Ooohh... check these out!

Geometric floor play tiles over at Mer Mag. I have *got* to make some of these for Aurora... they are right up her alley. Crafty Crow linked to them this morning.... and wow!.... didn't want to lose the bookmark (that folder is way overdue for a clean-thru)... so I figured I'd better post it here so I don't forget after the new baby haze lifts.

Corn Cob Montessori

Oh wow, was this a huge hit!!! Removing the kernels from a cob of Indian Corn, one by one. The idea for this actually came from this great book, which is Waldorf Inspired.... but lends itself so nicely to both schools of thought. The first time I put this out for Aurora, she sat and worked for nearly 45mins and finished the whole cob! I've left the activity out, and she's gone back to it several times.... and carried the kernels off for all kinds of other activities too: cooking in the play kitchen, filling various containers, putting some into two duplo blocks to make 'maracas' (loved that one!), several have also made their way to the nature table.

I have many other activities planned to expand on this (hopefully we'll get to at least some of them before we lose steam- things have been moving pretty slowly around here):

~grinding the cobs together to make dust.... then using her little sweeper set to work on sweeping skills

~ using the mortar and pestal to grind some up. I don't think we'll get them fine enough to use in baking, but I plan to print out cultural pictures of stone grinding corn and then using some store bought masa to make corn tortillas.

~putting some in rice and then using a slotted spoon to sift them out and transfer to a bowl

~ soaking some overnight then using a blunt tapestry needle to string them into bracelets.

Any other ideas??

a bit of Montessori

So, Pete and I have been reading into/researching Montessori education a little bit more. And have found quite a bit that we agree with. There's a lot that we love about Waldorf -mainly the emphasis on nature and rhythms- but it's not a perfect match for us as a family or for Aurora. While I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of play for young children, I also believe that more formal 'learning' has it's place as well. Montessori alone isn't a perfect match either -we love the practical life skills, emphasis on independence, more traditional academics ect..., but feel it is lacking somewhat in imaginary play and the creative arts. A combination of the two, however, fits our family nicely I think.

Here's Aurora doing some of her 'work' (she loves doing her work, by the way, and will do almost anything if you call it work or a job).

Transferring lentils from one bowl to another with a spoon:

Vacuuming up her room (she later did the living room and helped sweep the kitchen)

I've been pretty amazed at the level of concentration she employs when doing her tasks. She worked hard at the lentil transfer activity- and got each and every one- she figured out to tip the bowl as it started to empty, and if she spilt a couple she put them back on her spoon and continued. Everything we've read has talked about this- the deep and extended concentration, respect for the materials and activity at hand when it's presented as work, the confidence (which you can clearly see in her eyes in the first picture) that builds as they complete a 'job'- but I've been surprised to see so much of it in my two year old.

So, we've got more books requested from Yale and the collegiate inter library loan, both Montessori and Waldorf. I think it will be a happy blend.