Montessori For Newborns

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It is quite unconventional to associate a pedagogy with the development of infants and babies. 

Most individuals are taken aback when they realize that the Principles Montessori Method of education can be applied from the moment the infant is born.

The Montessori Method of education is a century-old pedagogical tool that promotes self-directed play, auto-didactic education, and self-exploration from a very young age. 

The Montessori Philosophy allows children to independently explore their natural desires and becomes confident as well as self-reliant. 

Dr. Maria Montessori believed that children have an absorbent mind between birth to 3 years of age and pass through a series of crucial changes that contribute to their development process. 

Taking the requirements of the sensitive periods and Absorbent Mind into account, Dr. Maria Monterssoi developed a system of education that facilitates the development of infants or newborns. 

For most Montessori beginners it can be quite bewildering to contemplate when to exactly introduce this pedagogy to their child. 

If you are a parent or an immediate caregiver who wants to establish, introduce, and incorporate the Montessori lifestyle into your child, look no further. 

Here is everything you should know about the Montessori Method for newborns and infants to prepare your child for Montessori education.  

What is Montessori For Newborns?

As unconventional as it may sound, the Montessori Method of education can be introduced to your child during their infancy stage. 

According to Dr. Maria Montessori, the child for the initial six years of their life is highly susceptible to stimuli present in their surrounding environment and often passes through a series of changes. 

Although unable to tangibly explore their surroundings, infants have an absorbent mind and are receptive to the stimuli present around them. 

During the first subdivision of the First Plane of Development (birth to 3 years), the child is described as a “spiritual embryo” by Dr. Maria Montessori. 

This phase is self-directed and the child is mentioned as an “unconscious creator” by Dr. Montessori during this plane of development. 

The Montessori Method of education for infants and newborns promotes children to develop their fine skills, gross motor skills, and speaking skills independently. 

While infants won’t be able to verbally communicate or physically depict their progress, the Montessori Prepared Environment allows them to absorb daily routines, basic information, and requisite stimuli for holistic development.

Why is Montessori Important for Newborns?

As we know infants are highly susceptible to the stimuli present in their surrounding environment. 

Infants and newborns are receptive to the stimulus and develop their skills based on their senses such as the scent of their mother, visual senses for lights, or the familiar sounds in their surroundings.

While infants are dependent on their primary caregivers to survive, they are also capable of developing requisite skills for their development independently. 

The Montessori Method recognizes the capabilities of these unconscious learners and provides them with appropriate opportunities to promote optimum development.

What are the benefits of Montessori for Newborns?

The Montessori Method of education when introduced to infants, allows them to reach their maximum potential. 

When provided with the freedom to explore new horizons, infants can rapidly develop, grow, learn and reach age-appropriate milestones rapidly. 

The Montessori Method of education is a child-centered, auto-didactic educational approach that promotes holistic development. 

Not only does the Montessori Method provide infants with ample freedom to develop it also provides parents with specific guidelines to facilitate the infant’s development process. 

Here are some benefits of introducing the Montessori Method of education during the infancy stage:

  • A free reign over their imagination
  • A Prepared Environment for the child to safely interact with 
  • Infants can independently learn how to control their body movement and develop gross motor skills. 
  • Infants are encouraged to interact with Montessori Toys and develop their fine motor skills
  • Fully trust their caregivers 
  • Effortlessly reach age-appropriate milestones

What is the Role of Montessori Parents?

The Montessori method prepares your child to become independent, confident, and intelligent. 

It is important to look at the Montessori method as a lifestyle and not as an educational approach. 

Before starting the journey of Montessori parenting it is important to do the requisite research and reading. 

As a parent, it is your responsibility to understand your child, respect your child, recognize their age-appropriate needs, and provide them with the right environment. 

It is not necessary to bring the whole Montessori classroom set up at home. Practicing the Montessori method at home requires patience, resistance, and some items essential for the learning process.

Parents must communicate with appropriate vocabulary when communicating with the infant to acquaint them with their surrounding environment. 

Learn more about Montessori Parenting: https://mymontessorimoments.com/montessori-parenting/

What will the infant learn?

During the initial six years, children have an absorbent mind and are highly susceptible to the stimuli present in their surrounding environment. 

It is the parent’s responsibility to promote the child to develop a strong foundation that will benefit them to achieve higher levels of academic, and physical attainments. 

The Montessori curriculum or routine for infants allows them to become confident, and independent, develop coordination, as well as concentrate. 

The Montessori curriculum and activities for infants also promote cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development.

Here is a list of activities that the Montessori Method for newborns incorporates:

Self-care Activities:

Activities involving self-care and hygiene in Montessori include washing their hands, dressing, using the toilet, and eating independently.

Language Activities:

Language Activities for infants in Montessori involve naming different objects, learning or describing objects, identifying objects in images, and conversing with others.

Fine Motor Development:

The development of fine motor muscles is facilitated by performing activities such as grasping, holding, transferring, picking up objects, and reaching for objects.

Gross Motor Development:

The development of large motor muscles and gross motor skills is facilitated by performing walking, jumping, climbing, and balancing. 

Care for the Environment:

Not only does the Montessori Method of education promote activities that promote care for oneself, but it also promotes children to take care of their surrounding environment. 

Activities such as cleaning, preparing snacks, and plant or animal care are unique parts of Montessori for newborns.

Social Skills:

Children can develop social skills by partaking in activities such as interactions with other pupils or adult-led group activities. 

How to efficiently Set Up a Montessori Nursery:

When setting up a nursery the Montessori way, Parents should take a few key points into consideration. 

  • The Montessori nursery should be neutral and aesthetically pleasing
  • Should have an appropriate amount of stimuli that do not overwhelm the child
  • Allows the child to explore their surrounding environment with limits
  • Should be uncluttered and minimalistic

What should the Montessori Nursery Incorporate?

Learn about Montessori Nido Classroom: https://mymontessorimoments.com/montessori-nido-classroom/

Here is a list of important components that a Montessori nursery must incorporate to promote development and safety:

Montessori Materials for Newborns:

Montessori Activities and Montessori activities contribute significantly to the child’s development process.

Here is a list of Montessori Materials that will promote optimum holistic development for your infant:

1. Baby Mobiles:

Baby Mobiles are fascinating toys for infants that are attached to the baby’s crib. Montessori Baby Mobiles are simple contrast cards fashioned with bold black and white colors that help children develop an understanding of different colors. 

These simple Montessori-inspired mobiles are handmade and promote visual stimulation. 

2. Montessori Play Gym:

Play gyms are among the most versatile and exciting toys parents can provide their children. 

Montessori Play gyms are engaging Montessori Toys that allow the child to interact with insightful and resourceful stimuli. 

The chief purpose of Montessori Play gyms is to provide their child with a multi-sensory experience that helps with fine motor and gross motor development. Another purpose of Montessori Play gyms is to enhance the child’s creative imagination and help them develop their inner potential by providing them with new opportunities. 

3. Wooden Stacker:

Wooden Stackers are fun and exciting Montessori Toys that help children comprehend various dimensions as well as shapes. 

This amazing toy comprises multiple wooden pieces composed of various dimensions and a wooden stacker.

The child is encouraged to stack the said wooden pieces in rotation to understand and discriminate between different dimensions, sizes, as well as shapes of the pieces. 

4. Wooden Rattles:

Toddlers always get excited when it comes to making or creating different sounds with objects!

Wooden rattles of different varieties can help enhance the child’s sense of hearing and excite their senses by creating unique sounds. 

5. Infant Mirror:

Infant Mirrors may appear to be unconventional to most parents, but these standing aids pack more benefits than one can think of. 

These Mirrors unlike common mirrors are shatterproof and totally baby safe. Perfect for muscular coordination and development of gross motor skills, and promotes children to independently stand as well as balance. 

6. Balance Boards:

Balance boards synonymously known as Wobble Boards are curved wooden boards that are meant for young children or toddlers to play with. 

Balance Boards are a versatile way of developing the child’s gross motor skills, developing balance, improving the child’s posture, and strengthening their core muscles. 

Balance boards are great for young children and toddlers as they allow the child to strengthen and develop your child in a fun way. 

7. Musical Instruments:

Who does not like creating beautiful sounds with musical instruments? 

Musical instruments in accordance with the Montessori Philosophy are child-sized instruments that are manufactured from wood. 

Along with entertaining the child for hours on end, Musical Instruments also help with the development of gross motor skills and help accelerate brain development in children.

8. Wooden Ball Tracker:

The Montessori Method of education helps children become acquainted with Abstract and Complex concepts like Physics or Mathematics from a very young age. 

Wooden Ball Tracker is one such toy that introduces complex topics of gravity, forces, as well as momentum to the child. 

Montessori Ball Tracker is a Montessori Toy that is composed of a wooden frame, several tilted compartments, and balls. 

This toy enhances gross motor skills as well as promotes children to grasp the wooden frame, drop the balls into the frame, and bend while picking up the balls.

Montessori Activities for infants:

During the initial stages of their life newborns pass through a plethora of age-appropriate milestones that help them gain knowledge of themselves and the surrounding world. 

Providing the child with fascinating Montessori toys and materials is not enough, here is a list of some exciting and engaging Montessori activities for infants that will facilitate holistic development:

1. Tummy time:

A fun and engaging activity for your younger one, tummy time is a simple yet high;y effective activity for infants. 

Just simply lay down the infant on their tummy in the Montessori Play Gym and allow them to look at the surrounding environment from a different perspective.

Not only does this activity allow children to develop an intimate understanding of the surrounding environment, but this activity also helps with neck muscle development. 

2. Motor Activities:

Provide your child with exciting Montessori Wooden toys such as wooden rattles or wooden teethers to develop and enhance their fine motor skills independently.

3. Learning new sounds:

Sounds help individuals distinguish, identify, and associate objects present in their surrounding environment.

Parents can use different vowel sounds in front of the infant to help the infant develop skills to use their voice and communicate 

4. Understanding color:

Help your child build a vocabulary of colors by providing them with unique opportunities to explore new possibilities. 

You can provide the child with different colored toys and materials and use appropriate vocabulary to help them absorb the names. 

This activity allows children to develop a firm foundation and understanding of words from a very young age.

So, is The Montessori Approach for newborns meant for you?

The Montessori Method of education and the Montessori Prepared Environment strives to provide your newborn with an optimum learning environment.

The home environment and the nursery setup should be tranquil, minimal, uncluttered, and child-friendly to foster the qualities of confidence and independence.

If you are a parent who prefers to have a complete reign on your child’s developmental process, the Montessori approach may be for you.

By taking the needs and requirements of the Absorbent Mind into account the Montessori Method allows you to become an active participant in your newborn’s development process.

Although unconventional the Montessori Method provides your infant with all the right opportunities to facilitate holistic development.

The key is to become a vigilant observer, and an active guide, incorporating appropriate stimuli to provide your child with the right opportunities to explore their surroundings.

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