bite but doesn’t allow them to knock themselves on the head with anything hard.

As baby gets a little older, a wooden rattle can be a thrill for infants who discover they are making the sound happen. The debate goes on about the appropriateness of using a pacifier. Michael Olaf has one that is held in place by the parent’s hand, only when baby needs it when cutting teeth. Some parents dispense with the use of a pacifier at all and find other methods for helping their teething child.

Wooden blocks and stacking toys are perfect for babies who have achieved sitting up,
and you can find a variety of household objects that are wonderful for creative play at this stage. A cloth sack filled with a few spoons offers a surprise as babies remove each one, using their motor skills. Most children can make playthings out of just about any safe, hand-sized household object.

What is not advised is to confine the child to a walker, swing, playpen or anything that inhibits free movement. If babies can’t get out of something themselves, chances are, it’s not a helpful tool for them. Rather, when children begin to pull themselves up on the furniture and learn to walk, push toys can be a way to give a little extra support and add fun to walking. Pull toys are great, too. With both, the children are in charge of their movements.

Many Montessori homes and classrooms like to put long, low mirrors on the wall, with wooden railings mounted at a baby’s height. The babies can pull themselves up with the railing, then walk along the wall and look at themselves. The child should wear socks or go in bare feet, so that the baby’s toes and foot can grip the floor.

Montessori Baby On The Go

Babies are so easy to carry, and “wearing” them keeps them close and secure. Here’s a lovely baby carrier by Meg from Sew Liberated (formerly Montessori by Hand). Both mother and father can wear a sling, and you can purchase them from a variety of sources, or, if you’re crafty, you can make the one I’ve linked to. For safety’s sake, a baby carrier or sling of this kind is the one ‘restraining’ tool most parents’ find necessary. When you’re out in public, it’s important to keep the baby right next to you, and wearing the baby close to your body helps maintain the parent-child bond.

In addition to keeping the home orderly, safe and inviting, it’s vital to begin introducing baby to the outside world at a young age. Both weather and where you live will dictate how early your baby’s first ‘walk’ in the sunshine will be. Whether you have a backyard to revel in amongst the beautiful colors and scents, or a neighborhood park where you can put down a play mat and let baby feel the breeze, connecting early with nature is one of the great tenets of Montessori thought.

Montessori from the Start

People are often surprised by the idea that Montessori begins at birth. I hope the above has helped you to see how smart it is to begin with a thoughtfully prepared environment and respect for the natural development of the child from day one. If you know of any other ideas for “Montessori-ifying” a baby’s environment, please share!

So are there any principles of “Montessori from the start” that are easy to bring into any home? I think so. Look at this quote:

“The baby’s fundamental need – precisely because he is a human being – is to be loved. But it takes a mature person to love a baby, because love takes time, love takes patience, love takes fortitude, love even requires a certain kind of humility: to love another better than one’s self. The baby needs time to be understood: he needs time in everything he does.”

The above text was taken from a speech given by Dr. Herbert Ratner, editor of Child and Family, to the American Montessori Society in 1963. Dr. Ratner urged his listeners to understand that in the Montessori infant-parent relationship, it is the parents’ responsibility to learn how they must grow because the baby is born already knowing how to grow. It’s a built-in gift of human nature.

The doctor went on to exhort parents to not to misunderstand Montessori thought as
being a faddish status symbol, something to be gone at halfheartedly with the vague goal of speeding up a child’s intellectual development. Though academic development is certainly an important part of the Montessori method, it is the baby’s emotional development that should be dearest to the hearts of mothers and fathers. The parent must be devoted to the ‘total child’.

Taking her cues from geneticist Hugo de Vries, Dr. Maria Montessori identified four areas of infant development referred to as the ’sensitive periods’. By carefully preparing an environment in which babies can begin to safely explore these four needs to grow, the parent is acting with great love and wisdom and is fostering a strong sense of emotional well-being in their child. If your family is expecting a new baby, now is the time to consider how you will best serve your baby’s needs in the following four sensitive periods.

Sensitive Period for Movement

Even before birth, babies are testing out their limbs, their reflexes and gross motor skills. From birth to 12 months, this joyous exploration of the body’s power progresses from kicking and stretching to being able to use the little fingers as pincers to pick up all kinds of interesting objects. Control of the hands and feet, self-support of the head, hand-eye coordination and the miracle of crawling all come into play in the first year of life.

Montessori thought teaches that the parents’ main responsibility in all this activity is to make sure that babies are not being restrained either by their clothing or by furnishings like cribs or playpens. Soft, cotton clothing that enables free range of the limbs is best. The parents need to be very thorough in baby-proofing the environment so that the baby is able to move about the house in designated areas. Simple wooden toys, mobiles and safe household objects can all honor babies’ needs to reach out for what delights them. In an upcoming article, I’ll be writing more about the basics of the Montessori nursery.

Sensitive Period for Sensory Perception

An infant’s perception of sound, sight, touch, taste and smell is fresh, new and acute. Montessori parents turn a cold shoulder to the commercial manufacturers of infant toys that flash, erupt in electronic sound, and are made of lifeless plastic and other synthetics. These objects are simply overwhelming for a new baby’s sensory experience of the world. Keeping things calm and quiet, keeping manufactured stimuli to a minimum, and giving priority to a newborns’ most important connection to their human parents is key.

As babies begin to take interest in a wider range of things beyond their mother and father, less is still more. In the house, a few chosen toys, pictures, a wonderfully soft blanket will be plenty for small babies to explore. Outside, a single flowering plant is like a whole garden to a baby. The goal of Montessori parents is to follow babies’ expressions of interest in new sensory experiences and to go at their pace. As I recently read on a Montessori blog – it’s not about eating, it’s about tasting. Getting to observe and share in a baby’s gradual discovery of the physical world is one of the chief joys of the first years of parenting.

Sensitive Period for Language

Even before birth, many babies react to sounds they perceive going on in the outside world. Often, Montessori parents take care to sing, talk and read to their children before their ‘arrival’. After birth, babies find themselves in a world of sounds and often, their greatest interest is in the sounds of human speech coming from their parents. Infants intently watch the mouths of the people around them and begin moving their own lips in imitation. Soon, they begin to explore their own ability to create different kinds of sounds and develop a fascinating repertoire of syllables that they will repeat over and over, trying to perfect the control of their throat, tongue and lips.

It’s crucial that parents spend plenty of time talking to baby, one-on-one, and I have watched babies’ faces fill with gratification when someone else repeats their own sounds back to them, speaking their language. Being part of the conversation helps infants feel that they are integral to the family – valued members of the household. Parents should not be overly concerned about when their children master their first word. They will do this at the right time for them.

Sensitive Period for Order

I have found that it is this last sensitive period that comes as the biggest surprise to new parents. To explain this concept simply, newborns start to gain a feeling of security by making sense of all of the things they perceive in their surroundings, be this people or furnishings. Their own place in the scheme of things feels safe when they wake up from a nap and discover that everything is in its rightful location. As one Montessori mom’s blog describes, even adding a new picture to an infant’s wall can cause him to feel unsettled, threatened, bewildered – the world is in disorder!

In my own experience, I can remember a baby in the family who began screaming and crying when his mother put her hair in a bun on top of her head for the first time. The baby felt something was terribly wrong with his mother and only calmed down when Mom took her hair down. I’ve seen babies react similarly to fathers changing their facial hair or putting on glasses. My own daughter used to cry if my husband came in the door wearing a baseball cap. She wouldn’t let him hold her until he took it off. Obviously, some changes are necessary, but optional changes in the environment should be made with care.

If an infant becomes suddenly discontented or fussy and no explanation is immediately obvious, it’s a good idea to look around to see if something has changed in the room that could be causing distress. And, as baby begins to crawl about the house, it’s time to start teaching the idea of everything having a dedicated place in the home. One Montessori mother wondered what to do with the carpet fuzz her son kept picking up with such delight. A friend suggested she take interest in the fuzz and then demonstrate that the place for it was in the wastebasket (rather than in the mouth!). Even fuzz can have a place to go and it is very satisfying to babies to gain confidence about how the environment is ordered. It fosters feelings of both capability and certainty.

In Conclusion

Dr. Montessori believed that these special sensitive periods were at their keenest from birth to five years of age. An extraordinary amount of development takes place in the first year of life, both for the growing child and for the parent who is striving to identify and fulfill the baby’s needs. Every parent will make some mistakes along the way, but ideally, parents perfect their own skills as givers of love and opportunity with dedicated practice. Just as babies come equipped with an agenda for their own correct growth, we adults have a built-in ability to care for our young when we become careful observers. By following the child (or in this case, the baby), we will do our best work.

Helpful Resources:

The Secret Life of the Unborn Child by Thomas Verny and John Kelly – this book is a little outdated (written in 1982), and makes some claims that are probably unverifiable. Still, it’s an interesting read and a great reminder that children are very aware of their environment even before they’re born.

The Scientist in the Crib: What Early Learning Tells Us About the Mind by Alison Gopnik, Andrew Meltzoff, and Patricia Kuhl – I found this book to be a fascinating look at how babies learn. Backed up by extensive research, but written in an engaging and readable style.

The Joyful Child: Michael Olaf Catalog for Birth to Three – as most Montessorians know, this delightful catalog is more than just a place to order high-quality toys and educational materials for infants and toddlers, it’s also almost a book in itself, with helpful text by Susan Stephenson on every page. The text is viewable online, or you can request a catalog from them.

Montessori Baby Blog – this blog is written by a trained Montessori primary teacher (AMI) who has been raising her son using Montessori principles right from infancy. A great read!

Little Red Robin – this lovely online store provides Montessori-themed products specifically for babies and toddlers.

Montessori Mom: Babies – a very helpful article, with lots of baby links at the end.

The Montessori toddler classroom will be made up mostly of Practical Life materials, with many “pre-Montessori” materials that are typically used with this age group even in non-Montessori settings (puzzles, stringing beads, etc.) Cultural lessons are generally included in the language part of the classroom; this would include learning about weather, the calendar, and basic names of objects in the classroom and in nature.

As you read this list, you may be thinking, “But Lori, how do I use all these materials? And where can I find them?” Please look at the end of the list, where I show resources for finding toddler albums, lessons, and materials. I’m including every toddler resource that I know about, including some great blog posts; if you know of others, please email me.

General Equipment:

1. Long, low shelves
2. Small table and chairs
3. Table mats (placemats) and small rugs
4. Plants, artwork, and a pet to care for
5. Age-appropriate books, musical instruments, and art supplies

Practical Life:

1. Control of Movement
   a. Pouring, Scooping, & Spooning work
   b. Transferring work (both for whole hand and fingers)
   c. Sorting (colors, shapes, sizes)
   d. Stringing Beads & Lacing Cards
2. Care of Person
   a. Dressing Frames
   b. Folding (napkin, washcloth)
   c. Scrubbing and Washing
3. Care of Environment
   a. Sweeping and Mopping
   b. Polishing
   c. Dusting

Sensorial:

1. Pink Tower
2. Small Cylinder Block Set
3. Color Tablets Box 1

Language:

1. Wooden Puzzles of all kinds
2. Matching Work (picture/picture, object/picture, etc)
3. Picture Sequencing
4. Sandpaper Letters
5. Classification Materials

Math:

1. Sandpaper Numbers
2. Stacking and Nesting Cubes
3. Number blocks and puzzles
4. Sorting and Counting Materials

Toddler Resources:

Montessori Research & Development: Toddler Albums
Montessori for the Earth Online Toddler Program
Montessori Services (Practical Life Materials)
Little Red Robin (a wide assortment of infant and toddler Montessori materials)

Helpful Blog Posts:

Sweetness & Light Blog: Toddler Carnival
Three Plus Two Blog: Toddler Environment
Three Plus Two Blog: More About Toddlers
Montessori for Everyone Blog: Toddler Language

Baby Photo Board Books published by Checkerboard Press
Little Spot Board Books by Eric Hill
Touch and Feel Books published by Dorling Kindersley;
Little People Books published by Fisher Price/Reader’s Digest

For Preschoolers

If I Ran the Zoo and other books by Dr. Seuss
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
Corduroy and A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman
Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie/Moose a Muffin/Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff
Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse and other books by Leo Lionni
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
The Mitten by Jan Brett
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by John Archambault
The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne
Are You My Mother? By Philip D. Eastman
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino

Series Books for Preschoolers

Berenstein Bears books by Stan and Jan Berenstein; Clifford books by Norman Bridwell;
Curious George books by H. A. Rey; Madeline books by Ludwig Bemelmans;
Peter Rabbit books by Beatrice Potter; Franklin (series) by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark; I Spy Books by Maureen Roffey

Special Mention (classics every home should have):

The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by DuBose Heyward
This classic celebrates a mother bunny’s triumph when she gets to deliver Easter eggs. Gorgeous illustrations and inspiring message.

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
A sweet story of love, faithfulness, and the joy of coming home.

Animals Should Definitely NOT Wear Clothing by Judi and Ron Barrett
What would happen if you went to the zoo, and a goat was wearing the same pants you were? The silly illustrations in this book definitely give kids the giggles.

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
One evening, Harold draws himself a wonderful adventure with his magical purple crayon. A classic bedtime story.

Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch, illustrated by Sheila McGraw
This tender story traces the love of a mother for her baby as he grows into a little boy, then adult. Hard to read without getting choked up but well worth the tears.

For moms:

365 Days of Creative Play for Children 2 Yrs. & Up by Judith Anne Gray & Sheila Ellison.
365 TV-Free Activities for You to Do With Your Child by Steven J. Bennett & Ruth Bennett

First of all, anything that strengthens or develops the “pincer grip” needed for writing can be considered a toddler language material. Also, activities that increase or improve visual discrimination fall under toddler language. Any work that involves naming (”nomenclature”) can be considered a language material, which opens up a huge area of cultural activities that encourage language development. I’ve listed some ideas below.

Pre-Writing Activities:

Writing Activities:

Visual Discrimination Activities:

Nomenclature Activities:

Simple Games

Reading

A few thoughts on how these activities relate to language development:

For instance, the activities listed under “Simple Games”. How do those relate to language? Actually, most of those things could have been listed under “Visual Discrimination” as well. Since reading involves being able to translate sophisticated shapes (letters) into sounds and words, anything that helps refine a child’s visual skills is language-related.

The “making silence” game, in which children close their eyes and quietly listen to the sounds around them, has long been a favorite of Montessori children. This game helps refine the sense of hearing – and you will notice that the more you do it, the better kids get at hearing very tiny sounds around them. Language begins with auditory learning; children hear it spoken around them and start to connect words with ideas and things. The silence game will increase their receptiveness to oral directions, questions, and anything that is read aloud to them.

When choosing books for children, keep in mind that they books they look at (or read, if they’re ready) and books you read to them should often be different. That’s because a child is able to understand books that are over their own reading level. When you read aloud, aim a little above where the child may be at when they look at books themselves.

I have some toddler albums from The Montessori Foundation, and it was interesting to me as I researched these posts that their Practical Life album for toddlers was twice as thick as the language album for toddlers! Not only that, but there is considerable overlap in Practical Life and Language activities at this age, since so many Practical Life activities increase fine motor skills and hand/eye coordination (essential for reading and writing). Just one more reason Practical Life is so important for this age group.

We haven’t tried the other two yet – she’s been working on mastering this one. The first time she tried it, she became frustrated and threw it to the ground. She kept on trying, though, and gradually needed less and less help to do it. Today, she did the entire board – removing all four bolts and putting them back in – completely by herself from start to finish. She’s probably done it 12 times to get to the point of mastery with it. It’s been really neat to observe her progress.

For pouring work, which she loves, I once again turned to Montessori Services. They have so many great items that you can’t find anywhere else. I purchased a couple of these trays, two decanters, and two large creamers. I already had some glass and wood bowls. I mix and match these items together in lots of different ways: decanter/decanter, decanter/creamer, creamer/bowl, creamer/creamer, etc.

There’s a wide variety of things to pour with these items, like colored water, beans, beads, rice, and popcorn. You can also add a spoon, scoop, or funnel to most of these combinations. The result is enough practical life activities to last us for months. She also loves standing at our sink with some empty plastic bottles, a whisk, and some small cups, playing with soap and water.

One of her favorite activities is to “classify” our plastic bin of crayons. She started doing this on her own one day – finding all the chubby crayons and putting them in one pile, all the medium sized crayons in another, and the broken pieces in another. “My crayons, my crayons!” became her cry every time we stepped into the kitchen.

I always smile when I see my kids classifying anything – it seems like such a very Montessori activity. You may catch your kids lining up toys in certain ways, organizing books, or even sorting art supplies like crayons or pencils. This is more than just fun for them; they really are applying the things they’re learning to the environment around them. They are noticing difference within sets of objects, and looking beyond the general classification (”crayons”) to subsets (”large crayons”, “small crayons”).

One of her favorite works right now is a twist on the traditional Montessori work of cards and counters. Usually this involves wooden cards with numbers 1-10, and 55 red discs. My spin on this work is to use magnetic red discs (like bingo counters) and when she has placed them all correctly, she can use a magnetic wand to sweep them up. This adds a little more interest to the work.

One other thing that is a toddler favorite is big/little sorting. I found lots of big/little pairs including buttons, blocks, mini straw hats, bells, mini flower pots, pom poms, and paper clips. I printed “big” and “little” on two index cards and showed her how to sort them. This really plays into one of the sensitive periods for this age – love of small objects.

Her very favorite work – one she does every day – is sorting rough and smooth stones. I found about 5 of each, wrote “rough” and “smooth” on two index cards, and put them all in a basket. It’s such a sensorial work; she uses her fingertips to rub each stone and decide whether it’s rough or smooth. Even though she’s done it so many times, it hasn’t lost its appeal. One tip: for the smooth stones, choose the really smooth polished ones, so there’s a big difference between those and the rough ones.

I also recommend this clay hammering exercise from Alison’s Montessori. It’s easy enough for young children to do, but interesting enough that older children like it too.

Hopefully this gives you some great ideas on fun activities for toddlers!

Helpful Resources:

Toddler Lessons and Activities – a huge list of Montessori toddler activities, with information about each one

All Join In – a great site with printables, songs, manipulative ideas, photos, and more

Now that I’ve had two kids of my own, I do have to look back and laugh about some of my misconceptions about toddler behavior when I was first starting out as a teacher. I remember one little boy, in particular, who had just turned 3. One situation that stands out in my mind was when he did the handwashing work. He got everything out with no problem, poured the water in the basin, washed his hands with the soap, and then just as he was ready to clean up, he completely lost it and threw the basin of water to the ground.

I remember being baffled – I asked the directress if there was something wrong with this little boy. Now I chuckle when I see my daughter do a work perfectly on her rug, and then rather than cleaning it up and putting it away in the same manner, she throws the cards/basket/beads/puzzle off of the rug. Why does this happen?

There can be several reasons. One is that the child faces inconsistency in different environments. Perhaps at home (or grandma’s), they don’t have to clean up their own work. So when they are expected to do it during school time, they have a meltdown. Also, at this age children are very easily frustrated. They may be relieved to be done with the work, and unable to summon up the emotional and physical energy needed to put it away.

The important thing is to be consistent in your expectations and clear in your directions. When my daughter is frustrated, I give her two options: putting the work away herself, or letting me help her. But not putting it away at all is not an option.

When she is especially fussy, I try to remember what a friend of mine – a wonderful 0-3 directress – told me once. She runs a beautiful toddler class at a school where I once taught. But at the beginning of the year, especially, there would be a lot of fussing and crying coming from her classroom (it was an all-day program and the children took awhile to get adjusted to it). I asked her once how she could put up with it. She replied that rather than focus on stopping the crying, she focused on trying to figure out why they were crying – and solve the underlying problem.

I think of this often when my daughter is frustrated or fussy. It’s not random – there’s something going on that she’s trying to express through her tears. I’ve found that a gentle “Can you tell me what’s wrong?” works much better to stop the tears than “Please stop crying”. The first question makes us partners in solving the underlying cause of her frustration.

I had intended to share some sources of toddler manuals and materials, but that will have to wait for next time!