Not sure how to stimulate your baby, teach independent play, or worried they’re missing out on growth?
If you’re concerned about their cognitive or motor skills, or they’re ignoring toys, making big messes and not cleaning up after they play, it can be difficult to know what to do. Whether you want to prepare activities, help your child play on their own or you want to learn how to choose and organize toys in a way that keeps things tidy and inviting for play, I can help!
In Montessori we think of productive kids’ play as work: as they interact with things in their environment with their body and mind, they’re learning about the properties of the world, about themselves, and learning to concentrate on tasks of their choosing. To foster this kind of work, our goal as adults is to set up a space that’s tidy and accessible, with objects that are optimal for their current stage of development, and finally observe their activity to adjust what we offer.
Here are some quick tips:
- Focus on “passive toys” without lights, sounds, or instructions.
- Prioritize quality toys that can be used in many different ways.
- Think of toys as tools. Offer things to build and create with, the simpler the better.
- Display toys in limited quantity on an open shelf so kids can choose.
- Build a habit of putting a toy away after they’re done using it, and teach it repeatedly.
As an AMI-certified Montessori 0-3 guide and your parenting sidekick, I can help you create engaging play experiences with less clutter, mess and work on your end. Book a free 15-min call with me, share your challenges, and let’s create a custom plan together.