3 Books to Help You Get Started with Montessori at Home
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Do you want to start with Montessori at home, but you don’t know where to begin? Are you not sure if Montessori is for you? The books below with help you get a better idea of what Montessori at home looks like and if it’s the right fit for your family.
The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies
Toddlers are often misunderstood. And our lack of understanding makes us believe that it must be the "terrible twos" phase. The Montessori Toddler book will help you see that there's no such thing as terrible twos.
Using a Montessori perspective, the author will guide you to understand your toddler’s needs in terms of the physical environment and their emotional development. Tantrums, praising, bribing, setting limits - The Montessori Toddler covers all topics parents of toddlers need to know.
This book is very well-organized. Each chapter is divided into several subchapters that are easy to read and follow. You can even choose only one topic to read about, for example, following the child. You can open the book in the middle and read two pages about this topic. This approach allows you to refer back to the topics that are relevant to you. The illustrations and photos included help reinforce the concepts mentioned in the book.
Easy to read and practical - this book has become a must-read parenting book for parents of toddlers (1-3).
The Montessori Baby by Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike
The Montessori Toddler has become so popular that it got a younger sibling. Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike wrote The Montessori Baby to cover the first year of your baby's development.
This book will help you better understand your baby's needs and see what they're working on during a particular stage of their development. It will help you set up a safe home for your baby's exploration and give you tips on activities you can offer to your baby.
It also includes a chapter on Preparation of the Adult that gives you valuable tips on preparing yourself. The topic of preparation of the adult is often overlooked. I enjoyed this chapter because it acknowledges the importance of adults' roles and their awareness of how their upbringing affects their parenting.
The authors wrote this book in the same style as Simone's first book. It is easy to read, well-organized into many subchapters for quick reference, and accompanied by helpful illustrations and beautiful photographs of real Montessori babies.
Babies Build Toddlers by Mariana Bissonnette
Are you looking for a feel-good parenting book about how to support your child during the first 18 months? This book is for you! The author uses clear, non-judgmental, and friendly language to discuss the developmental milestones, Montessori concepts, and tips on supporting your child's needs.
The chapters are interconnected. You'll need to start reading from the beginning to understand what is going on at the end. This approach gives you a deeper understanding of applying Montessori at home with your child and seeing the big picture. The chapters are divided into many subchapters. They cover everything from the development of your child's movement, language, feeding, and sleeping to your role as a caregiver.
The best thing about this book is the illustrations. They were created by a group of talented illustrators from different cultural backgrounds. Not only are the illustrations beautiful, but they also depict families from various cultures and different family structures, such as same-sex couples.
Mariana Bissonnette's inclusive book is a refreshing addition to parenting books about Montessori at home.
Same as with any other parenting book, take what resonates with you and leave the rest. If you can't imagine having your baby sleeping on a floor bed, don't give up on the rest of the book.
What are your favorite books about implementing Montessori at home? Please share them in the comments.