Toddler art lessons, updates and a field trip

I made a commitment to write a Montessori Monday post weekly. It’s good to hold myself accountable to a deadline. This time I’m a day late. Yesterday I shared about our weekend shenanigans and natural fun at our home. This week’s Montessori Monday (ah err Tuesday) post piggybacks off that. While a few children were creating in our basement art space Saturday evening, I was focused on a few art lessons with baby girl. This is how I multitask with the bigs are around, busying myself by showing her similar lessons and activities she can do.

We had a tray with a small amount of play dough in it but it was quickly used up and disposed of. Excuse my lovely basement floors, in all their 1950’s green glory. Out of our love for them, we don’t bother washing off the paint. It’s also difficult to get great photos down there with limited light. I’m not winning any blogging awards here… it’s just simple show and tell hopping to help and inspire other moms using real life principles.
The rock sorting was an impromptu lesson I created after I found her pilfering through the science experiment bin for interesting things. 

During clean up time this weekend in the backyard I asked all the children (there were many) to pick up their shoes and from the yard. She got her beloved snow boots and carried them my way. Don’t ever underestimate what a toddler is capable of doing. They pick up on everything! They are sponges learning every moment of their day! She one hundred percent saw herself no different from the 10 year-old’s picking up their shoes. Of course she can do it! She was proud of herself. 

Here’s a few photo updates using lessons on our shelves I shared two weeks ago. Sisters teaching baby girl really just happens flawlessly here. It’s how we roll…I guess. But I’m not taking any of the credit. They do it themselves.

This is a new lesson I made by taking photos of the animals and printing them on our instax printer. It’s a fun one! The printer and the animal matching. She’s still rocking out the musical instruments and it’s finally time to change out the book. This shelf has sparked some family dance party times after dinner which is youthful and lets everyone act little again, for the sake of baby girl. Wink, wink.  

The weather is has been warming up and spring came early in East Tennessee. I’ve been trying to slow down to have more time outside. Stopping to play in in the rocks on the way to the car is a tough one. We are always in a hurry then. We try to take a walk everyday. Usually it’s a stroller walk for fresh air when she’s getting tired. Sometimes we just walk around the yard and pick up sticks. Last week instead of the stroller, I put her in the bike trailer for an adventure. It was really good for both of us. At school my girls go outside everyday after lunch for at least 30 minutes no mater the weather. From ages 2-8th grade they go outside. They play and they breathe. Thursday we followed suit and did the same thing at home.

Friday I drove a van full of children to the library to collect materials for their expect journal research, on various subject on North America. Baby girl went too. In this moment, I felt like I was winning this game of having a toddler and pre-teens. I’m really thankful to be part of a school with a small family environment. And to drive on a field trip where all the children request to sit next to my baby in the car. I’m also grateful she no longer cries in the car! This!!! My heart…I have no more words.She belongs to me. She reads….all….time. 

Check out that pincer grasp! I was so happy I caught a glimpse of her at this moment, holding this crayon and making this mental connection. I don’t remember having the headspace when my other girls were little to be mindful enough to appreciate these tiny things. She is definitely getting the benefits of being the fourth child. I’m a better mom and she has so many teachers around her all the time.