Independent Play: Quiet Boxes

Winter is here in full force, and it's brutal!  Temperatures have been below freezing for a solid couple of weeks now.  After two weeks in (comparatively) warm Texas, Utah feels like the arctic tundra.  The cold temperatures and nasty air quality mean that we have been spending a lot of time entertaining ourselves indoors. 

I ran out of ideas this week and decided to put together plastic tubs of activities that would encourage independent play.  Here are some items that would be great to keep your preschooler busy during these short (and looooong) winter days:

1. Match it Game

2. Lace and Trace Game

3. Woodland Connectagons

4. Mighty Mind

5. Big Book Of Big Machines

Keeping it together through the holidays...

      How do you do it? I have not been able to find a balance between doing everything and keeping it together this holiday season. I have been seriously neglecting this blog, and I feel so badly for that. But if I had not, then I do not think hazel's sweet attitude {or my sanity} -for that matter- would not have remained intact. Thus said, we have been up to some fantastic projects this season.

We have been doing several versions of the advent this year.. one is a little flag banner that I made a few years back, but hazel hasn't been old enough to really use it until this year. We have been having fun checking what the elves bring her everyday.

The other advent that we do is 25 days of Christmas books. Hazel gets to unwrap one each day, and she ADORES it. We got the idea from the amazing Ellen (from elle keeps moving) you can check out her blog and more information on the 25 days of Christmas books here!

 We have also been busy painting Christmas cards, making Christmas trees, and check out this garland that my mom is working on from one of my favorite craft books, Scandinavian Needlecraft.

 We also made this awesome Gingerbread house, thank you TRADER JOE'S for finally making it to our state!!

We have been keeping busy trying to make all of our Christmas gifts this year, and so we made a billion bath bombs {bath fizzy's} as well as some bath salt for our friends. We used this recipe from the coterie blog. I got the beautiful jars at west elm, and the spoons are from Sur la Table.

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You Were Smaller Than a Speck

     Lately I have been thinking a lot about books, and specifically children’s books. Where is the best place to buy them? What is the best way to find out about unique, cool, inspiring books? How do you create an inspiring library without breaking the bank? I am on the lookout for the greatest and best resources to share with you lovely readers. But until then, I wanted to share an amazing new book with you all called, You Were Smaller Than A Speck.

     You Were Smaller Than A Speck, was written by my darling, talented friend Tessa Marie Aranda. It is her fist book- and it is so beautiful -the illustrations are all hand painted by Tessa herself. The book sheds light on the questions all preschoolers inevitably ask, “Moma, where do baby’s come from?” It is a simple, and truthful explanation that gets right to the point. The illustrations are charming; the book is a perfect blend of serious facts with whimsical imagery. It is appropriate for all ages, and is perfect for growing families. I cannot wait to read through it with Hazel. 

     Tessa is taking pre-orders now for the book HERE. The book is $12 for an 8 by 8 inch soft cover book. 

Montessori Reading List

My love for the Montessori method began before I could even read.  Some of my earliest memories are of a large classroom with all of my favorite works (activities).  As I grew older and more aware, I remember the satisfying sound of the rice as I would pour it from one glass pitcher into another.  The painted cubes of the pink tower felt substantial and important as I placed them one on top of another as carefully as my 4 year old hands could manage.  Perhaps the most important memory I have from my six years as a Montessori student was the respect and love which I was given by my teachers.  As a result of these heart-achingly beautiful memories and foundations of self-worth, I was drawn back to the Montessori method as an adult.  

I now strive to create these same sort of memories for my own children, both in my home and in the classroom.  Some days are easier than others, and I am pretty sure I will never live up to the idealized memories of my childhood.  I have to try though.

The following is a list of a few books that have been great resources as a Montessori parent:

Montessori From the Start: The Child at Home, From Birth to Age Three by Paula Polk Lillard

How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way by Tim Seldin

Unconditional Parenting: Moving From Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason by Alfie Kohn

Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook by Maria Montessori

Happy reading, and Namaste!

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