The Montessori Toddler: A Parent's Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being

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A wealth of practical advice on how to implement Montessori’s deeply respectful approach to raising a baby” – Angeline S. Lillard, PhD, author of Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius. In mixed-age classrooms, the younger children naturally learn from the older and teachers encourage children of all ages to work together. From birth to three years Traditional parenting methods often confuse discipline with punishment. When using Montessori for toddlers, it is understood that discipline means “to teach”. Even in positive, gentle parenting environments, toddlers experience discipline on a daily basis. However, teaching does not coincide with the use of punishments such as time outs, behavior charts, taking away a favorite activity or toy, etc. Skills Learned by Montessori Toddlers This is the book I recommend most to parents. It made such a difference to how I communicate with my own children and in my work with babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers.

Maria Montessori was born in 1870 in Italy. She was one of the first women to graduate from the University of Rome Medical School.

What is Montessori?

Let’s take a look at the 7 most important principles of Montessori education. These principles can be used both at Montessori schools and at home, by Montessori parents. Of course then you start to think--wait, so if I need to saw off the legs of all the furnature to make it their height, what do I do when they grow a little bit? what if they have a young sibling? or two? What do I do with all those kiddie tables and chairs underfoot? And what becomes of all those superfluous legs? Using Montessori for toddlers means that we, as the prepared adult, are purposeful, patient, intentional and allow our children to guide us and choose how they spend their own time. Setting their environment up to be easily accessible provides them the ultimate freedom to develop the autonomy they so desperately crave. The Montessori concept of absorbent mind that refers to a period of “sponge-like” learning in young children applies to kids from 0 to 6 years old. So the Montessori principles can be incorporated by parents from birth. The Montessori pre-school programs usually start at the age of 3. Are Montessori schools better than standard schools?

Learning resources within the environment are organised by subject area, such as language or mathematics, and are freely available to the child to interact with. I’m absolutely loving the book, Simone. Fantastic work. Very practical, clear advice and beautifully designed, in keeping with the Montessori tradition. Kudos!”And like its predecessor, The Montessori Babyis that rare parenting book that’s a pleasure to look at—beautiful color illustrations and a bright airy design reinforce the book’s direct and jargon-free approach. It may also inspire parents to look at their own homes in a different way and use the Montessori aesthetic to create an environment of uncluttered calm. The whole family will benefit.

Written by a Montessori parent, this book gives an accessible overview of the fundamentals of the Montessori approach. Highly recommended. During the first 3 years of life, your child develops more rapidly than at any other time. During this phase, your child absorbs large amounts of information from the environment through observation and experiences. These are the years that lay the foundation for later learning—and the stronger the foundation, the more the child will be able to build upon it. Simone and Junnifa are both trained AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) Montessori teachers working in the classroom and applying the Montessori principles with their own families. They are both passionate about the young child and a peaceful, positive way to parent them for the whole family.Montessori education leads to independence. It encourages exploration and teaches toddlers to take responsibility for themselves, their belongings, and the environment. The Montessori schedule often includes practical activities like sweeping or personal care. Rather than trying to get a child to read or write at a certain age, the Montessori approach says that children move through sensitive periods when they are especially receptive to learning new skills. For those wanting detailed information on all aspects of the Montessori approach for the youngest children, this book is worth a read. The book discusses the theory and the practice, with many examples given.