Montessori Mondays - Eating Time

Everyone knows babies and toddlers are messy eaters right? Sometimes it is because they haven't quite mastered the use of utensils or dumping food on the table is their way of letting you know that they are finished eating. One important thing to remember that food at this age is very much a sensory experience. A lot of times children who are able to use spoons will dip their hands in their yogurt or pasta halfway through to get that extra sense of touch. Textures of foods are also a big reason why sometimes toddlers love a food one day and then won't touch it for weeks. Here are a few tips for making eating time an enjoyable learning experience for both you and your toddler.

• Try to provide a mix of familiar and new foods in a meal often throughout the week - for a particular picky eater try preparing a familiar food in a different way - mashed vs. boiled potatoes or baked french fries, also give new foods several chances by serving them over the course of several meals before throwing it out the window
  
• Encourage your toddler to feed themselves by providing them with finger foods at first - I recommend always placing small utensils in their eating area so if they want to try using a spoon or fork by themselves they have the opportunity to initiate that learning experience and likely will ask for help the first few times
• Let your toddler initiate their own conversations at the table - eating is a full sensory experience for your child and especially in those first few minutes you may notice he always becomes very quiet and focused on eating - its important to let him have that experience and become attuned to the experience of eating and when he is ready to engage with you he will
• Set up a regular clean up routine - even if the food you served for that meal isn't particularly messy, set up a regular routine of putting dishes away, throwing away trash, going to the sink to wash hands and to a mirror at the toddler's level to wipe his face - this should help immensely when your child is covered from head to toe with spaghetti and you don't want him running away to the living room immediately

Friday Notables - Wheels on the Bus

With every new group of toddlers, whether it is those that I have worked with in a dance studio or in a Montessori environment, one thing during music time remains consistent and that is everyone loves "Wheels on the Bus." Here are a few notes on what I think makes this song so attractive and hopefully you can use it to identify other songs you may want to teach your child.

• A double dose of repetition - there is the overarching "______ on the bus" and "all through the town" that frames the repetition of who/what is on the bus and their action - this makes the song easy to learn and remember
  
• Short verses - the verses are quick and move onto a new action each time holding a toddler's short attention span
• Simple actions - younger toddlers may not be able to sing yet, but they love being able to move to the music, in a way these movements are a child's way of signing the song
  

The song also helps a child learn sequence of events - most toddlers that I work with learn very quickly that the wheels go "round and round" at the beginning, after the babies go "wah, wah, wah" the mommies go "shhh, shhh, shhh" and at the end the horn goes "beep, beep, beep." Now this may not be how every version of "Wheels on the Bus" is ordered, but whatever version you use, stick with it for awhile to help your child develop that idea of sequence. The great thing about this song is that when your child gets a little older, you can begin to increase the complexity of the song by adding more verses and encourage your child's creativity by having him help write some verses of his own.

Midweek Creations - Gone Fishing

Children love magnets and any opportunity to explore with them. Today's craft is great for art exploration and becomes a treasured activity that your child will grow and learn with in those first few years.

What You'll Need:
paper clips
short pole
string
hot glue
scissors
glue
contact paper
construction paper - primary colors (for 1/4 sheet fish - 1 of each color, for 1/2 sheet fish - 2 of each color)
paint, crayons, markers (optional)

Create your own fish template. Feel free to make it as simple or elaborate as you would like, but design it to take 1/4 or 1/2 of a page. If you would like, let your child decorate the construction paper with crayons, markers, or paint. Once done, use your template to trace the fish onto the construction paper (note - if your child decorated the paper be sure to flip your outline either once (1/2 page) or twice (1/4 page) so that when you glue the two sides together both will be decorated). Your toddler may want to help with this as well. Cut out all the fish and match them up to create two blue, two red, and two yellow fish. Put a paper clip in the middle of each and glue the two sides together. Next, do an at home lamination by covering the fish on both sides with contact paper and trimming it close to the edge. To make the fishing pole, hot glue a string to a small magnet and tie/hot glue the other end of the string to one end of the pole.

Montessori Mondays - Setting Up the Eating Area

Toddlers love being able to help with daily activities and a great opportunity to give them a role in their day is preparing their eating area. This can be as simple or complex as you would like to make it, but will likely aid in easing transitions from one activity to that of eating and create a cherished routine. Some ideas for setting up the eating area include:

• a placemat - this can be purchased or homemade with some contact paper, a placemat that shows outlines for utensils, bowls or plates, and a cup will help your child learn how to set their own table
• a vase with flowers - flower arranging is a cherished activity for Montessori children in the primary classroom, but why not introduce it to your toddlers now, you'll need a small vase, 1-3 flowers (children also love grasses or wildflowers), a little pitcher with some water - they can show off their water pouring skills and practice their hand eye coordination while trying to slide those flowers in the vase
  
• wiping down the table before eating - toddlers are very eager to help care for their environment; if they can't help with the food preparation give them a gentle cloth to clean the table with while they are waiting

• setting up serving utensils - if you are going to have the table set "family style" with serving spoons or tongs, let your child help place them in the bowls

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful President's Day!!!

Friday Notables - FamilyEducation.com

There are lots of parenting websites out there and it is hard to figure out which ones offer the best advice. One thing I love about FamilyEducation.com is that you can subscribe to their email newsletters that are generally sent out bi-weekly that will give you updates on themed and timely articles, activities, and printables for just your child's age group. You can give this update a quick scan and either delete if it nothing seems to pop out or click on what you want to check out. Simple, helpful, and it doesn't require a lot of research or time out of its users. To subscribe to the email updates click here.

Midweek Creations - Another Toddler Smoothie

Here is another great toddler smoothie recipe. This particular smoothie is designed for teething toddlers so it doesn't have as much protein or veggies in it. It does pack a lot of vitamin C for growing healthy, strong, teeth, though, and provides a nice cool snack that won't require a lot of chewing. If you would like to add some veggies, I would recommend adding a little bit of shredded carrot to taste. Enjoy!

What you'll need:
3/4 diced cantaloupe
1/2 cup frozen diced unpeeled plums
1/3 cup frozen pitted cherries

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Montessori Mondays - Where Toddlers Eat

One of the biggest part of a growing toddler's day is food including what, where, and how he or she eats. All toddlers are different in their preferences and will likely have favorite foods. Toddlers will often have days when they will love one food and then not want to touch it the next. Just like any other activity, though, it is our roll as parents or caregivers to guide them towards being as independent during their eating times. A key factor in guiding your toddler towards self care is creating a consistent place for them to eat with some basic rules around it. I love the idea of having a child sized table and chair in the home for your toddler, but this can be tough for parents who also want to begin the routine of having a family meal every night and not sit in tiny chairs after a long day of work. I also like having a low coffee table serve as a meal table during the first couple of years so that your child gets the feel of a family table and sitting on the floor or on some beautiful cushions is often more appealing to families than little chairs. High chairs allow toddlers to join you at a regular table, but be sure that once meal time is over you don't leave them in the chair for long periods of time. You want to use high chairs to help your child feel included not restricted or restrained. Next week, we will talk about setting up the eating area for toddlers. Have a great Valentine's day!

Friday Notables - Artistic Options

There is a little artist in almost every toddler and sometimes those little artists get a moment of inspiration and begin painting or coloring on everything in sight. Fortunately, there are now solutions that allow your toddler to get swept away in the act of creation and give you some peace of mind.

Crayola's Color Wonder markers only color on special paper. This is a great product if your toddler sometimes misses the paper she is trying to color on and most parents rate it as a top product. Some of the negatives are it only works on one type of paper which can get expensive, they have an oily smell, and the markers don't color quite as bright as regular markers. They also produce Color Wonder paints that still get good reviews, but do not seem as popular as the markers. Check them out at crayola.com.

Another great product worth checking out is chalkboard paint. You can use it to paint any wall or area just like regular paint, but it will clean with a swipe of an eraser. I think this would be a great addition to any kids room and doesn't take up space in a room like an easel. For more information visit benjaminmoore.com.

Thanks for reading!

Midweek Creations - Stained Glass Heart

There are lots of fun crafts surrounding Valentine's day. Here is a simple, less mess idea for creating a beautiful Valentine perfect for grandparents.

What You'll Need:

Red construction paper
Red, pink, purple tissue paper
small container
Clear contact paper
scissors
glue

First, cut out a heart outline from your red construction paper. These will be your "frame" for the stained glass and will let you know exactly how much contact paper you will need to get out. Feel free to make the frame as large or as small as you would like. Next, show your toddler how to tear the tissue paper into small pieces and put them in the small container (I recommend a little basket). Toddlers love the feel and sound of tissue paper when it is crinkled and this is likely to be their favorite step in the activity. While your toddler is preparing the tissue paper, cut two squares slightly larger than your heart frame. When the tissue paper is ready, take the backing off of the contact paper and show your toddler how to "glue" pieces of tissue paper to the contact paper. Once your toddler is done, place the second piece of contact paper over the decorated one sealing in the art. Glue your heart frame over the finished tissue stained glass and once the glue is dry, trim the edges of the contact paper for a perfect stained glass valentine. Enjoy!

Montessori Mondays - Beginning Potty Training

Potty or toilet training is an exciting step for most toddlers. It is another milestone in their development and an activity they have complete control over which is perfect for their new found independence. It can be a tough few days, weeks, months for a parent though and unfortunately there is no one, catch-all rule to potty training. There really is one perfect approach, though, and that is to assume the role of the guide and help, rather than dictate, your child with the process.

Most children are ready to begin potty training when they are between 18-20 months old. In the beginning, it is important to help your child label the sensations associated with going - whether you can note it while she is going in the toilet or in her diaper. Make sure you use simple, straightforward, and consistent language with your child - meaning if your child goes to school or daycare let your caregiver know what words you use (is it poop, poo, etc.). Then, guide him through the steps (flushing, wiping, and washing) that should always follow using the toilet, whether she actually went or not. Some children may be unsure about flushing so work on guiding them towards that step if they are cautious. It may also be helpful to set up an initial routine of trying to use the potty maybe every 30 minutes. This can help your toddler greatly as they can sometimes get distracted from listening to their bodies when working on an activity or with friends. It is important not to force your child on the potty though and if they simply do not want to go give them the option to try again in 5 minutes.

Consistency in your language and routines will really lay the foundation for your potty training. It is up to both you and your child to decide specifics like underwear vs. pull-ups or what kind of potty chair you want to use. Happy potty training!