YOUR MONTESSORI BABY IS TWO MONTHS OLD AND A DARLING LITTLE MUSICAL WIGGLE WORM!

BOAT POSE: STRENGTHENING
AND LENGTHENING
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YOUR LITTLE YOGINI IS
BUILDING MUSCLES…PREPARING FOR HOLDING HER HEAD UP ON HER OWN!
I have been so enjoying gathering materials for Montessori Baby-Ed Lessons that emphasize The Arts with your baby! I purchased a set of these exquisite Baby Yoga Art Cards for my newest grandchild. They are available as a download at Katherine Kabral's amazing TpT Store, I Believe in Montessori.
Montessori Baby-Ed: The Arts and Your Baby
Nido Basket #2 and Lessons
This carefully curated "Nido Basket" #2 is part of my Series, Montessori Baby-Ed Arts Curriculum. You can read about "Nido Basket" #1 at my blog post HERE.
Just so you don't miss any of these, you can become a subscriber to my email list and have my blog posts delivered to your inbox each week! All you have to do is fill out the form on the sidebar of this blog.
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Six week old baby observing the beautiful Montessori-style Dancer Mobile
from Bella’s Casa Etsy Store
from Bella’s Casa Etsy Store
Here’s an interesting quote from
Montessori:
“It follows that the newborn child has to do a piece of formative work which corresponds in the psychological sphere to the one just done by the embryo in the physical sphere. Before him there is a period of life different from that which he led in the womb; yet still unlike that of the man he is to become. This postnatal work is constructive activity which is carried on in what may be called the “formative period”, and it makes the baby into a kind of “Spiritual Embryo.” THE ABSORBENT MIND by Maria Montessori
To read more about the Montessori
method, you can refer to the Lesson Plans in Montessori Baby-Ed Nido Basket #1.
Click HERE.
You'll find more Montessori info at
this web site, American Montessori Society: Introduction to Montessori Method.
SOME HELPFUL
HINTS
· Feed Baby in a quiet
setting so that Baby can focus on the task
at hand (Montessori calls this “isolation of difficulty”)
Photo from Adobe Stock
· In
the second month, Baby is social, and becomes more engaged with other family
members and caregivers. After six weeks, mothers often return to full time work
outside the home and other caregivers may be feeding Baby. Many nursing moms express milk so that Baby still gets the brain
building components of breast milk.
· The carefully prepared environment
will result in a built in “control of
error” (another term coined by Montessori) When preparing the baby’s space
think about what will allow the child what s/he needs for natural development
thus eliminating the unnecessary. Make it child-sized and low to the ground! Classic
Montessori Nido environments look something like this picture.
Photo showing Montessori mobile from Bella's Casa Etsy Shop
· Providing
a Montessori style “floor bed” where Baby can lie on back (or tummy) and move
freely offers a way to set up mobiles and art pictures at Baby’s eye level.
· Some
families use Japanese style futons with fitted sheets. This can also be a place
where you can lie comfortably next to Baby and sing or read to her.
· Babies
in the first two months of life are changing rapidly and adjusting to the life
of the surrounding family. Connections and social interactions happen with the
first smile, with more and more eye contact, delight at the touch of a gentle
massage and observing the world from the shoulder of a beloved caregiver.
Photo from Adobe Stock
Month 2.
Baby is responding to changing
sensations and adapting quickly to daily family life. (Baby never stops moving
when awake but is not yet mobile)
In the Montessori Pedagogy, children
between 0-3 are in the SENSITIVE PERIOD for MOVEMENT and for LANGUAGE.
If Baby is given freedom to move (from
birth on) then s/he will begin to “slither” in the first few weeks.
In
the second month, Baby is awake more often than
the first month. During these awake times, Baby is beginning to make eye
contact with loved ones.
Baby makes cooing sounds and likes to
carefully watch the faces of the family around as they talk and smile at Baby.
During awake time, Baby is constantly
moving and exercising all the large muscles of the body. Kicking legs, flapping
arms, and attempting to lift the head…these activities occupy most of Baby’s
waking hours.
Baby is still sleeping often throughout
the day, especially after all the activity during tummy time!
Photo from Adobe Stock
What
you can do to nurture your baby’s natural cognitive development in the second
month:
1. Provide
mobiles at close range, but not
touching range for Baby’s crib and/or floor bed where s/he is lying on back and
looking up. In the Montessori scheme, there is a special sequence to the type
of mobile and when it is introduced, according to the child’s developing
abilities. (Aids in Baby’s developing visual sense.)
2. Sing
to Baby! You can also play sweet music that is either live or from a genuine
source, like a music box. Recordings played for the child should be of actual
instruments, rather than electronically produced sounds. (Aids in Baby’s
developing aural sense.)
3. Smile
and coo with Baby often…copying
his/her vocalizations whenever possible. (Contributes to Baby’s developing
language skills.)
4. Read books
and/or tell stories to Baby. Reality
based picture books are best and your own stories are a wonderful way to
recount your family’s history. You can always tell the story of the day Baby
was born!
5. Carry
out daily routines in as predictable
fashion as possible, so that Baby begins to understand his family life and
begins to anticipate what comes next. (Recognizing patterns & making
predictions are important components of developing Pre-language and Pre-math
skills in the young child)
6. Take
Baby to areas of the home and the garden by
carrying her upright so that s/he can see what is happening around her.
(Gives experiences that exercise all the senses and this is how Baby learns.)
What
you can do to nurture natural motor development:
1. Massage Baby’s upper
torso both front and back. (Relaxes muscles and
stimulates Baby’s awareness of the muscles)
2. Provide
a floor bed for Baby’s supervised free movement during the daytime when s/he is awake. (Gives Baby
unrestrained access to her hands and feet to develop the coordination of the
muscles for grasping and crawling…the next stages of development)
3. Give
Baby plenty of tummy time in which you
are down at her level and making eye contact. (Encourages Baby to lift her
head to see you.)
Photo from Adobe Stock
You can learn more about baby massage at
this link:
MONTESSORI BABY-ED LESSONS FOR THE SECOND MONTH
MONTESSORI BABY-ED LESSONS FOR THE SECOND MONTH
****Always
supervise Baby’s activities on the floor bed at all times, whether s/he is
awake or asleep.
LESSON #1. Music Notation Tummy Time Quilt
Music Note Quilt available at Texas Hook and Needle Etsy Shop
1. Place the quilt on Baby’s floor bed/playmat
with the music note side up and then place Baby on her tummy on the blanket.
(Stimulates Baby’s development of sight and touch.)
2. Turn the cloth over to give Baby a different
texture to experience. (Provides a range of tactile experience for Baby’s
developing sensorial memory.)
3. Just for fun, you can sing to Baby while
pointing to the music notes on the blanket. You can also give her vocabulary:
“music notes, black, white, 1/8th note,” etc. (Contributes on a
subtle level to language development.)
4. Observe
your Baby's reaction to the different textures of the cloth. (Gives you
information about your Baby’s learning style)
5. Adjust
the activity if Baby cries or seems to dislike the tactile or visual
stimulation and try again in a few days. (Develops a sense of trust and self
worth in the child.)
1. Change the picture in the frame from the Musical Instruments Packet (see Nido
Basket #1.) Slip the photo of the clarinet
in the frame and hang the framed picture at Baby’s eye level to stimulate Baby’s
developing sense of sight. (ex: changing table)
2. While changing Baby, give her the vocabulary:
“Clarinet” …”Black Clarinet” etc. (There’s a whole lot of useful information
written on the back of the picture about the musical instrument, the clarinet.)
The clarinet is in the orchestral family
of woodwind instruments. That is why I included the bamboo flute in this
basket. (see below) The bamboo flute is a simple woodwind instrument played in
many cultures worldwide. It is fairly
easy to create soothing sounds with this instrument, without formal music
training.
3. If you happen to play clarinet, it would be
nice for Baby to hear you play a little tune for her. If you don’t have a
clarinet in the home, you can play recorded music for Baby that features a
clarinet. Here’s a link to some nice music that features the clarinet: Brahms Clarinet Sonatas
4. I've included a new packet of pictures
in this month’s Nido Basket! You can
choose to change the picture over the next weeks with one of your favorites
from the Vincent Van Gogh Art Packet from Michael Olaf Company. (Develops the aesthetic sense)
5. Observe Baby's reactions to these activities
suggested above and adjust as you feel it is appropriate so that Baby is
soothed rather than over-stimulated. (This respectful way of working with Baby
instills in her a sense of self worth and trust in you. These are important to
the social-emotional development in young children.)
A NOTE ABOUT The Michael Olaf wooden picture
frame:
This frame will hold (store) all ten
musical instrument pictures in your packet and you can change the one you
display each month. This month’s learning activities feature the piano.
Slip the whole pack of musical
instrument pictures into the frame through the opening at the top of the frame,
placing the picture of the piano in the front. Hang the frame using the wire on the back of
the frame.
This picture frame will be used for
displaying each musical instrument picture that will be featured during the first
ten months of Montessori Baby-Ed Activities.
1. Hold
the flute up to your mouth with both hands and do not cover the holes with the fingers
of your dominant hand. Blow directly into the mouthpiece with gentle force. Once
you have gotten some gentle sounds from the flute, then you are ready to play
some notes for Baby.
Playing this wonderful instrument while you
are sitting on the floor next to Baby lying on the daytime floor
bed/playmat is a sweet addition to your little one's awake
time. (Stimulates the rapidly developing sense of hearing in the infant.
Infants respond to music even before birth, especially live music.)
2. Try
playing a rhythmic steady beat with no particular melody. (This gives
Baby experience with rhythm that is so important to the development of
language.)
3. You can also play simple (or complex) melodies
on this flute for Baby to become familiar with your favorite flute tunes. Here
is a site for instruction on how to play the bamboo flute: Bamboo Flute Playing.
4. Observe
Baby and adjust to what you feel is appropriate so that Baby is stimulated but
not overwhelmed. (Develops trust and high self esteem)
LESSON #4. Montessori-style
Gobbi mobile for week 5 and 6
Montessori Gobbi Mobile available at Bella's Casa Etsy Store
1. Hang
the Gobbi Mobile securely above Baby’s floor bed or floor playmat so that
it is approximately 10 inches above him/her. This is the third mobile in the
Montessori series. This Mobile is arranged with gradations of the same
color with the balls hung progressively farther away from Baby’s sight. (This
configuration isolates the difficulty by offering one color, while changing
distance/perspective: challenges Baby’s developing visual discrimination and
tracking abilities)
2. When Baby is awake, fed, diapered and
content, then lay her on her back so that she can see the mobile. You may want
to gently touch the mobile to cause it to move slightly. Try not to disturb
Baby when s/he is engaged. Some babies
have been reported to have observed the mobile for 15 minutes or longer!
(Develops visual discrimination and concentration skills)
3.
Observe your Baby to see if s/he is beginning to follow the movement of the
mobile. Does she is enjoy this activity? (Develops tracking abilities
that are necessary for learning to read and perform math in later years)
4. Adjust
the activity if Baby cries or seems overwhelmed and try offering it again
in a few days. (Develops trust and inner sense of self worth in Baby)
****Important:
This Mobile is for Baby to view, but not close enough for Baby to touch it.
When
Baby starts to reach out to objects then it is time for the Montessori “tactile
mobiles”…that’s the upcoming stage of development: grasping!
The
Gobbi Mobile is based on foundational principles of the Montessori method of
education. They are always made in shades of the same color so that the child is only having to focus
on the main feature of the mobile: the distance each ball is from Baby’s line
of vision. As the balls (called spheres
in the Montessori environment) hang gradually farther away from Baby, the
shade of color lightens. Later, the
Preschool child will work with the color tablets that offer tiles of color that
are arranged darkest to lightest. Likewise, the Preschooler is introduced
to the geometric solids and one of these
is the “sphere” in the approximate dimensions of the spheres in this Baby
mobile. These subtle connections will be incorporated in the brain for later
reference as Baby grows older.
LESSON #5 Montessori-style Dancers Mobile
for week 7/8
Montessori Dancer Mobile available at Bella's Casa Etsy Store
1. To spark Baby’s interest, hang the Dancer Mobile within the next two weeks to replace the Gobbi Mobile. This helps keep Baby engaged with viewing
her mobile during awake time on the floor bed/playmat. This mobile is
representational of human forms and appeals to Baby’s interest in people and
how they move in space. (Develops visual discrimination and tracking skills)
2. Thereafter; alternate between the 2 mobiles according to Baby’s
engagement with the mobiles. (Novelty keeps Baby’s senses actively
stimulated.)
3. Observe Baby to see if s/he shows a preference. I have read that
some babies definitely like one mobile more than the other!
(Develops visual discrimination and the aesthetic sense)
4. Adjust the activity if Baby seems to feel more comfortable with the
first mobile and wait a little longer to bring the second mobile back.
(Develops trust and inner self worth)
Only display one mobile at any given time.
Since Baby must be
placed on the back for sleeping, it's important to make time each day for "tummy time" so that your little
one develops the muscles in the neck and upper torso.
The first tummy time experiences for Baby will consist of family
members lying on the floor with Baby. Eventually, Baby will be able to focus on the faces of her
loved ones. After a few weeks, Baby will follow the movements of her loved
ones close by while lying on her back or tummy.
1. Hold the ball close to Baby when she is lying on her back during
awake time, and then shake it gently to make a sound. (This will stimulate
Baby's developing sense of hearing.)
2. Gently and slowly roll the ball so that it is close enough for Baby to see and hear. Try rolling
it gently over her body so that she
not only hears the bell but feels the ball moving over her. (Develops the sense
of hearing and touch)
3. While rolling the ball
over Baby’s arm, you can give her the vocabulary
by saying, “I’m rolling the ball
over your arm.” Continue in the same
manner rolling the ball over other parts of Baby’s body. (Aids in language
development)
4. During tummy time, move
the ball from Baby's left to right and she will hear the bell and
see the ball moving. (In the Western World, left to right movement is
important for a child's emerging reading skills in the upcoming years.)
4. During tummy time, as Baby gains more control of the neck
muscles, roll the ball away from Baby and then back towards Baby. This ball
rolls slowly enough for Baby to follow it with her eyes. (Aids in developing
tracking skills)
5. Bring the ball close to
Baby during tummy time. In the beginning you can make a sound with the ball to attract her attention. Eventually,
Baby will develop her neck muscles enough to look at the ball on her own. In the next months, you can roll the
ball a short distance from Baby, so that s/he will be motivated to creep
towards it. (Helps develop the muscles of the neck and upper torso)
7. Once again, observe and adjust to Baby's cues.
(Develops sense of trust and inner self worth)
LESSON #7. Wooden
Bell Rattle
(One of Baby’s first
instruments!)
Personalized Bell Rattle available from Born Gifted
Personally, I prefer a bell rattle in which the bell is enclosed as opposed to attached to the ends of a wooden dowel and exposed. I have heard the story of a toddler in Baby Music class who got his tongue caught in the openings of a single bell rattle. This wooden rattle has the bell enclosed.
1. Start by gently shaking the rattle near Baby
when s/he is lying on the floor bed/playmat. At first, this is mainly
an experience for Baby to develop the sense of hearing.
When you are shaking the rattle, try to keep a steady beat. (Develops
rhythmic ability necessary for learning to talk)
2. Roll the rattle over Baby's skin for a more tactile experience for
her. (Develops the sense of touch and hearing)
3. Later, you can hold the
rattle close to Baby's hand and touch her hand with the rattle. Eventually,
s/he may start to latch onto the rattle...and eventually s/he will move her
hand and the bell inside will make a sound. This will develop over several
weeks and may not necessarily happen in Baby's first weeks. (Develops ability
to grasp with purpose and also the concept of “cause and effect.”)
4. When Baby is a bit older,
this rattle is safe for teething.
5. As always observe and adjust to your Baby’s cues.
1. Introduce the pacifier
teether ball to baby by holding it near
her mouth so that she can latch on to it for sucking. (Sucking aids in the
development of the muscles in the mouth needed for language development)
2. Roll the teether ball
over Baby’s body for a different sensory
experience. (Develops the sense of touch)
3. As Baby gains more coordination in the next weeks/months, s/he can
begin to hold the pacifier teether in her own hands to get it to her mouth for
sucking. (Develops independence)
****If you haven’t done so
already, I recommend setting up a sturdy
child-size shelf in Baby’s daytime play area. This begins the process of
keeping an organized environment for the child in which there is a place for
everything and everything in its place.
You can place Baby’s
rattles, ball, and block that you have assembled from Nido Basket #1 and #2 in
little soft “treasure” baskets on the shelf.
Smaller baskets lined up on
a low shelf work better for children (as opposed to a larger box or basket
filled with an array of toys). Each basket has a purpose and is well-thought
out by the adult.
You can bring this beginning treasure basket over to Baby during awake time. Then, take it back to its place
on the shelf when done, so that the routine of keeping order in Baby’s
environment is begun right form the start.
I suggest collecting small and medium sized baby-friendly baskets, boxes, and trays that are made of
woods, cloths, and natural reeds. These can be filled with Baby-Ed Activities and
gradually added to Baby’s shelf during the next months.
In the beginning, place no
more than 3 items in a basket. (2 is perfect for the Infant.)
4. Once again, observe and
adjust to Baby’s cues. (Develops sense of trust and inner self worth.)
LESSON
#9. Baby Animals Black and White Board Book
This board book is available at Amazon at this link.
1. Since this is a Board Book, it is
baby-friendly and can be used as a book to read to Baby. Reading to Baby is
important from Day 1! You can read to
Baby during awake time when Baby is lying on the floor bed/playmat. (Develops
language skills)
2.
This book is illustrated in the high contrast black and white format, so
that it is easier for Baby to see the figures in the pictures. Try placing the
book upright on the playmat in front of Baby during tummy time. (Develops visual discrimination)
3.
The book suggests copying off the illustrations and making cards for
Baby. They can be hung like a mobile at first, and then as Baby matures, they
can be used as a Toddler-aged matching game with the pictures in the book.
(Develops visual discrimination skills necessary for reading)
5.
As always, observe and adjust to Baby’s cues. (Develops trust and high
self esteem
LESSON #10. The Joyful
Child, Montessori Global Wisdom from Birth to Three
This Book is available in Paperback and eBook format at Amazon at this link
This is one of my favorite books
written by a teacher who actually studied with Dr. Montanaro, who developed
Montessori’s infant curriculum.
This book is put out by the Michael
Olaf Company, a wonderful resource for purchasing Montessori materials for
children 0-9yrs old.
1. Read this book whenever you have
a moment. You can even read it aloud to Baby! This will give Baby another
language experience as s/he hears the rhythmic cadence, the pitch sounds, and
the accents of the words you are reading in a natural speaking voice.
2.
You can download this book, too. Then you can read it while waiting in
the dentist office, or on the plane, etc.
3. Give this book to your friends
and family, too! There is so much information and ideas for engaging with Baby
in the first years of life
WHAT BABY
LEARNS FROM THESE
MONTESSORI
BABY-ED LESSONS
#1.
Baby has more practice at visual discrimination with the black and white
pattern of the blanket and the contrast in texture of the two sides of the
blanket.
#2.
This picture isolates the black colored musical instrument, however, the
clarinet is not as easy to visually distinguish as the piano was in Nido #1. (Refining
visual sense)
#3.
Baby’s sensitive hearing is gradually awakened to quiet sounds produced
by live acoustic instruments played by family members. Distinguishing sounds is
another pre-cursor for Language development. (speaking)
#4.
Baby begins to differentiate the visual perspective of the spheres in
this mobile and stretches the range of vision. Baby begins to track the
movement of the objects in the mobile with his/her eyes. Tracking with the eyes
is necessary for young children to develop skills for reading in the years to
come.
#5.
When the mobiles are alternated, Baby revisits the familiar with new
knowledge gained during the days/weeks in between.
#6. Intentionally moving an object (ex: Sensory
Ball) from Baby’s left to right for Baby to view at close range, sets up the
subtle pattern for eye movement necessary when reading in Western languages.
(For languages read right to left or from top to bottom of the page, you would
move the object in that pattern of direction appropriate to your particular
home language.)
#7.
When Baby hears the gentle sound of the bell rattle, this stimulates the
delicate sense of hearing and promotes sensory learning. (Concept: "cause and effect")
#8.
Since Baby learns through the senses, s/he uses the mouth to explore
objects by sucking on them. This sucking develops the muscles of the mouth
necessary for the ability to recreate the sounds s/he hears spoken in the home
language.
#9.
The strong contrast of black and white illustrations in pictures is
easier for the infant to see and helps develop visual discrimination necessary
for learning how to read.
#10.
Learning about Montessori and the typical development of the child
through reading and research gives your Baby the advantage of having a caring parent
who chooses to learn skills of parenting and educating infants.
****The classic Montessori approach to
giving lessons to children of any age are founded on these aims for enhancing the child’s development:
· Order
· Coordination
· Concentration
· Independence
All
of the Montessori Baby-Ed lessons have these aims.
THIS POST IS PART OF THE MONTESSORI MONDAY Linkup at Living Montessori Now site. Deb Chitwood has a wonderful article about music appreciation with young children and there are lots more resources and article from Montessori Bloggers world wide. You can check it out here: Montessori Monday Linkup
THIS POST IS PART OF THE MONTESSORI MONDAY Linkup at Living Montessori Now site. Deb Chitwood has a wonderful article about music appreciation with young children and there are lots more resources and article from Montessori Bloggers world wide. You can check it out here: Montessori Monday Linkup
****A
NOTE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC FOR YOUR BABY
Phillip Shepherd, a music educator andrenowned cello player, has researched extensively the effects of emphasizing
music with babies and young children. In his book, Music Makes Your Child Smarter, the first chapter is devoted to answering the question, “Can music
really make my child smarter?”
He writes:
“
Children are born with an incredible array of musical abilities, including
acute sensitivity to pitch, extraordinary rhythmic skills, and the ability to
discern subtle differences.
...Intelligence
is the capacity to learn and understand new things and making music helps that
process. It helps with language and social skills, encourages creativity, and
has a positive effect on the mental, physical, and social aspects of childhood
development.
Music
affects the way the brain develops: Adult musicians’ brains show clear
differences from those of non-musicians, particularly in the areas relating to
listening, language and the connection between the two sides of the brain.
Learning
to play music improves fine motor control and coordination, provides a
framework for learning new skills, and helps to reinforce ‘inhibitory
controls.’ These controls help children gain mastery over spontaneous
reactions.”
I am no longer an Amazon Affiliate and I DO NOT receive compensations from Amazon or any other product vendors. The links to various products in this Blog are ones that I use myself and are for your own reference and convenience.