Early Learning

Setting up a montessori playroom at home

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Setting up a learning space or playroom at home can be daunting. It can teach you a lot of things about your child and offers you the opportunity to learn those that you don’t.We have moved 3 houses since V’s birth and she isn’t even 3 years old yet. Which means, I’ve set up her space thrice- the first time, it was just a corner of the dining area, the other two times, we’ve been lucky to have a room. This has also given me a chance to introspect the differences between an infant play area and a toddler play room.

“The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.” 

Maria Montessori

Here are my top 10 important pointers to bear in mind while setting up a playroom for the child. The good news is you can take what you like and what is feasible and modify it according to your child.… Click to read the rest

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Montessori at home- Help me help myself

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Before we proceed into the topic of montessori space at home, let’s do a small exercise.

Imagine, you’ve just joined (or re-joined) work. Today is the first day at work. You are excited, anxious and happy. You cannot wait to explore all there is and establish your talent and prowess. Once you enter, however, you realise that your manager is a giant, literally. The table you work at is humongous, you cannot reach your files or the regulator or coffee machine or AC remote. Every time you need to switch on or off your PC, need a coffee break, feel too hot or cold, you need to ask your manager to help you.
At one point of time, your manager gets tired of you asking, and snaps at you, ” You know what, let it be! I’ll make your coffee myself! And I’ll switch off your PC myself!”” But I want to do it”, you think.… Click to read the rest

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Yes! You can do it yourself!- Raising independent toddlers

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I consider myself a very Do-it-yourself mom. Every time my girl asks me if she can do something on her own, I tell her, “Yep, do it yourself!”
Our belief is that being independent is the ultimate goal. And as much as we are tempted to, we have to avoid helping her with something she can do on her own.
And because all her chores are child-led, there is dignity of labour and fewer refusals and arguments to do chores.

Age appropriate chores: 0-1

How can an infant be independent? It can’t because she is dependent on us for even her basic needs. But once she turned 6 months , we went the baby- led weaning way. To date, she eats on her own, with us. We get to enjoy our meal happily. But more importantly, she is very keenly attuned to her tummy, and is able to decide exactly how much quantities she needs. … Click to read the rest

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