As Montessori educators, we know that the Montessori environment is key to helping children learn and develop, both at school and home equally. Parents looking to prepare their home environment to support the method may find themselves seeking advice, especially for their infants and toddlers. One of the wonderful things about a Montessori community is the relationships between parents and teachers; it is one that means you will be in a position to guide parents who may have questions! There are many excellent tips that you can provide for creating an effective Montessori home environment, especially for infants and toddlers, who have very different needs from older children.

Tips for an Effective Infant Toddler Montessori Home Environment: The Bedroom and Beyond

Dr. Montessori believed in giving children freedom right from the start. In the Montessori nursery you will find a floor bed rather than a crib. Montessori believed children need to be free, not caged. The floor bed allows parents to feed or soothe an upset infant by being able to lay down with them. Once crawling, the baby can actively explore their environment without waiting for the adult to set them free. A soft pad or blanket beside the bed provides extra padding in case the baby rolls off during the night. Changing the baby on the floor bed means you do not have to worry about the baby falling off a changing table. It also means that you are physically getting down to the level of the child to tend to their needs. This shows respect for your child. You are not making the child accommodate your needs. Instead, you are adjusting to their needs.

Since babies like looking at themselves, installing an inexpensive mirror alongside the floor bed is a wonderful way for little ones to explore and learn. Mobiles are another way to develop and stimulate the visual sense. The Montessori mobile series may be hung safely out of reach over a floor mat to engage the baby while they are awake. There are four Montessori mobiles in the series, which are designed to be presented chronologically as the baby grows and develops:

1. The Munari Mobile (3-6 weeks)
2. The Octahedron Mobile (5-8 weeks)
3. The Gobbi Mobile (7-10 weeks)
4. The Dancer Mobile (8-12 weeks)

Another important aspect of the Montessori infant environment is feeding. Once the baby is ready for solid food, an infant-size table and chair are preferable to a high chair. Again, the importance is freedom. The child is free to come to the table on their own. And, as soon as they are able, the child may begin eating at the family table in a proper chair. From the start, the child’s dishes should be of the same material as the rest of the family’s: real glasses for drinking and dinnerware. This teaches the child to be careful and if spills or breakages occur, they can see and learn how to clean.

Finally, infants and toddlers should be encouraged to walk on their own as much as possible. Babies who are unable to walk are often carried or ride in a pram or stroller. But once they are mobile, they are given every opportunity to walk on their own. While it may be easier for the adult to push a stroller, it is far more beneficial to the child to have the freedom to learn from and explore their environment.