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I've been reading about using Montessori materials and methods for preschooling my soon to be 3 year old and I really resonate with the method for early childhood. I'd love to have more information, especially about the different materials. I know and plan to make some of them, but the rest can be pretty expensive.

 

Please let me know if you've used any Montessori materials, either home-made or bought, what your children liked/didn't like, what you liked/didn't like, etc.

 

Also the best places you've found for resourses, both about the methods and buying the materials. (Looking for websites, books, blogs, etc).

 

Thanks!

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Guest aquiverfull

My favorite blog is : http://countingcoconuts.blogspot.com/

One of the books I really like is: Teaching Montessori in the Home- The Preschool Years. Great ideas and how to make the materials yourself.

 

Here are some great websites:

Montessori for Everyone

Montessori Mom

Montessori Materials

 

Here is a wonderful yahoo group for making your own materials:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/montessorimakers/

 

Hope that helps. :)

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Some of my favorite books:

 

How To Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way

 

Basic Montessori

 

Teaching Montessori in the Home: Preschool Years

 

I taught in a Montessori classroom, and there are many materials that can be handmade. Some of the ones that would be more difficult to make at home but are good to have: pink tower, brown stair, hundred board and number rods. Most of the practical life materials can be put together rather inexpensively at home. I look for smaller pitchers and bowls and trays, etc. in thrift stores. Strawberry hullers are very cheap and are great for transferring pom-poms from one bowl to another.

 

I love this catalog:

Montessori Services

and the same company puts out this catalog for parents as opposed to schools:

For Small Hands

 

This book is rather old, but it has some ideas for how to duplicate some of the materials at home.

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Some of my favorite books:

 

How To Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way

 

Basic Montessori

 

Teaching Montessori in the Home: Preschool Years

 

I taught in a Montessori classroom, and there are many materials that can be handmade. Some of the ones that would be more difficult to make at home but are good to have: pink tower, brown stair, hundred board and number rods. Most of the practical life materials can be put together rather inexpensively at home. I look for smaller pitchers and bowls and trays, etc. in thrift stores. Strawberry hullers are very cheap and are great for transferring pom-poms from one bowl to another.

 

I love this catalog:

Montessori Services

and the same company puts out this catalog for parents as opposed to schools:

For Small Hands

 

This book is rather old, but it has some ideas for how to duplicate some of the materials at home.

 

 

I love montessori services and for small hands.

 

I also like the mommy Teach Me books by Barbara Curtis; she also has a website with suggestions for manipulatives. For us, the sandpaper letters have been invaluable. I bought a huge set of magnetic letters to use like the moveable alphabet.

 

Christine W

Edited by ChristineW
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I also like Montessori Services and For Small Hands. But those two don't have a lot of language or math materials. I have found that Alison's Montessori has a good selection and good prices.

 

Montessori materials are very expensive so you have to be selective about which you will buy. My daughter enjoyed the movable alphabet and I think it helped her a lot with phonics and learning to read and spell. So that was one of my better Montessori purchases. You could probably make quite a few of the materials if you are at all handy or crafty, or know someone who is. I think the problem with the Montessori materials is that children will use them for a few weeks and then move on (for many of them, like the Pink Tower, for example). That's why I think a Montessori classroom is nice because all the materials are there and your child can pick and choose. I guess what I'm saying is that a large assortment of materials is nice but that is impossible to do unless you have an unlimited budget.

 

I think a set of metal insets would be nice and children will not tire of them easily. And maybe some bead chains (which you could make at home). Three part matching cards would be very easy to make. I have made quite a few Montessori-type materials at home. If you live near a Micheals, a Hope Depot, and have a laminating machine, you are good to go!

 

I am not sure I agree with the pp that Waldorf and Montessori are similar in their methods. I think they are totally opposite in a lot of their methods (Waldorf emphasizing play and not introducing phonics or reading until later). But that's just my opinion-- I'm not all that familiar w/ Waldorf.

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I have a Montessori certification for the 3-6 age group, and I grew up in Montessori schools, so I obviously love the method. When my oldest was young, I put *so* much time, effort, and money into preparing a Montessori environment for him. Honestly? I wouldn't do it again, at least not in the way I did with him. As a pp mentioned, the Montessori materials are often used for only a short time before the child moves on to the next material. It can be quite disappointing to put all that into making or buying materials only to see them in use for such a short time.

 

If I had to recommend certain materials above all others, I would recommend the moveable alphabet and metal insets for language, and the puzzle maps for geography. The Montessori puzzles I think are brilliant, but GeoPuzzles are a reasonable substitute. Oriental Trading Company used to have plastic insets for somewhere around $19, so you might want to try to search that site.

 

Other than those things, I think it is wise to really reflect on Montessori's philosophies and incorporate them into your daily life and routines. Montessori is so much more than a set of materials.

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I have a Montessori certification for the 3-6 age group, and I grew up in Montessori schools, so I obviously love the method. When my oldest was young, I put *so* much time, effort, and money into preparing a Montessori environment for him. Honestly? I wouldn't do it again, at least not in the way I did with him. As a pp mentioned, the Montessori materials are often used for only a short time before the child moves on to the next material. It can be quite disappointing to put all that into making or buying materials only to see them in use for such a short time.

 

If I had to recommend certain materials above all others, I would recommend the moveable alphabet and metal insets for language, and the puzzle maps for geography. The Montessori puzzles I think are brilliant, but GeoPuzzles are a reasonable substitute. Oriental Trading Company used to have plastic insets for somewhere around $19, so you might want to try to search that site.

 

Other than those things, I think it is wise to really reflect on Montessori's philosophies and incorporate them into your daily life and routines. Montessori is so much more than a set of materials.

 

Thank you for this. I often need to remind myself not to overdo things. I will definitely be reflecting and incorporating :) Any recommendations on sources of information that haven't been mentioned yet?

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Thank you for this. I often need to remind myself not to overdo things. I will definitely be reflecting and incorporating :) Any recommendations on sources of information that haven't been mentioned yet?

 

You're welcome!

 

I would recommend Montessori's The Secret of Childhood.

 

Also look into Paula Polk Lillard's books, particularly Montessori from the Start (for ages 0-3) and Montessori in the Classroom (discusses kindergarten specifically, but is good for the 3-6 crowd).

 

Have fun! Montessori is great, just remember that the key is to observe and follow the child, not obsess over materials (speaking as someone who has been there, lol).

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