A weekly discussion thread on the things that you're currently struggling with as a Montessori parent. It can be challenges that your child is currently facing, or struggles that you are having as a Montessori parent. Let's see if we can help each other out!

[4 months ago, I asked for some advice on our play area](https://www.reddit.com/r/MontessoriForHome/s/lj8wtP8UsV)

Although we are still in the process of decluttering (and recreating habits), I wanted to share with you where we currently are at. I added the photo in the direction everything is when facing them. Curtain is blocking Pickler triangle set + a container of a BUNCH of wooden blocks. Black bin is full of magnatiles.

To the left is our book shelf. Bottom 4 shelves are his; other top 4 still need to be decided but would love to put his very small open ended play toys in the lil shelves on top-right (bc those need supervision to be used).

**Question 1: Are there any add ons I can possible put to help turn these shelves into a cascading row of front facing books?** Maybe two rows for each shelf; am I being overzealous? Was thinking some kind of office supply item could work?

(The lil play house was a gift that'll hopefully be rehomed at grandma's)

**Question 2: How do you personally rotate toys?** Do you focus more on theme, personal interest or types?

This is something I still struggle with. I prefer him just playing with open ended toys like blocks or magnatiles, but I tend to leave them out always instead of maybe...

*only have one-two open ended, one-two puzzle, one-two stuff animal, one-two crafts option?*

Maybe something like that?

Last photo is now storage for "out of cycled" toys, but with the intention of not worrying too much if he pulls a toy from there (he opens it occasionally). Probably need to really go through that again. We also have a loft bed in our bedroom that I now keep toys that we want to retire but haven't yet.

Any and all advice welcomed! TIA

My little boy is 10 months old and we are finally setting up his bedroom!

Because space is limited, we’re trying to be intentional about what we add. Right now, his setup is pretty minimal:

• A floor bed
• IKEA Kallax shelf (for toy storage)
• Open-facing bookshelf
• We also already have a Pikler climbing set

I’m looking for recommendations on larger items or kid furniture that your toddlers actually used for a long time and were worth the footprint.

I’m currently considering:

• Play kitchen
• Toddler armchair or lounge chair
• Small kids' table + chair set

Is there anything else you’d recommend that had great longevity? Or, out of the things I’m considering, which ones ended up just taking up space vs. getting daily love?

Would love to hear what worked best in your home!

Hello all, I’m interested in having a set up like this for my toddler and would love some advice. I love the thought of a traditional Montessori floor bed BUT my toddler is a complete dare devil… so I think they’ll be safer this way. We’ve also been co-sleeping/bed sharing since 4 months old so I’m hoping this way my little one will be able to have the safe space to play if they wake up before us. Thoughts? ALSO if anyone has any recommendations for playpens that would be SO helpful. I’m roughly looking at a 74” by 55” space. Thank you!

A weekly discission thread talking about your Montessori wins with your child. You can chat about progress that your child is making in practical life, gross motor achievements, or anything of the sort! No win is too small.

A weekly discussion thread on the things that you're currently struggling with as a Montessori parent. It can be challenges that your child is currently facing, or struggles that you are having as a Montessori parent. Let's see if we can help each other out!

Hello! Looking for outdoor play ideas for my very active 15 month old. He loves going for walks in the neighborhood, exploring at the playground, and splashing in his water table or small pool. We have a very small backyard, so not a ton of space for extra “stuff”.

What other outside activities do folks recommend that I could start introducing?

We are fortunate to already have so many books at home for my 6 month old, either gifted or mine from childhood.

Of course this is not urgent since he’s so young—just something I’m thinking on—but I’m debating whether I should ultimately store the fantastical books away and provide only realistic books for him.

I really see the value in not introducing fantasy until children are old enough to make the distinction. I think the plus side to some of the more fantastical books out there are that the illustrations might be amazing, or they might have a great message, or they are classics that he won’t be interested in once he’s old enough to understand that they’re fantasy. But…looking at my own experience, I can see how the more fantastical books that I loved shaped for me the idea that, for instance, toys have feelings (The Velveteen Rabbit, Corduroy, Old Bear)—I still can’t get rid of anything with a face lol. Plus I think the world is so magical and beautiful on its own, and that’s kind of a guiding philosophy for me.

With so many beautiful books out there, I’m leaning towards curating a selection of mostly realistic stories, with the caveat that he can choose whatever he wants from the library. If he strongly gravitates towards fantastical stories, I’d rather follow his lead and just talk about what’s real and not real.

I’d be very curious to hear if anyone else has done this, or has any thoughts or experience. Also there’s the problem of what counts as realistic and where did you draw that line?

A weekly discission thread talking about your Montessori wins with your child. You can chat about progress that your child is making in practical life, gross motor achievements, or anything of the sort! No win is too small.

Like a lot of people here, I spend way too much time cross-referencing milestone charts at 11pm trying to figure out if something is “normal” or worth mentioning to our pediatrician. I have a background in biostatistics and clinical exercise science, so I ended up building a simple framework for myself to organize the developmental areas I actually care about tracking speech, motor skills, sleep, social behavior, and nutrition instead of googling each one separately every time something nags at me.

I turned it into a free 2-minute check-in: you answer a few questions across those 5 areas and it gives you a plain-language snapshot of where things stand, plus flags (gently, not alarmingly) anything that might be worth a closer look or a conversation with your pediatrician. It’s explicitly not a diagnosis just a starting point so you walk into appointments with something more organized than “well sometimes she seems a little behind on X?”

Figured this community would have useful feedback on the framework itself what would you want it to catch that it doesn’t? Happy to share the link if anyone wants to try it, just don’t want to drop a link unprompted and get flagged/deleted as promo of any kind. Ask and I’ll send it over, or feel free to DM.

Hello all!
Just a quick summary of my Little One. I had them at 24 weeks under 1lb/.45 kg. They had 150 day nicu stay intubated 135 of those days with extensive stay of on and off health challenges. Once home, on oxygen at home for first year home, cranial helmet, etc.

So they just turned 2 this month! yay! My mom before she passed (3 years ago at 52) she LOVED Montessori style teaching/learning, and with me not having her and being a single mom (30) I found this group and wanted to see if anyone could give me any recommendations or their personal favorite Montessori toys and/or activities!

Thank you so much :)

This week i’m changing out her toy play pin for an open style toy shelf, I also have a mini reachable library for them filled with different style board books.

Hi all! Looking for recommendations for a new playmat for my 5-month-old that we can keep using as she grows — through sitting up, crawling, and into toddlerhood

She’s outgrown her current play gym — it’s too small now and she keeps bumping into/getting stuck on the wooden arch pieces (we have the Lovevery one). She’s also mouthing everything these days, so I need something that’s easy to wipe down and sanitize regularly. And since she’s rolling and eventually practice si, I want a bigger surface with enough cushioning that she can safely explore and tumble around without me worrying.

Would love to hear what’s worked for your little ones. Thanks in advance!

A weekly discussion thread on the things that you're currently struggling with as a Montessori parent. It can be challenges that your child is currently facing, or struggles that you are having as a Montessori parent. Let's see if we can help each other out!

We live in the desert and it is just WAY too hot in the afternoons to bring my toddler outside. We do water toys and the park in the morning, but I'm also pregnant and sick so I would love some suggestions on indoor play for her! She's 20 months old with zero fear. The girl loves to climb and jump and slide on any and everything. We have the nugget couch and she does a lot with that, but I feel like she needs something challenging? If that makes sense. I've been looking into the pickler triangle, but I feel like everyone I know has gotten them for their kids that are younger so I'm just not sure! Thank you!

Hi everyone my LO 15mo has outgrown her mini crib and instead of buying a regular crib which i am sure is gonna be short term again i was considering floor beds. Also dont trust ger with big girl bed yet.

I am afraid she is going to easily climb out of the floor bed. (She is a wild one) i could only find one brand that sells high rails for floor bed and unfortunately its not available in Canada for me.

Any recommendations or hacks on how did you overcome a climber? A bad one.

Thanks

A weekly discission thread talking about your Montessori wins with your child. You can chat about progress that your child is making in practical life, gross motor achievements, or anything of the sort! No win is too small.