Evolution of a room

I was reading Kylie's words here, in her wonderful post about her son's room.  And what she said struck me.

I love to see bedrooms and nurseries especially those of the Montessori kind. But most of all I like to see them after a little use and to see how the have grown.

She is so right! It is really interesting to see other Montessori inspired room, but to see it's evolution really talks a whole deal more.

I want to share with you this evolution, and if you feel like it, join me along, and post, on your blog, the evolution of your rooms.  You are very welcome to leave a message here so that we have a big pool of really nice Montessori inspired bedrooms in evolution to look at!

What started out like this:

yes, we started with a rocker, but only for a few weeks.  It is a heirloom that I wanted to have the chance to use.  I did so when we moved here, because family history really speaks to me.  These were taken 3 days after we moved.  And it became

 this 2 weeks later... :

for my 5 month old:

a new floor bed

a corner dedicated to toys and books

and a changing table with images to enhance the changing experience...

 for my 8 month old:

a new book corner with few books and a chair to sit by

 a new play corner with cubbies made by daddy and images that changes ever so often

and a new clothing area that is more open and accessible

And as a 11 month old

a new table to play on just right by the cubbies

the bed area did not change during all this time

and finally for my 1 yo:

Please, join me for this show and tell, and don't forget to link to it by commenting.

Thanks for looking!

The gravity table

Meet an old lego table that we received last summer. My kids are not fans of legos, and my husband could not understand my interest in such a table when it was offered to us. But I just saw the potential of this, a table with a central hole? There is just something to do with this for sure.

And so came the first idea came after seeing E test the consistency of gravity by dropping food beside his chair, and looking at it fall. I felt the need to redirect this activity for the sake of my floor, my own sanity, and the obvious necessity for E to do it, and this is where the table comes into play

I just need a few items to drop, the table, and a basket to receive, my best find is still an old laundry basket.

As for the items to throw, I have been using pretty much anything, blocks, stuff toys, stuffed blocks, nature things of all kinds that cannot break.

The table is just the right height for him to lean on it, and be able to look in the hole, to his great satisfaction! So he drops whatever he wants in there, and looks at it in the basket through the hole.

After I showed E to pull the basket, and retrieve whatever item he wants to drop back.

Needless to say it is a winner

AND

the dropping at the table has noticeably diminished.

L'an passée, on m'a donné une table de légo de seconde main. Quoique les légos ne soient pas un très grand hit ici, j'étais complètement emballée envers cette table à la grande surprise de mon conjoint, qui ne comprenait pas mon enthousiame évident. Une table basse avec un trou en plein centre? C'est certain qu'il y a quelquechose à faire avec ça.

Et le premier quelquechose m'est apparut comme évident lorsque j'ai vu E tester la gravité pendant un repas. Il prenanit un morceau de sa nourriture, se penchait au dessus de sa chaise, le laissait tomber, et regardait ce qui arriverait. J'ai tout de suite compris que je devais rediriger ce comportement, le plus tôt sera le mieux.

voir image 1

J'ai donc trouvé des objets, qui pouvaient être laissé tombé dans le trou de la table, ainsi qu'un panier pour les lancer dedans, j'ai fini par prendre un vieux panier à linge. Pour ce qui est des choses à échapper, j'ai utilisé un peu n'importe quoi, et je crois que ça rend l'activité intéressante.

voir image 2

La table est just la bonne hauteur, pour qu'il puisse rejoindre le trou, et également regarder dedans. Alors après qu'il y ai échapper un objet, il se penche par en avant, et le regarde par le trou. Lorsque tout les objets ont été lancés, il tire le panier pour ramasser les objets qu'il désire refaire tomber.

voir image 3

C'est un succès , il adore

ET

il jette beaucoup moins sa nourriture par terre

que dire de plus!

Dishes outside - organizing the kitchen part 1

(version française au bas)

Yes, I am in a cleaning and re-organizing frenzy. Maybe it has something to do with my youngest getting close to being one (!!!!) and starting to really be an active part of the household, or maybe it is because my maternity leave is about to end and I feel like we will need to be really organized to help us keep a slower pace and enjoy time together. But whether the former or the latter, we are in a cleaning streak lately.

The food pantry was my latest victim (after re-organizing the kid's kitchen corner this weekend, more on this tomorrow), and since we store food mostly in jars in there, I needed a little hand to clean them up while I was cleaning, sorting, filling and replacing on the shelves. Since the weather was great, I suggested dishes outside. That was all I had to say to get them going.

We have an outside low play table that lives on the balcony. It is used for painting, playing games, doing crafts, and in this case, cleaning. I LOVE this table as it was the coffee table that was in the house when I was their age, and I have always thought, even then, that it was the perfect height for kids. I spend so many hours over this table painting, drawing, playing, and I love seeing them do the same

1. Setting the wash table / préparation de la table

We set up the table with the dirty dishes on the left side, along with the soap (in the plastic bottle) and brush. The first tub is the soapy water, and the second one, the rinse water. These white plastic tubs were bought about a year ago at my local dollar store, and they are an excellent investment. Then they also had a plastic pan to put the clean jars to drain before drying them with a smaller size dish towel (X is currently rinsing here)

2. Rinsing the jars / rinçage des pots

3. working with the round brush / travail à la brosse

and yes, EVERYONE had a chance to put their hand in the water (pun totally intended) for the greatest pleasure of the smallest one

4. everyone participating / tout le monde participe

I love how this table is low enough even for the E to work on it. I have to admit that I really had to control myself to not go to the garage and get DH's saw to cut 2 holes when I say Kylie magnificient wash table, but I reminded myself how I like the versatility of the flat surface.

I'll spare you the before picture, but this is the result of our work:

5. le résultat final

everything stored in clean jars and good to go.

Tomorrow, the kid's revisited corner(s).

(voir légende des photos ci haut)

Oui, je suis présentement dans une phase de nettoyage/ organisation. Peut-être est-ce ma façon de réagir au fait que mon petit dernier est sur le point d'avoir 1 an (!!!) et qu'il semble drôlement prêt a participer aux tâches de la maison, ou est-ce seulement parce que mon congé de maternité est sur le point de se terminer, et que j,ai encore un peut de difficulté à envisager comment nous réussirons à fonctionner l'an prochain, mais soit, le ménage me tiens occupée (constructivement)

Ma prochaine victime était le garde manger. Et comme nous rangeons la nourriture dans des pots, et que la majorité d'entre eux nécessitait un bon nettoyage, j'ai vite réalisé que j'avais besoin d'un petit coup de pouce. Je n'ai eu qu'à proposer une activité de vaiselle dehors pour que mes 2 (huh...3) petits assistants soient prêts.

Nous avons, sur le balcon derrière, une vieille table de salon, qui est parfaite en hauteur pour les enfants. Elle est utilisée pour faire des arts, de l'artisanat, des jeux, et dans ce cas-ci du nettoyage

Nous avons organisé la table avec les plat en plastique de nettoyage, un pot de savon et les pots sale à gauche, et un plateau de réception de la vaisselle propre à droite. Les enfants ont pris leur brosse à vaisselle, et leur linges à essuyer. (voir photos 1-2-3)

Même le petit dernier a pu participer à sa capacité, à sa grande joie (voir photo 4. )

Je vous fait fit de la photo avant, mais voici le résultat de notre travail (voir photo5.)

Demain, je vous montre le travail de la fin de semaine: le coin cuisine des enfants re-visité

Raising bookworms

Booksworms, I seem to have 3 children fitting this description. My kids loves books, even though they still cannot read. They love to hear a good story, they love to learn new information in a non fictional book, and they love to just turn pages of a book, feel the paper in their hands, and look at the illustrations.

I think there are many ways to stimulate the love the reading. Here is how we do it:

• We read books to our child starting at the youngest age.
• We model reading (and loving it) by reading ourselves as often as possible (read I always have a book going) and enjoying it
• We presented to each child how to handle a book, how to store it, take care of it. I think respect is important to enjoy something. I have given an old paper back book to E so that he can learn to manipulate a book properly, like turning the pages slowly really early.
• Modeling how to respect books by really taking care of books, turning the pages slowly without bending the corners, returning them to their shelves once done, and mending a book that needs it as soon as possible
• We go very often to the library, and my kids love it. When we go, I try to go with only one child to really be with them and not run around like crazy. I think it makes their experience more enjoyable
• Giving children books that are age appropriate and that are well illustrated
• Letting books at the disposition of children
• Rotating the books that they can have access to
• We have set up many special spaces dedicated to reading : special nooks, books near the bed, in our common living area...

E loves books. Books have always been part of his life, and he really enjoys them. We have read to him since his very first days of life. Now he not also like to sit and listen to a story, but also to just turn the pages, and look at it.

For his age, the illustrations of the book are the most important point for us. We try to find books that are beautifully illustrated, illustrations that are not cartoonish, but realistic. I also make a point to find books that don't have too much illustrations, or that I feel would be overwhelming. I like one illustration per page, and loads of white space around. Check out the fruit and veggie book picture below to understand what I mean. THis IMO allows the child to really look at one drawing at a time and concentrate on that rather then on all insignificant details. Plus, it is easy for us to play the name game.

Here are his current favorite:

A french book that illustrates fruits and veggies with the greatest care:

Alison's zinnia: a lovely book showing and naming many beautifully drawn flowers that goes over the alphabet

E loves to look at faces, and this book really fit the bill for him:

A book by Charley Harper: He seems to really love the illustrations. I like that the illustrations are simple and clean, and not too much. One illustration per number. Clear and to the point.

And finally an illustration only book showing scenes of everyday play. I love the soft hues and he really seems to enjoy seeing children playing in all sorts of way

happy reading!

Making a object permanence box with interchangeable lids

I used a wooden CD box found at my local craft store (in the painting section)

- I removed the hinge lid to keep just the base of the box. I thought about using the cover to make a drawer, but I just didn't have enough time to make it work.

- I used a saw to make the a rectangle in one of the sides of the box. This is the place where E can retrieve the ball (or form). Make sure that the rectangle you cut out is big enough to enter a hand and get it out with the shape in hand (I almost made it too small!)

- then I nailed (with finishing nails and a nail gun) some narrow wooden sticks (found at the hardware store) just near the upper side of the box. These are necessary to hold the interchangeable lid in place within the box.

Make sure you leave a space between the wooden sticks and the edge of the box for the cardboard to fit in the box. You don't need a big space, just to cover the thickness of the carboard (so that it lays flat vs the edge):

On one side, I sanded the egde all the way to the wooden stick so that my cut piece of cardboard will be able to slide in and out (this is what will allow me to have an interchangeable lid). I used a rough piece of sandpaper to sand the whole area. I sanded the front of the box, but I could have make this in the back.

- then I just cut a square piece of cardboard using the dimensions of the inside of the box, using an x-acto and a self healing mat and I also cut out the shape in the cardboard and now my box looked like this after putting this piece on the top of the box:

(It could be used that way, and it was for a couple of days, but since the cardboard lid is not fixed and just put on, I wasn't happy with it. So I managed to find a way to fix it there.)

Using the self healing mat I made a 2 cm large square, using the dimension of the OUTSIDE of the box

and I nailed it over the top of the box:

(note: on this picture, the square is not nailed yet, but it is placed correctly)

THis last piece of cardboard holds the interchangeable lid in place, and soE cannot remove it as he was doing at first. So now he can concentrate in really putting the shape in the hole. the interchangeable piece of cardboard (the one that is under) can slide out in the front of the box: this is the side I had sanded. **Don't forget NOT to nail this side of the box with your square piece!**

I have 2 other shapes ready to be used:

and I am planning on making more lids, with multiple shapes on them

I am super happy with the result and E is over the moon with this activity

Pointing at the start of conversation

Conversation starts at birth. Although unspoken, any mom knows that there are many "words" said in the minutes following a wee one's arrival: through touch, looks, sounds, and yes, words from mom's and dad's mouth. I can say, when looking back at real pictures and the ones engraved in my memory, that my children all had something to say when we first met them, and what they had to express was strong.

But conversation is something that needs to be practice and fine tuned. The child needs to learn how a conversation works, what it does, and how important it is. And this is being done firstly through the signing, the eye contact, the responding to cues and calls of an infant.

Montessori defined a sensitive period for language starting during the first year (that goes on to the 4-5th year). The child at that point needs to hear voices, real ones in order to understand and absorb language. We all have heard of the child that was raised in the jungle amongst monkeys, once back into civilisation, was never able to talk (and walk) properly. He had missed the window of language. Of course, this is an extreme case but I think it really show the power of the sensorial periods and the urge for the children to work through them.

E is entering a new phase in language development. He is very much wanting to talk to us. To have this conversation we have been practicing for a while now. And although he still says no word, we sure understand what he is saying! This started at the same time as pointing. Well, I think pointing is what started it all actually. That really was an incentive for us to name things, things that we know he has seen or has an interest in. And that led him to answer by trying to imitate what we say: when he points he babbles and has different intonation in his voice. So we are practicing conversation with him. And it is SO fun!

How to help them in this area? Here is what we are doing:

1. Answer, using a tone that matches his own
2. Name what he is pointing at
3. Point ourselves to things we want to him to take notice into
4. Get closer (if he is in our arms) or let him go closer in order to be able to touch, explore or connect with the thing/ person he is pointing at
5. Make sure we make eye contact if possible (because we value eye contact when we talk)
6. Let him watch a conversation (between 2 person) AND also let him interact in it if he wants to
7. Make sure we read books and look at many images that we name to expend his vocabulary (the one he sees...). Words being the basis of conversation, it is important to expose our children to all words big and small but most importantly correctly said

10 favorite activities for my 10 month old

We are back from our vacations, and we had such a good time. It gave me time to get my mind of things and take more time with my children, enjoy ourselves and relax ( well, as much as we could).

I was surprized upon my returnal how E's interests and capacities have changed. So to celebrate his upcoming 11 months, 10 activities for my 10 month old boy (who is clearly growing too fast!)

1. Pointing at

This is a relatively new attraction for him: pointing. He likes to do it everywhere, at people, at plants, at cars, at himself through the mirror. And when he does, he blabbles loudly! We are seeing this as the start of the 2 way conversation, something he has been working on since his first day of life. More on pointing and conversation tomorrow

2. Stacked books

Upon arriving to my room to a scattered pile of books many times, I finally got that he just loves to unpile AND turn pages of a book. So I piled many of his own books in his room for him to manipulate. He undo the pile, and then turns endlessly all the pages of all the books. That can really grab his attention for a while.

I have also given him some old paperback books for him to practice turning the pages gently. (not shown in the picture)

3. Colored water bottles

He is drawn into colors. I saw this idea somewhere on the net, and loved it. So I made up 3 bottles of colored water, using the primary colors only. He usually plays this more outside then in, since when the sun light them up, the colors really sparks. His big brother mixed the water and color, that was also a fun experiment for him too.

4. Family pictures

I have printed and plastified family pictures. They are in a basket accessible to him in the living room. He LOVes taking them out, and looking at them. Perfect activity or the pointing stage he is into. When he points, we name the person. We have also started to ask him to point to a picture. He is really getting good at this!

5. Permanence object box

I wasn't able to justify to buy just a permanence object box, and the ones with the interchangeable forms were just out of my price range. So I made one up using a wooden CD box. I removed the lid, and made a hole on one size. For the interchangeable cards they are made out of thick cardboad (using an x-acto knife), and used wooden cutout shapes I already owned. VOila. He loves this, and plays over and over and over again, when my 2 oldest are not using it...

6. Bongo, Tam tam, and tapping

This little man sure loves rhythm! Anything he can tap on, he will, including the kitchen bin when he manages to open the kitchen cupboard to reach it. Clapping hands is also a favorite of his. Just put on some music, and he is off!

7. chasing Peek a boo.

THis is still going strong here. From silks to living room shades, this games gets played many times a day. But right now, he really preferes catch me peek a boo, which consist of running to hide in a corner of our home or behind a wall and call him. He just gets so excited when he finds us, and says "ah!"

8. The discovery basket

this really is endless fun!

9. Sand

Summer is at our doorstep, and we are finding ourselves more and more outside. Sand really is a texture he adores. A couple of buckets, a sand shovel, and a god sun hat is all he needs for hours (litterally) of fun

10. Blocks and basket

He has finally started to put in, and not just get out. I have put at his disposition a basket just to put things in. But his favorites right now are blocks. I have also seen him outside putting grass in a small teacup used for outdoor pretend play kitchen, and just about everything he finds on the floor, in just about anything he finds on the table, or in drawers.

Vider / Emptying

C'est clairement l'activité du mois. Vider.

C'est une période qui n'est pas très difficile à reconnaitre. Un panier de linge propre plié oublié à la porté de petites mains retrouvé vidé (et oui, bien sur, complètement déplié) est un bon indicateur...

C'est une période qui peut être frustrante, les moindres recoins de la maison sont souvent retrouvé vidés de leur contenu, contenu, qui est bien sûr laissé à trainer. Mais cette période du vider est tellement importante, qu'il faut laisser à l'enfant qui se construit la chance de la vivre pleinement.

Ceci ne veut pas dire qu'il faille laisser les petites mains vider n'importe quel tiroir si cela nous irrite. Mais il y a différentes façon de permettre à l'enfant de répéter le travail qu'il désire faire, sans pour autant perdre patience.

Le truc: la redirection, *pour une activité équivalente*

Emptying. Clearly the flavor of the week, (and dare I say month?) A period that is not easily passed under silence. A basket of freshly cleaned and folded laundry forgotten at the level of littles hands eager to work was our signal (*sigh*). Loud and clear my friends, loud and clear!

It is a period that can be rather frustrating, as contend of drawers and cupboards start to spring everywhere on the floor. And of course, since the period of putting back has not started, it is left there. But this period is so important, that it is important to allow the child to really live it as he needs to.

That doesn't mean that little hands can empty whatever they want (well, that could mean that) if we don't want them to. There are different ways to allow the work to take place without going ballistic on the clean up that it implies. (and for a clean freak like me, that is possible!)

All I have to say is redirection, redirection redirection, for a similar activity!

Quelques idées que nous avons appliquées ici:

Here are a few ideas that we are using here to allow E to work :

- Les tiroirs qui sont à la hauteur de E ont été remplis de trucs avec lesquels il peut "travailler"

Drawers that are at his level have been emptied and filled with material he can work with

il a un attrait particulier pour les tiroirs de la salle de bain. Nous en avons vidé le contenu, et j'y ai mis des rouleaux de papier de toilette qu'il peut sortir comme bon lui semble

He has this particular liking for our bathroom drawers. I emptied them, and added toilet paper in it.

-Un panier de bas disparate:

unpaired socks

Son préféré! J'ai accumulé tous les bas qui ont perdu leur paire, ou ceux qui sont troués (et donc à jeter) dans un grand panier qui peut sortir à volonté. C'est presque aussi bon que le panier de linge tout propre

that is his favorite.

It is almost as good as clean and freshly folded laundry

-Le panier de recyclage:

Recycling bin

Rempli de bols de plastique du commerce, ou d'autres objets non dangereux (*quelques* feuilles de papiers, boites de carton propres...) fait un excellent panier à vider ( et explorer en même temps!)

Filled with plastic buckets, SOME pieces of paper, cardboxes, it is perfect in the kitchen, and also works as a mini discovery box

-Un panier de carrés de soie:

silk basket

parfait pour ensuite faire une partie de coucou

also useful for peekaboos

- Paniers de jouets

Toys basket

c'est ici qu'on recycle les hochets et autres jouets qui ne sont plus vraiment utilisés. E ne les manipules pas vraiment, il fait seulement les sortir du panier

this is the place were we are re-using the rattles and other toys that are out of rotation. He doesn't really play with them, he just wants to get them out of the basket.

-Boite de carton avec papier d'emballage

Cardbox with wrapping papers

-Panier de livres:

Book basket

Celui-ci est associé au petit pot (ECing) mais il sert également à vider

THis one is paired with the potty ( we are ecing) but it is also used as a emptying basket (and he loves to flip the pages too)

Nous avons posté les paniers un peu partout dans la maison, et surtout aux endroits névralgiques, c'est à dire:

endroit ou un tiroir ou un autre contenant à vider est attirant pour E

endroits ou nous passons le plus de temps

Nous avons également barré les endroits qu'il lui sont interdit: paneaux et tiroir (et toilette...) contenant des choses qu'il ne doit pas avoir accès.

We have left the baskets everywhere in the house: even corridors. We tried to leave them in hot spots:

places where there are drawers and cupboards that we don't want him to play him, but are attractive to him (redirection!)

places where we spend loads of time together

We have also used child locks to secure the spaces we don't want him to explore: drawers, cupboards, toilet (...) and such

have a good sunday :)

Bon dimanche :)