Peg and Bottle

The parts needed to make this simple activity may already be in home! A small plastic bottle with a lid and a peg(the old fashioned dolly shaped ones are best)
I first showed Mason how to twist off the lid of the bottle,put it aside, pick up the peg and place it through the hole in the bottle, then pick up the lid and twist back on.
Breaking down the process is vital for Masons age, sometimes as adults we rush things and forget to explain the process of how to do things step by step but this activity shows how a simple activity has a process and needs to be done in order.

I love activities like this that help with focus and process, not only does mason learn life skills but it also teaches mummy to slow down and enjoy these special years of our children's lives.

Glow bottle

Tara was kind enough to involve her little brother in her Halloween activities by making him his own glow bottle.
With an empty plastic drink bottle, she filled it with some of her glow water, not too full, so then it would make a lovely swishing sound when moved.
Then she searched for some things to put inside it....some green fruit netting off our apples, some coloured balls for rattling and some coloured match sticks

Now Mason can enjoy the fun of Halloween while exploring his own glow bottle

Yogurt finger painting

We love our Easiyo maker and although some may think of nothing worse than making a mess from head to toe with your food, it is a great learning experience for babies. I made up a batch of Mason's yogurt http://www.goldenglow.com.au/product/EasiYo-Bio-Life-Organic-Unsweetened/378/103
Covered his highchair tray with foil so the white yogurt would be more visible and create a nice shiny picture. Placed some dobs of fresh homemade yogurt and put him in to explore.
Was cautious at first rubbing it through his fingers then squishing it in his hands

Loved it!

Then into a warm tub of water outside to splash away all the mess!

Preparing playroom for a crawling baby

Mason has out grown his play space that i created in this area for him so i turned this part of our playroom into a geography area.
Each few weeks we have a country to discover and this week was The USA
I found some great resources at 1+1+1=1
http://1plus1plus1equals1.blogspot.com/search/label/America
Colour by number flag and a cute verse about America's currency. Grandma who had visited America bought us back some coins that Tara matched to the verse.
Her VTech globe gets a work out learning the animals and names of surrounding countries.
Our shelving had to be reorganised, as Mason will soon be exploring all of Tara's activities. Montessori shelving is great as the lower shelves can be used for the younger child's work while still having room for the older child on the higher shelves.

Our resource cupboard also was organised to allow Mason to easily find his work on the lower ground and Tara has her work on the middle while i keep all my resources up and away from both. We also added Tara's paint smock(daddy's wedding shirt) on a hook inside the cupboard so she knows where to find it when preparing herself for painting activities.

Drinking glass practice

Mason has turned 6 months and he has been enjoying meals with us at the table along with practicing his drinking glass. Montessori teach that babies love to imitate their parents and as we are not using sippy cups, babies should be given the opportunity to use child size versions of our utensils.
A shot glass,espresso glass or even an egg cup are a great size cup for babies to learn to drink from. The only problem we have found is the slipperiness of the glass when water is spilt.

To help Mason get a better grasp of the glass i decided to make an anti slip glass holder for his cup with some non slip grip mat

I cut a strip of non slip off the mat and sewed up the ends to create a circle that can wrap around and be taken on and off for washing or when the baby can manage the slipperiness

Funny looking but works a treat!

Pom Pom's for Baby

Mason is now 6 months and really enjoying his play time so Tara decided to make him his first pom pom.
A great soft toy that he can explore and manipulate with his little fingers.
First we needed to make the template which consists of two circles on a thick piece of cardboard. We used a glass for the outer circle and sticky tape roll for the inner circle then cut them out
The template should look similar to this

Now for the fun bit! Cut your wool into strips of about 1 metre or whatever your child can manage, starting from the outside weave the wool into the center and out and around again making sure always to finish your wool length on the outside. Do this until all the cardboard is covered in wool

Next step is to use scissors to cut all around the outside of the circle. It's easiest to keep your scissors tip in between the two pieces of cardboard to guide you through. It will then look like this..

Take a length of wool and wrap it around the centre of the pom pom and knot it as tightly as possible, this is what will keep your pom pom together. Lastly cut through your cardboard disc and removed it completely. Trim your pom pom so it is even and you have a simple, homemade pom pom that will delight your little one!

Sensory baby cloth

These micro fibre cloths are found very inexpensively from dollar shops. They make great a great sensory toy for infants. Unwrap and give a good wash to ensure all chemicals and dust is out then fold in half length ways. Stitch up both sides to create a pocket shape. You can add rice or seeds if you want a heavier and thicker toy but for young infants leaving it empty will make it a light weight toy they can really get a hold of. Sew up the last edge to make it a completely sealed rectangle.
Soft and furry this texture toy is a favourite of Mason's...

Gobbi Mobile

We don't have much free space in our house but i find it important to use what we have to benefit my children and this area was set aside for Mason in his newborn years to enrich his sensitive learning period of movement and language. I started with a mattress, soft but firm enough to support covered by a clean fitted sheet. A mirror that he can use to see his reflection during tummy time. Eeboo alphabet cards,some black/white books and a basket of sensory items that include silk,metal,wood,wool,plastic,bells,pine cone,feather and a ball. The highlight of this infant environment is the Gobbi Mobile.
While the Gobbi Mobile isn't actually a mobile it does however serve to engage a baby's vision as a mobile does.
Made of polystyrene balls wrapt in gradations of colour it invites an awareness of subtlety.Each sphere is lightweight enough to offer feedback to even the lightest touch or swing of an infants arms or legs while also the right diameter to fit in the palm of a baby's developing grasp

Our Gobbi mobile was handmade with love from the wonderful April from Nashville, U.S.A-check out her store for more Montessori materials
http://www.etsy.com/shop/goosedesigns

From which ever angle Mason loves his Gobbi!

Check out youtube to see a Gobbi in action!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgffB-st6Jg&NR=1

Red ribbon bell

Montessori commonly add this type of mobile to a baby's environment around 2 months. A red satin ribbon with a bell securely connected, hung just in reach of baby's arms. The baby will practice movement and batting which helps with cross lateral development.



Such a simple idea and can be set up in any home with minimal fuss and will keep baby interested

Mason's Homebirth

It has been a month since my last blog but we have a great excuse! We have been on our Babymoon with the newest addition -Mason Rook born 26/12/10

This blog was started to share our learning experiences in our home and the birth of my son was an amazing learning experience for all of us that continues every day of his life.

My complete birth story can be found at

http://forums.naturalparenting.com.au/birth-stories/40674-unassisted-water-home-birth-mason-rook.html#post521552

Through the birth of my second blessing i have learnt the power of relaxation and the miracle of what the body can do when it is not interfered with. I encourage any pregnant woman to ask questions and trust in her own instincts. If you have had a negative birth experience previously, do the research, educate yourself as your birth experience is the first decision you will be making as a parent and we all want what is best for our children.

Why do we as woman not talk about our birth experiences unless they are negative? Why do we spend more time looking for the perfect school to send our child to but just select the first "well regarded" medical professional around to support us through such a private experience as labour?

Our children are precious and they deserve to be taught how natural birth is so they too can experience the magical experience of childbirth one day with no fear

Newborn mobile

We saw this idea on "Mister Maker" one of the shows Tara adores and changed it a little to create a mobile for Tara's little brother.
First we started with 3 sheets of card stock-red,white and black as we know newborns see high contrast colours well for the first 6 months of life.
Take 2 of the pages and cut into strips of all thickness' then use the hole puncher to create holes in your strips of paper. The great thing about this activity is that is doesn't have to be perfect to have a great effect. Uneven cutting or holes in the wrong area is fine-the baby will love it all!
Now you have hole punched the strips of paper, paste them on the third piece of paper in any order at all

Completed sheet! Now laminate over the top and cut into any shape you require

We made a mobile from squares-this is the view bub will get from his change table

And added some more to the walls

We will have bub sleep in a hammock for a few months so we used the black,red and white design paper made by Tara on the underside of the hammock bar

This can also be used in any bassinette or cot and is very helpful when trying to prevent positional plagiocephaly or "flat head syndrome". Just take note of which way bub tends to turn his/her head and place the coloured patterned paper in the opposite direction so they are drawn to looking at it and gives the head a chance to even out.

New Baby

Some of you may know we are expecting a little brother for Tara any day now so home school has been taken over by making "baby activities" that Tara can give to her brother and play together to hopefully create that bond straight away
After a beautiful natural hospital birth with Tara, we have this time chosen a home birth. What a home learning experience for Tara! We have watched many videos on birthing (subject to me watching them first of course) and she has bought up many questions like "how does the baby get in your tummy mummy?" that keep me on my toes. As the pregnancy progresses I'm really excited that my daughter can have the opportunity to see how powerful woman are and that birth is a natural amazing experience that shouldn't be hidden behind hospital doors.

My little ladybug waiting for her little "buddy" to hatch......

So bare with us while we take you through a journey of "baby activities" in my next few blogs.....