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The pitter-patter of their tiny feet, the shape of their little bellies, arms tightly wrapped around your neck, curious facial expressions, giggles and tickles, sloppy kisses, cheeky glances, one day you will miss them all, oh, so much. Just remember that next time he pulls your favorite vase off the table or after another exhausting day has passed.
I found that toddler years can be quite challenging because it’s the time when they are on the verge of shifting from total dependence to gaining freedom to move around, reach and grasp new objects and create all-new reality and adapt to new capabilities. This is the time when their emotional state is truly fragile and they rely on us, adults, to support, guide, and show respect when it comes to dealing with big feelings. This is also a time for discoveries and sensory explorations.

Often young toddlers can go through seasons when they suddenly become incredibly clingy, they want to be held and cry for any reason. Many may think (especially when it comes to boys) that the child needs to toughen up and adults intentionally ignore the child’s desire to be nurtured.
In moments when a child struggles to control their feelings and emotions, we need to remember that children flourish when they feel secure and confident. When we ignore their needs we take away that foundation.
We often hear that boys need to be toughened up so as not to be sissies. Parent toughness toward babies is celebrated as “not spoiling the baby.” Wrong! These ideas are based on a misunderstanding of how babies develop. Instead, babies rely on tender, responsive care to grow well—with self-control, social skills and concern for others.
Boys are more vulnerable to maternal stress and depression in the womb, birth trauma (e.g., separation from mother), and unresponsive caregiving (caregiving that leaves them in distress). These comprise attachment trauma and significantly impact right brain hemisphere development—which develops more rapidly in early life than the left brain hemisphere. The right hemisphere normally establishes self-regulatory brain circuitry related to self control and sociality. Source via psychologytoday.com
There are days when my little guy is Mr. Independent. He will explore, trip over, and get up without making a single complaint. Other days even a tiny hurdle turns him into a vulnerable little person with tears bawling out of his eyes. This sends a signal to me that today he just needs that extra attention and extra tight cuddles.
Generally, young toddlers want to pull, flip, switch, grub, test everything, but all this comes out of the desire to investigate and study their world. One thing I found is, yes, there are ways to channel that energy and prepare all sorts of ways to engage the child.
However, it won’t really stop them from wanting to flip that light switch 10 times right after. One of the tricks is to support a young toddler’s desire to move around is to make sure that their environment is well set up and equipped to satisfy their desire to experiment.
“It begins with a knowledge of his surroundings. How does the child assimilate his environment? He does it solely in virtue of one of those characteristics that we now know him to have. This is an intense and specialized sensitiveness in consequence of which the things about him awaken so much interest and so much enthusiasm that they become incorporated in his very existence . The child absorbs these impressions not with his mind but with his life itself.” Maria Montessori “The Absorbent Mind”
Young toddlers strive to achieve their independence, and a carefully prepared environment can assist them and set them up for success. That means:
- strictly limit the number of toys available at a time, create the rotation system by replacing materials and toys on a regular basis – once the child loses interest;
- make sure that everything is safe to discover ( they will go a million miles per hour and they will break anything that is meant to break when thrown against the ground and banged on the table with a great force that only toddlers posess);
- low shelving and furniture will help them achieve success and feel valued as their environment is carefully prepared according to their abilities;
Toddler Storage with Mirror Back
- set up space and place for whole-body movement – easily done outdoors on the playground with areas where they can freely climb and crawl
Pikler Triangle Climbing Frame by Eco Activity Toys
Wooden Children’s Rocker/Bridge Toy by 4th Avenue Woodworking
- An unobstructed walk outdoors is crucial for them. We can’t possibly provide all sorts of textures and smells in our homes. Nature has it all organized for us making our job much easier. There are shapes, numbers, colors, all in a perfect setting, in perfect combination and arrangement. In nature even the little ones learn that rocks sink, trees have leaves and trunks, birds can fly and insects eat leaves. Imagine how many hours of preparation, shelf arrangements, and material printing it all would take if we were to teach these at home? At this age, children tend to throw things across the room. Well, outdoors is a perfect place to throw as many rocks and sticks as it takes to satisfy their curiosity.
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Speaking of throwing. One of the main reasons for the child’s obsession with throwing objects is the fact that at this age they are fascinated with the principle of cause and effect. They are becoming the masters of their own bodies and they are desperate to test every single object. Funneling this energy will help tremendously:
Musical instruments – are a perfect example. African drums, egg shakers, maracas, symbols – just to name a few.
Rolling a ball across the room or down the slide, also kicking and slapping is a great way to engage in play with young toddlers.
The majority of Montessori toys for toddlers will create perfect opportunities to discover what sorts of effects are followed by the child’s actions. These are some examples:
- Montessori Object Permanence Box – gives the child the perfect opportunity to observe the cause and effect – the ball keeps coming back to him after disparaging into the hole for one moment.
- Object Permanence Box with drawer – provides a similar experience plus requires the child to pull the drawer in order to reach the ball.
- Imbucare Box with various geometric solids – it’s a great way to develop a child’s grasp, coordination, and visual perception skills, and again, teach that things don’t just disappear, solids there permanently there even if we don’t see them and indirect way to introduce different shapes.
- Montessori Box with Bins – this is very easy to make at home, however, this material is one of the most favorable among toddlers. They will love to surprise themselves by placing objects inside, opening and closing it many many times.
Pull and push toys are generally popular ones as well.
Montessori Materials Geometric Insets Shape Puzzles – just another addition to a Montessori collection for young toddlers that they seem to love to interact with.
Wooden Walker – you can leave your little one just with this one toy and some blocks for the rest of the day and they won’t need anything else. Different variations of it are absolutely loved by every single one of the little people I know.b
Realistically you may like to purchase one of two of these materials for your child and not all of them. You also are very likely to find tools to make similar materials at home.
“It is after this that the child, who can now walk and feels confident of his strength, begins to notice the actions of those about him, and tries to do the same things. In this period he imitates not because someone has told him to do so, but because of a deep inner need which he feels.” Maria Montessori. The Absorbent Mind
At this stage in life, children enter the phase as what I would call truly transfer from being into becoming. Independence is something children at this age will fight for. I found that it is crucial to follow the child’s lead and support their attempts to do everyday tasks on their own. For example, I observed that my little one took a bread knife and tried to cut a piece of bread with it. It looks awkward and, needless to say, at this age, he wasn’t successful.
Supplying him with a knife that is more age-appropriate solved that issue. However, one easy trap to fall into is to give them everything they are trying to do. Remember, they absolutely adore you and think you are the coolest person in the whole world. They literally want to copy your every action. It is easy to fall into a trap by having the noblest intentions to follow the child. However, another important aspect is that everything that we offer the child has to make sense developmentally.
Otherwise, we set them up for failure and create more frustration for us. For example, I won’t be inviting my 1yo to water flowers even though he is great at pouring in the bathtub and wants to copy what I do.
At this age, he will want to pour the whole bucket and it’s impossible to explain that that much water will damage the plant. So we get frustrated and he gets a negative experience of what in the future can be absolutely delightful and meaningful practice. Some practical life activities have more realistic outcomes, such as placing a placemat on the table before eating a meal.
It is meaningful and will bring great satisfaction because the child can identify with the importance and experience positive results right away. In my experience, children at this age are too young to perform practical life activities except for a very few:
- wiping the table after eating
- using a napkin when necessary
- helping to pour water or other liquids when assisting in food preparation
- using a hairbrush to brush hair
- simple transferring
Kids Stainless Steel Feeding Utensil
In saying that, all children are unique and develop at their own pace. The best way is to carefully observe and make notes of your child’s abilities, offer them every opportunity for success, and make it an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. At the end of the day, we are meant to “follow the child”.
Many parents worry about the amount of food consumed by toddlers. I follow one rule when preparing food for my children – their tummy is only the size of their fist. I always think of that when serving food to little ones. During the day they only have access to fresh fruit and vegetables, sugar-free spreads and crackers, and homemade energy balls. I generally offer my 1,5 yo food every 3 hours.
On days when he refuses to eat 90% of the meal for one reason or another (teething, too hot) I make sure to give him freshly squeezed juice with some fish oil (it is our daily habit, but on days like this I make sure he definitely gets the portion). This guarantees that nutrition is getting into his body.
Here is a beautiful example of an Infant-Toddler Montessori Community:
“At one year of age the child says his first intentional word his babbling has a purpose, and this intention is a proof of conscious intelligence. He becomes ever more aware that language refers to his surroundings, and his wish to master it consciously becomes also greater. Subconsciously and unaided, he strains himself to learn, and this effort makes his success all the more astonishing.” Maria Montessori “The Absorbent Mind”
Intentional conversations about their day, their surroundings are crucial. Books can help to develop a habit of talking to the child and use a variety of words and expressions. We love books with textures in them for little fingers to play with. Eric Carle’s books have very attractive illustrations and are very interactive.

With only a few toys in the room, we like to choose ones that offer great sensory experiences, for example, this cloth busy book. This PopelineCo’s cloth busy book for babies and young toddlers has a variety of different textures, fabrics, and pastel colors that are just perfect for little hands to explore.
There are many intricate details that encourage little ones to spend some time experimenting and playing with different parts, look at different colors and patterns. It’s also a wonderful toy to take on a trip or when you are out and about, it will keep kids busy in a waiting room.

With my oldest child, I have noticed that she was keen to use blocks to build towers from an early age. However, large blocks were too big for little fingers and smaller blocks were quite hard to keep from crashing. With my second child, I have decided to try magnetic blocks. These worked really well. As he was building, magnets helped to hold pieces together. These were also great for a basic color matching activity.


Practically all young toddlers are fascinated with jars, bottles, containers. They can spend a great deal of time in deep concentration placing lids on top. I tend to swap them on regular basis to keep my little guy interested.

We are very selective when it comes to purchasing toys. These rainbow sound blocks are ideal for little one’s entertainment, they are fun to build with and experiment with, especially when playing with sunlight that comes through the colored parts leaving beautiful color shadows.

From my personal experience, infants and 1,5-year-olds take some time to warm up to the idea of getting their little fingers dirty in the paint. However, sensory stimulation and free play with natural parts and paint is a great combination that promotes a child’s perception of different colors around them.


This was another way to encourage my little guy to get his fingers to do some work – squeezing a sponge into a bowl. This activity is a great first step toward practical life experiences. Little fingers gain greater strength, the child learns to squeeze water into the bowl as opposed to getting it everywhere. I even didn’t have to show him to clean spills, he automatically started cleaning on his own since he saw me do it many times. I used colored water to make it easier for him to see the spills.
This activity below is also pretty much child-driven discovery. It creates a perfect opportunity to extend their ability to concentrate! It is also wonderful for the development of their fine motor skills.

I shared with you my personal observations of children and the level of their capabilities at the age of 12 – 18 months. There are several principles we can follow to facilitate the development of the individual, personality with strong physical and emotional health – make their environment safe, engaging, stimulating, simple, beautiful.
Create an environment that promotes independence, allows space and time to discover and explore at their own pace, move freely, concentrate without interruptions, and keeps their little fingers busy.
Thank you for visiting! You may also like to check out these posts:
- Doing Montessori at home with your baby (newborn – 3 mo)
- Doing Montessori At Home With Your Baby ( 4 – 6 mo )
- Doing Montessori At Home With Your Baby ( 7 – 9 Mo )
- Doing Montessori At Home With Your Toddler 12- 18 Months.
- How To Create Gorgeous Montessori Home From The Start
- Doing Montessori At Home With Your 12-Month-Old Child
- Toilet Learning Tips – Do It The Montessori Way
- Montessori-Style Bedrooms For Infants & Toddlers – Setup, Inspiration, Ideas
- Toddlers In The Kitchen – How To Set Them Up For Success
- Montessori Inspired Ideas For Infant/Toddler Playgroup.
You might also enjoy The Following Toddler Resources
- Feelings and Emotions: 30 Card Sorting Activity and My Book of Feelings (TpT)
- What Makes Us All Alike – Social Emotional Learning (TpT)
- 20 Silent & Noisy Cards to Help The Process of Normalization in a Montessori Classroom. (TpT)
- How To Help Toddlers Regulate Their Emotions Using Flash Cards
- Montessori-Style Bedrooms For Infants & Toddlers – Setup, Inspiration, Ideas
- The Importance And Benefits Of Teaching Gardening To Children Toddlers To Preschoolers
- Toddlers In The Kitchen – How To Set Them Up For Success
- Kids In The Kitchen – Scrumptious Toddler Friendly Chocolate Bliss Balls
- Our Favourite Books For Montessori Toddlers
- A Guide To Montessori Toddler Resources
- Creating Montessori Environment For Your Toddler At Home
- Montessori Inspired Ideas For Infant/Toddler Playgroup.
- Gift Guide For 1-Year-Olds – Eco Friendly And Captivating Toys And Materials Your Kid Will Love
- Gift Guide For 2-Year-Olds – Eco Friendly And Captivating Toys And Materials Your Kid Will Love
- Montessori Inspired Ideas For Infant/Toddler Playgroup.
MUST-Read Books on Respectful Parenting, Montessori Learning, and Living


Hands Are Not for Hitting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series)
It’s never too soon for children to learn that violence is never okay, hands can do many good things, and everyone is capable of positive, loving actions.
In this bright, inviting, durable board book, simple words and full-color illustrations teach these important concepts in ways even very young children can understand.

Words Are Not for Hurting (Ages 4-7) (Best Behavior Series)
The older children get, the more words they know and can use—including hurtful words. This book teaches children that their words belong to them: They can think before they speak, then choose what to say and how to say it. It also explores positive ways to respond when others use unkind words and reinforces the importance of saying “I’m sorry.” Includes tips for parents and caregivers.

Feet Are Not for Kicking (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series)
"Look at those feet! Aren’t they sweet?” Yes—when they’re walking, standing, leaping and landing. And when they’re kicking balls or leaves. But not when they’re kicking people! In simple words and charming full-color illustrations, this book helps little ones learn to use their feet for fun, not in anger or frustration. It also includes tips for parents and caregivers on how to help toddlers be sweet with their feet.

Sharing Time (Toddler Tools®)
Sometimes it’s fun to share, and sometimes it’s hard. This book offers toddlers simple choices (take turns, use the toy together, wait for another time) to make sharing easier, and shows them where to turn for help when sharing is difficult. Little ones learn that sharing can mean double the fun—and sharing a while can make someone smile! Includes tips for parents and caregivers.

Listening Time (Toddler Tools®)
Put away the wiggles. Put away the giggles. Listening works better when your body’s calm and still."; When it’s time for young children to listen closely, this book sets the tone. They discover that it’s important to open their eyes and ears but to close their mouths (";zip it, lock it, put it in your pocket";) so good listening can begin. An award-winning author/illustrator team offers a fresh look at the times and transitions all toddlers face daily, giving young children the tools to handle routines with confidence and cooperation.

Calm-Down Time (Toddler Tools®)
Every parent, caregiver—and toddler—knows the misery that comes with meltdowns and temper tantrums. Through rhythmic text and warm illustrations, this gentle, reassuring book offers toddlers simple tools to release strong feelings, express them, and calm themselves down. Children learn to use their calm-down place—a quiet space where they can cry, ask for a hug, sing to themselves, be rocked in a grown-up’s arms, talk about feelings, and breathe: “One, two, three . . . I’m calm as can be. I’m taking care of me.” After a break, toddlers will feel like new—and adults will, too. Books include tips for parents and caregivers.

Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes
The basic strategy we use for raising children, teaching students, and managing workers can be summarized in six words: Do this and you'll get that. We dangle goodies (from candy bars to sales commissions) in front of people in much the same way we train the family pet. Drawing on a wealth of psychological research, Alfie Kohn points the way to a more successful strategy based on working with people instead of doing things to them. "Do rewards motivate people?" asks Kohn. "Yes. They motivate people to get rewards." Seasoned with humor and familiar examples, Punished By Rewards presents an argument unsettling to hear but impossible to dismiss.

Peaceful Children. Peaceful World: The Challenge of Maria Montessori

Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning, Second Edition
In early childhood settings, children and teachers interact all day long. The benefits are enormous when even some of those “everyday” interactions become intentional, purposeful, and culturally responsive―in other words, Powerful Interactions®! With these three steps, you can embed Powerful Interactions in your daily work with children from birth through age 8:
Step One: Be Present. Pause, tune in to yourself and the moment, and consider how you might need to adjust to create a “just-right” fit with a child.
Step Two: Connect. To foster trust and confidence, let that child know that you see her; are interested in what she is doing, saying, and thinking; and want to spend time with her..
Step Three: Extend Learning. Make use of your strong connection with the child to stretch her knowledge, skills, thinking, or language and vocabulary.
With updated content and research, new examples and insights, and questions to guide group study discussions, the new edition of this bestselling classic covers everything you need to understand what Powerful Interactions are, how to make them happen, and why they are so important in increasing children’s learning and your effectiveness as a teacher. Discover how Powerful Interactions―and you―make a difference!

The Power of Observation from Birth Through Eight

Effective Discipline the Montessori Way
Teachers and parents have backed off from discipline. They have been told to avoid consequences, avoid the word “no,” and not to put children in time-outs. It is no coincidence that when adults become unassertive, children often become rude, violent and disrespectful. Children need proper discipline and they aren’t getting it. Effective Discipline the Montessori Way, a book for educators and parents, explains why children are not getting the guidance and correction that they need. The book makes the case that the correct discipline practices are based on the educational principles advocated by Maria Montessori.

Montessori Discipline: The Method of Transmitting Love and Magic from Adult to Toddler. A Parenting Guide to Stop Yelling and Start Being More Cooperative with Children
Are you interested in the so-called Montessori discipline? If yes, then this is the right book for you!
This book is aimed at parents and caregivers of children between zero and six years of age, who wish to foster their children's intelligence, independence, and love of learning in the home environment.
Today's parents suffer from a severe shortage of free time. Work, family and household obligations, caring for children, commuting, medical check-ups - it is not uncommon to feel suffocated by responsibilities.
That is why, for many, the idea of adding early learning at home to this long list may seem like a utopia. However, as a working mother of two young children, I can attest that it is possible to achieve it, even if you don't have a university degree in early childhood education.

Montessori at Home Guide: Gentle Parenting Techniques to Help Your 2 to 6-Year-Old Learn Social Skills and Discipline
“Discipline is, therefore, primarily a learning experience” - Dr. Maria Montessori
In this final edition of the ‘Montessori at Home Guide’ series, Rachel Peachey addresses practical life skills that seem often forgotten; social skills and discipline. Learn how to gently guide your 2 to 6-year-old to develop basic social skills including ‘Introducing themselves’ and ‘How to Interrupt Politely’ to more complex skills like ‘Recognizing emotions in others’. This book also discusses gentle parenting approaches to discipline, how to handle conflict, and many more parenting techniques inspired by Maria Montessori. Rachel’s informative, yet simple, approach to these subjects, is easy to understand and ready for the busy parent who may not have time to dive deeper into the Montessori philosophy. Though a short guide, it’s packed with insight, leading to many “Aha!” moments that will be priceless for the early education of your little one.

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind
In this pioneering, practical book, Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist and author of the bestselling Mindsight, and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson offer a revolutionary approach to child rearing with twelve key strategies that foster healthy brain development, leading to calmer, happier children. The authors explain—and make accessible—the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures. The “upstairs brain,” which makes decisions and balances emotions, is under construction until the mid-twenties. And especially in young children, the right brain and its emotions tend to rule over the logic of the left brain. No wonder kids throw tantrums, fight, or sulk in silence. By applying these discoveries to everyday parenting, you can turn any outburst, argument, or fear into a chance to integrate your child’s brain and foster vital growth.

Positive Discipline in the Montessori Classroom
In 1981, Jane Nelsen wrote her first book, Positive Discipline. Since then she has authored many more on the same theme, from Positive Discipline for Toddlers to Positive Discipline for Adolescents. Many years ago Jane recognized the compatibility of Positive Discipline with the Montessori approach. Co-Authored with Montessorian Chip DeLorenzo, this latest title is pertinent for all levels of Montessori, and will be used in the workshops Jane and Chip give through the Positive Discipline training program. With emphasis on creating and maintaining respectful relationships, Positive Discipline is sure to provide support and guidance for Montessori teachers at every age level. Teachers will relate to the situations the authors describe and feel empowered by the authors' responses as they learn the techniques and skills they offer. A must-have for every teacher.


Positive Discipline Parenting Tools: The 49 Most Effective Methods to Stop Power Struggles, Build Communication, and Raise Empowered, Capable Kids
Enjoy a great reading experience when you buy the Kindle edition of this book. Learn more about Great on Kindle, available in select categories.
Do you wish there was a way to raise well-behaved children without punishment? Are you afraid the only alternative is being overly indulgent?
With Positive Discipline, an encouragement model based on both kindness and firmness, you don’t have to choose between these two extremes. Using these 49 Positive Discipline tools, honed and perfected after years of real-world research and feedback, you’ll be able to work with your children instead of against them. The goal isn’t perfection but providing you with the techniques you need to help your children develop the life and social skills you hope for them, such as respect for self and others, problem-solving ability, and self-regulation.

No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind
Highlighting the fascinating link between a child’s neurological development and the way a parent reacts to misbehavior, No-Drama Discipline provides an effective, compassionate road map for dealing with tantrums, tensions, and tears—without causing a scene.
Defining the true meaning of the “d” word (to instruct, not to shout or reprimand), the authors explain how to reach your child, redirect emotions, and turn a meltdown into an opportunity for growth. By doing so, the cycle of negative behavior (and punishment) is essentially brought to a halt, as problem solving becomes a win/win situation. Inside this sanity-saving guide you’ll discover

The Gentle Parent: Positive, Practical, Effective Discipline (A Little Hearts Handbook)
Written by best-selling parenting and children's book author and mother of six, L.R.Knost, 'The Gentle Parent: Positive, Practical, Effective Discipline' provides parents with the tools they need to implement the Three C's of gentle discipline--Connection, Communication, and Cooperation--to create a peaceful home and a healthy parent/child relationship. Presented in bite-sized chapters perfect for busy parents and written in L.R.Knost's signature conversational style, 'The Gentle Parent' is packed with practical suggestions and real-life examples to help parents through the normal ups and downs of gentle discipline on the road to raising a generation of world changers.

The Joyful Child: Montessori, Global Wisdom for Birth to Three
Montessori guidelines presented here have held true all over the world, no matter what the culture of the child, for over 100 years and prove to be as true in 2021 as ever. It is the goal of this book to help parents look for, discover, appreciate, and support the mental, physical, and emotional needs of the child in the first three years of life, in their own culture.

THE MONTESSORI FAMILY, THE ULTIMATE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR AGES 0 TO 5 Create an Empowering Montessori Home Environment and Help Your Child Grow Their Independence, Creativity and Confidence
Then you probably support the concept of Montessori, a unique educational philosophy that fosters the growth of the whole child.
No wonder studies show that across a range of abilities, children at Montessori schools significantly out-performed those given a traditional education.

Practical Guide to the Montessori Method at Home: With more than 100 activity ideas from 0 to 6 (Montessori Activity Books for Home and School)
The Practical Guide to the Montessori Method is aimed at parents who want to integrate the Montessori philosophy at home with their children.
An international besteller in education and homeschooling, translated to four languages.
It includes:
A basic introduction to the principles of the Montessori philosophy,
Numerous illustrated examples of how to apply it at home, classified by subject and age, and explained clearly and concisely,

The Red Corolla: Montessori Cosmic Education for Age 3-6+
This is the perfect book for families helping with their children's education during the Covid epidemic. Homeschooling, or helping provide a balanced well-rounded education in an enjoyable way.
These "culture" lessons are taught in Montessori teacher-training course—physics, biology, history and geography, and the art. They are presented here in great detail and lay the foundation before age six for the older child’s search for his Cosmic Task.

The Montessori Toddler Activity Book: 60 At-Home Games and Activities for Curious Toddlers
Some of children’s most important social and emotional developments happen during their toddler years. Encourage learning and inspire discovery at home with this toddler activity book based on the Montessori method, a child-centered and scientifically based approach to engaging kids in their own development. From moving to music to creating a suncatcher and playing card games, this wide range of fun activities for toddlers will foster independence and build confidence.

Child of the World
The word "Montessori" is not legally protected and is used sometimes in ways that have little to do with authentic Montessori practices. In this book the author, who has almost fifty years of AMI Montessori teaching and consulting experience and work as an oral examiner for teacher-training courses, briefly presents authentic Montessori practices for ages 3-6 (the primary class), ages 6-12 (the elementary class), and ages 12-18. Here are ideas for using Montessori principles in the home. One mother put it very well, "This book is deep yet simple. Even my husband had the time to read it and now we are using the ideas together, a happy couple."

The Montessori Baby: A Parent's Guide to Nurturing Your Baby with Love, Respect, and Understanding
It’s time to change the way we see babies.
Drawing on principles developed by the educator Dr Maria Montessori, The Montessori Baby shows how to raise your baby from birth to age one with love, respect, insight, and a surprising sense of calm. Cowritten by Simone Davies, author of the bestselling The Montessori Toddler, and Junnifa Uzodike, it’s a book filled with hundreds of practical ideas for understanding what is actually happening with your baby, and how you can mindfully assist in their learning and development.

Montessori Homeschooling, One Family's Story
A fifteen-year experience of day-by-day, year-by-year, learning how to create an authentic Montessori education at home through elementary, middle, and high school. The main guide or teacher during these years had taken AMI teacher training courses for 0-3, 3-6, and 6-12 and had taught for many years. Even though this is not to be thought of as an instruction manual for Montessori homeschooling it is hoped that the book will be helpful for parents and teachers wanting to understand the value of a unique educational path, rather than thinking that all children should be educated exactly the same way (in both traditional and Montessori schools).

The Montessori Toddler: A Parent's Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being
It’s time to change the way we see toddlers. Using the principles developed by the educator Dr. Maria Montessori, Simone Davies shows how to turn life with a “terrible two” into a mutually rich and rewarding time of curiosity, learning, respect, and discovery.
With hundreds of practical ideas for every aspect of living with a toddler, here are five principles for feeding your child’s natural curiosity, from “Trust in the child” to “Fostering a sense of wonder.”

Aid to Life, Montessori Beyond the Classroom
In "Aid to Life, Montessori Beyond the Classroom," the author shares stories based on fifty years of Montessori work in thirty countries, first as a teacher of children from 2-13 in Montessori schools, then discovering new ways to use Montessori principles in a variety of situations—all aimed at inspiring, and providing practical ideas, to parents and teachers today.

The Universal Child, Guided by Nature: Adaptation of the 2013 International Montessori Congress Presentation
"Traveling with Susan Stephenson through her book The Universal Child, Guided by Nature was a pleasure. Montessori practices applied to all cultures today, highlighted by Maria Montessori’s words, the author’s experience in many countries, and the eloquent photographs, generated in me a great enthusiasm to continue my journey through this path. Thank you for being a source of inspiration."

Montessori and Mindfulness
This book is based on 50 years of work in 30 countries, teaching, and observing and consulting with schools. Mindfulness is an ancient practice in the East, a great need for health and happiness in the West, and an everyday practice in Montessori schools. The author tells her own story of 45+ years of meditation and working in the Montessori field, and gives detailed suggestions for both parents and teachers to aid the development of this skill in themselves and in the children they live with.

Positive Discipline in the Montessori Classroom: Preparing an Environment that Fosters Respect, Kindness & Responsibility
Positive Discipline, developed by Jane Nelsen and based on the work of Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs, is designed to help young people become responsible, respectful, and resourceful members of their communities. In this book, Nelsen and Chip DeLorenzo bring together Montessori and Positive Discipline for the first time, offering a methodology for addressing behavior in the classroom that is consistent with the core Montessori belief of respect for the child.

Toddler Discipline for Every Age and Stage: Effective Strategies to Tame Tantrums, Overcome Challenges, and Help Your Child Grow
Make it easier to manage your little one’s most challenging behaviors with these highly effective toddler discipline tools. This standout among parenting books helps you learn how to effectively support your toddler as you deal with day-to-day difficulties.
Written by mother of two and child development expert Aubrey Hargis, this guide to parenting toddlers teaches you about the behavioral challenges you’ll face and the ways you can address them while fostering important life skills like curiosity, respect, independence, and confidence.

At the Heart of Montessori IV: The Pre-School Child 3-6 years
The At the Heart of Montessori series provides a thorough and easy-to-follow explanation of Maria Montessori's philosophy and educational method for all ages from birth to adolescence. These books will be of special interest to Montessori teachers or trainee teachers, acting as a support to, but not as a substitute for, Montessori teacher training. In addition parents, teachers and others who wish to find out about how children develop and how to help them as they grow, will find the books useful and interesting.

At the Heart of Montessori II: Core Principles in Action
The At the Heart of Montessori series provides a thorough and easy-to-follow explanation of Maria Montessori's philosophy and educational method for all ages from birth to adolescence. These books will be of special interest to Montessori teachers or trainee teachers, acting as a support to, but not as a substitute for, Montessori teacher training.

The Family Virtues Guide: Simple Ways to Bring Out the Best in Our Children and Ourselves
Bring compassion, generosity, and kindness into your home with this essential interfaith parenting guide to raising kids in a virtuous and spiritual household, with week-by-week strategies for living your best lives.
The most important job parents have is to pass basic virtues on to their children, and this invaluable book is designed to help make that job a little easier. Compiled by The Virtues Project, an international organization dedicated to inspiring spiritual growth in young and old alike, this multicultural, interfaith handbook shows parents and teachers how to turn words into actions and ideals into realities.

Montessori Made Easy: Practical Life Lessons: A Guide for Parents, Teachers, Preschools, and Child Care Centers for Creating Activities and Teaching ... Skills Using Simple Inexpensive Materials
Montessori Made Easy: Practical Life Lessons is a guide for Parents, Teachers, Preschools, and Child Care Centers. It is filled with ideas, pictures, and information for creating and teaching Montessori Practical Life skills. All of the materials and activities are simple, inexpensive, and you can put them together yourself. In this book you will find, "Montessori Made Easy."

The Child Is the Teacher: A Life of Maria Montessori
A fresh, comprehensive biography of the pioneering educator and activist who changed the way we look at children’s minds, from the author of Oriana Fallaci.
Born in 1870 in Chiaravalle, Italy, Maria Montessori would grow up to embody almost every trait men of her era detested in the fairer sex. She was self-confident, strong-willed, and had a fiery temper at a time when women were supposed to be soft and pliable. She studied until she became a doctor at a time when female graduates in Italy provoked outright scandal. She never wanted to marry or have children—the accepted destiny for all women of her milieu in late nineteenth-century bourgeois Rome—and when she became pregnant by a colleague of hers, she gave up her son to continue pursuing her career.

How To Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way, 2nd Edition
A parent's guide to building independence, creativity, and confidence in their children using Montessori learning techniques, written by Montessori president Tim Seldin.
An international bestseller, How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way adapts Montessori teachings for easy use at home. Packed with Montessori-based preschool activities and educational games that build confidence and independence through active learning, this authoritative illustrated guide helps raise self-reliant and creative children. Celebrate physical and intellectual milestones from birth to age six with activity checklists, and encourage development through proven child-centered teaching methods.

The Absorbent Mind (Unabridged Start Publishing LLC)
The Absorbent Mind was Maria Montessori's most in-depth work on her educational theory, based on decades of scientific observation of children. Her view on children and their absorbent minds was a landmark departure from the educational model at the time. This book helped start a revolution in education. Since this book first appeared there have been both cognitive and neurological studies that have confirmed what Maria Montessori knew decades ago.

The Montessori Method
The Montessori Method by Maria Montessori immediately captivated social reformers and educators around the world. First published in Italian in 1909, The Montessori Method has been translated into twenty languages, including the 1912 English translation. Its ideas were new and innovative compared to the traditional Lancasterian method in which large groups of children recited the teachers' words, word for word in unison.

Montessori Today: A Comprehensive Approach to Education from Birth to Adulthood
Paula Lillard, director of a Montessori school ranging in age from 18 months to fifteen years, provides a clear and cogent introduction to the Montessori program for the elementary and later years. In detailed accounts, Lillard shows how children acquire the skills to answer their own questions, learn to manage freedom with responsibility, and maintain a high level of intellectual stimulation by using the Montessori method. This is an essential handbook for parents and teachers who have chosen the Montessori alternative for the older child.
I’m truly grateful for this article. My son is in a Montessori school now and its new environment for both of us but Im open to all ideas to help my son achieve greatness. Its not the usual learning enviroment for an African American child but Im grateful for the oppurtunity to be in this enviroment.
I can’t tell you how helpful this post is. My girl is just heading into this stage at 11.5 months (we see some signs already) and it’s helped me realize that there is way too much going on in her space. No wonder she prefers a simple set of drink coasters on the other side of the room!
Thank you, Yukita! I believe your son will thrive in Montessori environment! It’s truly a special place! Wishing you both an amazing experience!
I am so delighted to hear that I could help you, Joanna! It’s amazing to think how little kids actually need. Thank you for your comment!
After I read your post, Now I have no trouble taking care my little one:) Thank you so much