Beth – Our Montessori Life – Page 14

July 18, 2016

Sunday Book Club: A Kid’s Herb Book

The middle of the summer has found us spending lots of time outside. We have lots of great cookbooks for the boys, but what we were lacking was a book we could really get into about herbs and plant uses around the home.

From fresh basil on pizza, to lavender mist on pillows before we go to sleep, we use plants a lot. So I was really excited when I came across this book.

A Kid’s Herb Book for children of all ages by Lesley Tierra
Recipes that kids can help make range from Chamomile Tea for calming children, to Elderberry Syrup to relieve colds. We really enjoyed learning about the different uses for things growing right outside in our own backyard.

Summer is such a great time to get out and explore things. To try something different. This is definitely a book for anyone looking to try some new uses for the herbs they find in their area. Either at the grocery store or your own back yard.

July 11, 2016July 11, 2016

Sunday Book Club: I Am Yoga

I am always looking for Peace Education books. In light of the recent events around the world, sadly I find I am looking for them more and more.

I Am Yoga by Susan Verde is a great book to have in your “Peace Education Toolbox”.
“When I feel small in a world so big…” The story mixes easy yoga poses with simple affirmations that a child can repeat when exhaling their breath slowly.

“I can open my heart. I feel love.”

The back of the book has a guide to each of the poses used, so if you are a reluctant yogi, you can read up on the poses first.

“If help and salvation are to come, they can only come from the children, for the children are the makers of men.”

– Maria Montessori

If anyone is interested in finding out more about Montessori Peace Education you can find our resources here:

June 19, 2016June 19, 2016

Sunday Book Club: Summer on the West Coast

It feels very good to be back in this space. I have missed being here.

As the days warm here we are seeking even more time outside. We picked up two excellent books this week that have really complimented our need to be out in Nature.

The Specific Ocean by Kyo Maclear

A girl is unhappy about leaving her friends behind to travel with her family to the ocean. However once she gets there, her prospective slowly changes and she allows herself to be drawn in by the sensorial beauty of the Pacific. This book is full of rich, flowing vocabulary and it will challenge you to explore this type of vocabulary with your own child the next time you are at the beach, the park, or anywhere for that matter.

West Coast Wild: A Nature Alphabet by Deborah Hodge

This is the perfect alphabet book for anyone living in the Pacific Northwest, or wanting to learn about it. We just so happen to fall into both categories. An entire alphabet book dedicated to the wildlife and vegetation we see every day but would like to know more about.

If you have any suggestions for excellent, Montessori friendly books let us know. Have a great week.

May 8, 2016

Their smell was my childhood.

I had a little garden I tended under a big maple tree and it was full of them.

After 15 years of searching for them in every nursery here, I finally found them last year. I bought up the 4 plants they had and tenderly planted them under my own home’s maple tree.

That night the deer came and ravaged them. I actually cried. I thought they were gone.

That was a year ago.

Then in the early Monday morning light, right as we were leaving the house, rushed and hurried, I stop to linger under the tree. There poking through the daffodil foliage were 3 slim stems of tiny white blossoms. My heart was full as I breathed in the scent of my childhood.

3 hours later I was informed that my Grandmother had died that morning.

We are all connected.

I will be taking some time off from all of our public spaces. I need to fly home.

We have 3 hugely exciting collaborations coming up. I’m so thankful and thrilled to have been asked to work with such amazing Montessorians and their teams.

I’ll be back in June to tell you all about it.

April 24, 2016April 24, 2016

Sunday Book Club: A child’s daily rhythm

There are so many beautiful books out there. One’s with an important moral message or peaceful story. One’s for learning new facts and amazing science ones. But the ones Quentin will usually pick for himself are none of those. The ones he picks for himself are most often simple stories about family rhythms.

Fiction books that focus on the real world day to day are often left off recommended book lists. However these are some of the most important books to read with children. They provide a glimpse into another family’s world (albeit a fictional one) and give the child a chance to relate to what is happening in the story.

Reading books about family rhythms can help a child process their own need for order in their day. This builds their trust of the world and aids in their natural development.

The above books are our absolute favourites and are all set with the child at the centre of the story.

Sounds Around Town follows a toddler and his Mother from morning to night. This was one of Quentin’s first books. I absolutely love the vocabulary it introduces to a young child.
Alfie Gets in first is the first in the long beloved series by Shirley Hughes. We love every single one. This one begins with Alfie accidentally locking himself in the house with Mom and baby sister stuck outside.
What Happens on Wednesdays is Quentin’s current favourite. It follows a preschooler through her day beginning when she wakes up and maps her day not in hours but in events such as getting the newspaper with Dad, going to preschool, having a nap and going to the pool.
Journey Home from Grandpas “The yellow car drives down the long and bumpy road, long and bumpy road…” We read this every single day between 12 months and 2. I couldn’t get the words out of my head if I tried. It is an excellent vocabulary builder but the rhythm at which the story flows and the alliteration will grab young children and keep it a favourite. Quentin still asks for it at least once a week.
Moving Molly was my favourite as a child. Shirley Hughes has something magically simple about her art. The story of a small girl who moves with her family, and all that she experiences including sleeping in a new room and finding something special at the end of her backyard one day. I’ve ordered it for Quentin. I hope he loves it as much as I did.

Montessori focuses on reality based themes. Reading to children about the daily lives of other kids their age opens up their world, and helps them affirm that many others experience the things that make up their own days.

April 23, 2016

Quentin turns 4

I can remember Anthony being four. It was such a great age. There is so much we are looking toward to with Quentin, and so much we are grateful for already. Some days I still wonder how it’s possible that he’s here at all. That all this isn’t just some lovely dream I will soon wake up from.
A Montessori birthday is a celebration of the child. A time to focus on the child’s growth and life so far. We chose as we do every year to keep it simple with some hand made gifts from talented artists, and a quiet day.

I scoured the web looking for a felted play mat that was “just right”. I finally stumbled onto this one. It is gorgeous, finely detailed, soft Austrailian wool and exactly what I was looking for. The shipping was reasonable and made it here fast. It will provide years of enjoyment and is definitely an heirloom piece. Some new Schleich forest animals complete the set.

Quentin loves collecting things. Most often it is buttons. Anthony carved him a wooden bowl to store his treasures. Their relationship is a precious one. Anthony had kept the bowl a secret. It is beautiful. I still can’t believe he made it.

We rounded out the day with a trip to his favourite bookstore and quiet moments. We are so busy. These quiet times are just a gift.

Being mindful of everything that has led up to these four small candles on a cake is important. It’s important not to forget those things. It helps us be present in the moment and look forward to what this year will bring.
Stay tuned as there is an upcoming post about our Montessori home spaces at four.

April 18, 2016

Sunday Book Club: A Persistent Vine

Passing on culture through storytelling has been done for thousands of years and is so important for the healthy development of a child’s brain. I love when a cultural fable is presented wth beautiful artwork that captures the attention of a child.

This is the second book I have been asked to review by Hands-On-Prints. A beautiful story set in Japan in the 9th Century.

The story is rich and intriguing, but slightly longer. Quentin at almost 4 was able to sit through it, but it would best suit children 6-9 years of age.

This book is part of a 4 book series with each of the books set in a different geographical region and time period. It compliments Japanese cultural studies done in the classroom, or at home, and is an excellent book for a child who has a love of botany and geography like Quentin does.

April 15, 2016May 1, 2020

Our Montessori Shelves at 4

This time next week Quentin will be four. It was time to examine his shelves.

As many of you know Quentin attends Montessori school Monday thru Friday. We don’t homeschool in any formal way. Now at 4, his materials are often ones that he has requested. He will sometimes say “I’d like to work with some new words”, or show an interest in a particular topic. We then make an effort to stock his shelves with those items. This isn’t to say that we rush out and purchase everything. But making time to really observe him and engage him in meaningful conversations will usually narrow down some ideas. Then we look for good quality. Also, the majority of his materials are homemade.

Here are Quentin’s shelves at 4.

Top row: sewing basket with current sewing project, Pink Series Language cards found here & DIY Stamp Game

Middle row: knitting basket with French knitting fork, nature exploring kit for the monthly subscription program we are enrolled in & moveable alphabet found here

Bottom row: Rhythm bells with DIY felt notes & music staff, chalkboard and chalk for writing & telling time cards found here

These are his favourites at four. Looking back at previous posts about his shelves makes me reminiscent. He has used this space for such a long time now and it is the same, but it is also constantly evolving. It follows the child like we do.

These are simply some of the things found on his shelves. I will post again early next week on his other materials and spaces around the house. Have a great weekend!

April 11, 2016

Sunday Book Club: Swirl by Swirl – Spirals in Nature

Anyone who knows me can tell you, Maths are a very big love in our house. So, when there is a beautifully illustrated Montessori friendly book that features not only nature, but the Fibonacci sequence; well I just couldn’t resist.

Swirl by Swirl, Joyce Sidman

Incredibly detailed pictures set with simple text, this book will capture a child’s interest at any age.

The delicate way Math reveals itself in nature is a beautiful one. There is an excellent information section at the back of this book, explaining Fibonacci and many other interesting bits about nature. Quentin at almost 4 enjoys carefully scanning the pages, looking for all of the details. He happily identifies swirls and this book is a great way to add the extension of some nature exploration. On our nature walks he looks for patterns. Perhaps he doesn’t yet find Fibbonaci in a pinecone or a sunflower. But I do. And I can marvel beauty of it with him.

This book touches on the subtleties of it all from ferns unfolding to a chipmunk curled in its den. There is more there than we realize, we just have to stop and look.

April 3, 2016

Sunday Book Club: A Handful of Numbers

I was contacted at the beginning of March by Hands-on-Prints to see if I would be interested in reviewing some of their books. I agreed and am thrilled to debut with their newest publication.

When I’m looking for good quality, Montessori friendly books, illustrations are what do it for me. But it doesn’t end there. Books must be engaging, beautifully written and invite the child to seek out some aspect of the story. This book didn’t disappoint.

It’s simple, clear and detailed illustrations are what Quentin was also drawn to. He loved the world landmarks, the continents page (because yes there are penguins in this book) and wanted to know more about the planets and the weather systems featured.

I liked that each number and corresponding page sat side by side. A child can easily see the number and the correlation to what is being shown on the opposite page. I also liked that the Number Rods were used to give a physical representation of the quantity as well as the number in symbol form. This is a great book for children 3-6 to compliment their understanding of the world. It is also a book that will grow with them as they can begin to delve deeper into some of its topics as they get older.

When partnering with anyone, it’s important to me that their values are somewhat connected to our family’s. That’s why I was pleased to read the back cover of this book and find out more about Hands-on-Prints.

Hands-on-Print books are available around the world at Baker & Taylor, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

You can also order directly from their website here.

It also happens that I have a copy of this book to give away. To enter head over to our Instagram feed for details and to enter. Good luck to everyone.