9 - 12 MATERIALS

 

9 - 12 Materials

How is my beautiful tiny 6lb baby a 1 year old?! Like where has this year gone??! As predicted these last 3 months have been dramatic in India's development. She's saying words now with purpose and meaning, she's cruising on anything and everything and is so affectionate. Her personality is really blossoming now. Not only a loving little girl but a cheeky one too!

So what has she been doing these last three months? What has kept her engaged? What schemas or sensitive periods has she been in? Trajectory schema. Probably most people's least favourite one. Why? Because it involves experimenting with how things move through space. It's the throwing schema, the running schema, the *when will this end* schema?! She's been experimenting with how her own body moves through space:

• Lots of climbing forwards and backwards. 
• Throwing herself backwards from a sitting position  for fun (she's crazy). 
• Throwing balls, toys, food and her cup.
• Pulling to stand and walking with her wagon.

More info on schemas check out the posts on my page or Gemma's youtube channel which can be found here.
The wagon was second hand freebie which I just filled with her Bauspiel blocks to add some weight. She now doesn't need them but they look pretty and the storage is perfect fit.

Vehicles have been another favourite. I'm still unsure whether it's because she's genuinely interested or more because it's what Alfie uses the most. Ha! She's a devil. The ice cream van pictured (Le Toy Van) is a particular favourite because she enjoys posting small objects into it. Reinforced by her object permanence stage 2 box with posting the ball but now opening the drawer to retrieve the ball. 

Touch and feel board books have gripped her more these last three months and she actively searches the page now for the sensory input. I hope she is a greedy reader like me and Alfie. 

Other materials she has been loving are:

• Her pikler triangle - similar available here. (JOURNALS5 to save)
• Schleich animals in language baskets and from our open ended toy selection.
• Sarah's silks play silk for the old classic peekaboo but also great for the trajectory schema. Experimenting with how different materials travel through space.
• Baby dolls - she got this one for her birthday but had been loving ones at Nana's and Alfie's old one too.

What big changes did you notice between 9-12 months?

6-9 MATERIALS

6-9 MONTHS

I can’t believe the next one of these I’ll post Indie will be one! How has that happened?! Anyway, these are a selection of her favourite materials between 6 and 9 months. Rabbit from Rosa & Bo nesting dolls from The Little Sensory Box. This has a lovely gentle bell inside that reinforces cause and effect for this age group. It's also a really cute size for little hands to grasp. The Grimms mini roller pictured above is the same. The tiny wooden balls and bell are perfect to encourage movement but also the mini size makes it double up as a rattle too.

Rosa and Bo bunny from nesting dolls. Firm favourite here. Click to shop at The Little Sensory Box and use RAINBOW at checkout for 10% off.

Books as always are a firm staple here. These realistic touch and feel board books are brilliant and highly recommended. Before age 6 children struggle to differentiate fantasy from reality so these simple picture books are perfect. 

Some more traditional Montessori materials that we've introduced these past couple of months have been the egg in a cup and the object permanence box. Often what most people think of when they think of Montessori is the ball in the box. The egg in the cup is the first 3D puzzle introduced because of its perfect size for small hands paired with the cup. The egg can be replaced either way which is what makes it a good starting point. Remember friends, Montessori doesn't cost the earth!

The object permanence box is a classic material that reinforces the concept that things still exist when they go out of sight. The ball is placed in the hole and disappears only to reappear in the tray. India still hasn't mastered this but enjoys manipulating the ball and watching me place it in the hole to reappear. Another easy way to explore this concept is peekaboo!

The Galt Toys pop up people are loved. They haven't been rotated off the shelves since I brought them out. She's enjoyed these so much more than Alfie. She has just started these last couple of weeks bouncing her palm  on top of them trying to get them to pop out. These small discoveries to us are just amazing to watch. I didn't really present this material to her but allowed her to discover this in her own time, which made it all the more special when she started to investigate.

tickit balls from The Little Sensory Box in our treasure tubes. Click to shop and use RAINBOW to save 10%.

Our tickit mirror balls from The Little Sensory Box are still going strong. They come in a set of 4 in different sizes and the cold metal is a fab alternative material for her to explore along with the usual soft fabric balls and our wooden ones. RAINBOW for 10% off at The Little Sensory Box.

Not pictured is our Sawdust and Rainbows pikler triangle too which she was using as a tunnel. However, these last couple of weeks she’s been more interested in climbing and pulling up. That brings with it a whole new dimension to play. Gross motor is definitely taking a huge lead at the minute and envision the 9-12 post reflecting this. 

Do you spot any favourites with your little ones too?

3-6 MATERIALS

3 - 6 MATERIALS

How am I writing this?! So 3-6 materials got a little bit more exciting. I love this age! You will notice as a Montessori family we don't have any toys that contain India. So there aren't any baby swings/bouncers, bumbo or other such prop seats or any jumperoos or door bouncers. We follow the natural development of the child and allow the freedom of movement and the natural development of gross motor. India started dragging herself at 4 months old and just as she turned 5 months she had mastered commando crawling. 

Her materials reflect these interests. No she can't sit but following her lead and her natural development she will get there eventually. I won't put her in a position that she can't safely get into or out of by herself. She is in a sensitive period for movement so it's natural that she won't want to sit still. I'm not suggesting that her early movement compared to Alfie is because of an absence of these containers this time around but just sharing our experience with her compared to Alfie. All children are different and develop at their own rate. 

The materials that she has enjoyed engaging with are:

Montessori puzzle ball - this one pictured is from a small business called Mimosa handmade dreams on Etsy. The puzzle ball is brill! It can be hung from a play gym, it's the perfect shape for grasping and it rolls but not so far that baby can't keep up.

Board books that show realistic pictures of animals and babies/people.

Large Grimms monochrome roller - brill for motivating movement and during tummy time. Also begins to introduce cause and effect with the lovely sound of the wooden balls inside.

Play silks and scarves - the one pictured is a Sarah's silk and the colours are gorgeous! We have enjoyed using this for peekaboo, suspended from her playgym and in her treasure basket. Alfie also enjoys these so they have a long play life.

Interlocking discs - traditional montessori material to encourage grasping and transferring objects from one hand to the other. It also rolls in an interesting way.

Teethers - I've only pictured one but we have a basket available.

Manhatten toys rattle

Treasure basket - similar items from 0-3. Check that post out for full details. Various sensory items are available from thelittlesensorybox. Use code RAINBOW for 10% off.

Hope these recommendations have been helpful. Do your little ones gravitate towards particular toys? Have we featured any here?