Creating a Montessori Entryway for your Toddler

Lately I’ve been obsessed with making my home a little more Montessori-friendly for my babe. He recently turned 15 months and I have realized how much his desire for independence has grown. He also recently began the toddler program at the Montessori school I teach at, and I want to provide him the opportunity to practice skills that he is working on at school.

He has shown quite a bit of interest in sitting on small stools and attempting to independently put on his socks and shoes. I didn’t already have a stool at home, so I did some research and found this amazing little bamboo stool on Amazon!

Many of the stools I found have a 12 inch seat height. But Noah is only 2 1/2 feet tall! This stool has a seat height of about 7 inches, so it’s perfect for his little legs. It cost $28.90, but was worth every penny because it is truly a quality stool. Durable and beautiful!

We live in a 1000ish square foot apartment, so space is limited. We’ve had to be very strategic about essential furniture pieces and arrangement. Right as you enter the apartment there is a coat closet, and next to that we had an empty stretch of wall that was perfect for creating a toddler-sized entry area.

When creating an entryway for your toddler, I think there are 3 essential aspects you will want to strive to include:

1. Child sized stool for sitting to put on/take off socks and shoes. 7-8 inch seat height is optimal for toddler’s little legs! 10-12 inches works better for preschool age.
2. Basket or tote for storing shoes. Your child will always know where to find his/her shoes. “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” Plus, helps to minimize tracking dirt into the house!
3. Hooks at your child’s level for school bags, lunch boxes, jackets, hats, etc. Nothing promotes the development of independence like being responsible for one’s own belongings. This allows your little one to get his own things on the way out the door, and put them back upon entry into the house.

You could also place a little rug under the stool for added warmth, or a little mirror on the wall. Personally, I did not have space for these items so I just went with the simplest set up possible. I am very happy with how it turned out 🙂

The basket was $8 from Big Lots (I’m all about the bargains, if you couldn’t tell). Target has great options too, maybe a tad bit pricier. I purchased the wall hooks from Walmart. It was an unfinished wood that I stained to match the rest of our living room furniture.

And YES I KNOW. All three pieces are different shades of brown. Unintentional. But I like to think it adds character. The items in this area serve their intended purpose, and that’s all that matters. My little guy has his own place to get ready to leave the house.

Consistency, routine, and the development of independence are crucial – especially during the toddler years – and having these little accessible areas around your house allow your toddler to develop his skills and be a contributing member of the family.

There are so many ways to create a beautiful and functional, Montessori-inspired toddler entryway, but I wanted to share with you how we implemented this in our home. Hope you enjoyed, and I wish you a beautiful day!

xo Miss Claire

What my son got for his first birthday

A little over a week ago my son turned one year old. Given that we are under a stay at home order, we could not have a real birthday party for him. However, that did not stop the gifts from coming in the mail. For over a week he got at least three packages a day! Not all of his toys were Montessori-approved, but I was able to order some things for him myself and give my family a few ideas.

So without further ado, here is a list of 6 “Montessori-esque” toys that my one year old got for his birthday, and really seems to enjoy. Hopefully this list will be helpful to someone else out there who is trying to integrate Montessori into their one year old’s playtime, and doesn’t have an idea of where to start.

1. B. Toys Wooden Shape Sorter Hammering Bench, $9.99 from Target
   
   This toy is great for fine motor skill development and shape discrimination. There are four shapes in this toy: three different cylinders, a rectangular prism, a triangular prism, and a hexagonal prism. Noah hasn’t quite grasped how to use the hammer on the shapes yet, but he loves matching them and inserting the shapes with his hands.

2. Melissa & Doug Vehicles Jumbo Knob Wooden Puzzle, $19.69 from Target

This puzzle has chunky knobs, perfect for little hands that are still developing fine motor
skills. These wooden puzzles are so cute and a great way to introduce vocabulary! Noah
can’t put the vehicles in their respective places yet, but he is at least trying. This is
another toy for him to grow into.

3. Land of B. Wooden Puzzle, $7.99 from Target

Not quite as simple as the Montessori three-shape puzzle, but Noah had already mastered
the single circle puzzle, and again, I was looking for something he could grow into. This
puzzle is brightly colored, and can be used to teach shapes and colors. He has already
mastered putting in the circle, star, and triangle pieces. Only the heart has been causing
him frustration.

4. Priddy Books First Book of Colors Padded, $5.99 from Target

I am a book worm. I love to read, and buy WAY too many books for Noah. We have been
reading together since before he was two months old. And being a Montessorian, I love
that the Priddy Books have real images.

5. Skip Hop Fox Print Explore and More Xylophone, $14.49 from Target

Yes, I know, this toy is made of plastic. But come on, how cute is the fox! I love Skip Hop
products and Noah has had so much fun with this Xylophone. He loves musical
instruments and this was a great addition to his collection. Plus, it has a string, so he loves
to walk around pulling it behind him.

6. Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon, $79.99 from Amazon

Noah is already walking, but these Radio Flyers are amazing for practicing those first
steps. Noah loves to push things around and put objects into containers so this wagon is
perfect for him. Many of the products I’ve put on this list focus on fine motor skill
development, but this one is geared towards gross motor skills.

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Disclaimer: I am not paid in any way to provide my opinions of these products. This list is simply for your information. As a first time mom, I have found myself researching “Montessori activities for ___” every time my son has gotten a month older. As a Montessori teacher and mom, these are the gifts my son received that I feel are most aligned with the Montessori philosophy.

They are educational, engaging, and promote the development of concentration. We have fun playing with them together, and so far they have provided many opportunities for learning.

I hope this list helps you in your search for toddler Montessori toys! I’m sure we will be exploring many more products in the near future, and I can’t wait to share them with you!

Have a great day!