Oh what a joy these last few weeks have been!
These are the toys that Alfie has been showing most interest in. We offered him each toy, most items we held out he didn't react to at all, these were the ones that made his wee eyes open wide and his little fingers stretch out! The books at the back were a surprise hit, I'd assumed that he was too young to enjoy such stagnant activities but he loves lying down and having a chat about each picture. The chicken rattle on the left took a few offerings before he went for it while the sock puppets, Montessori Ball and wooden ring were instant hits!
Every afternoon while he takes his long nap I prep out his little play area - this is definitely an indulgence that is uniquely afforded to an only child, I can't imagine being able to do this if there were other children wrecking about! There are so many gorgeous montessori rooms and nurseries on Pinterest but I do not live a life worthy of Pinterest and must make Montessori fit with the rest of our home! A Montessori environment is referred to as a "Prepared Environment", one that is ready for a child and accessible to them. The objects within it should be suited to a child's physical abilities and their developmental stage. When it comes to a child's relationship to his surrounding Maria Montessori has this to say;
"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 wit his mind but with his life itself."
The adult a child becomes will be a reflection of the environment in which they were raised.
A child's environment need not be cluttered and filled with lots of distractions, in fact these blankets are probably overly stimulating for Alfie, but its really cold here and these are the warmest that we have!! The Montessori nursery should be neat, beautiful and purposeful. Everything within it should have a place and a reason for being there to encourage a child to calmly explore, appreciate and use each item. I've been in childcare environments where the area is so chaotic and so rammed full of toys that children are literally running from one thing to the next and leaving a trail of dropped toys in their wake. Their energy (never mind attention) is strewn about the room, making it impossible to concentrate or build deep relationships. There is a wonderful quote from Maria Montessori herself that explains why special care should be taken with the environment in which a child grows.
"The child has a different relation to his environment from ours...the child absorbs it. The things he sees are not just remembered; they form part of his soul. He incarnates in himself all in the world about him that his eyes see and his ears hear."So a child who grows in a chaotic environment will develop a chaotic internal world, a child who grows in calmness and purposeful play will develop a more peaceful mentality. Below is a picture of Alfie at only 14 weeks, in it he is very carefully examining on of his mobiles which he grabbed and turned over before he brought to his face, something I thought would have been impossible for such a tiny mind and uncoordinated body to achieve! Well done Alfie!
