MONTESSORI AT HOME: Activities for Babies 3-6 Months

Hi guys, my name is Ashley and I'm a mom of two little girls. I have a two-year-old toddler named Kylie and I have a four-month-old baby named Mia. As has been typical for the last couple of videos that I've filmed, Mia is nursing right now so if you see her little hand kind of popping into the screen from the bottom, that's who it is and that is that. So let's go ahead and get started. I know a lot of you guys out there are just getting started on your Montessori journey and a lot of you have little babies and since babies aren't quite capable of doing practical life activities yet, a lot of you are wondering what do I do with my baby to kind of begin their Montessori journey and that's a great question. Now between the ages of zero and three months, it's actually pretty easy and I do have a whole video about what you can do with your newborn but once babies hit that three-month mark, they really kind of start to wake up and really pay attention to everything that's going on around them. Everything that they're taking in through their senses is a completely new experience for them. So as a parent, anything that you can do to capitalize on that is going to be a perfect activity for your baby. So from one busy parent to another, today I'm going to share with you a couple of great Montessori activities for babies aged three to six months. So as we've kind of already mentioned, babies from ages three to six months are really starting to kind of pay attention to everything that's going on around them. This might include visual stimulation, things that they can hear, as well as things that they can touch with their hands. Which brings me to another important point, they are also starting to work on their hand control at this age. They don't quite have fine motor control yet where they're really manipulating their fingers in a purposeful way. They kind of have more of this whole hand raking grasp but they are learning to reach out for things that they see in their environment that they find interesting. They're batting at things and eventually one day they finally reach that momentous occasion where they actually reach out for the thing that they were looking at and grab it. And from there, the world is their oyster. So the activities that I'm about to share with you all provide very rich sensory experiences for your baby and also help them to develop their hand control. So at the beginning of that three to six month range, you can still really take advantage of a lot of the activities that you might have been doing when they were newborns but maybe on a slightly different level. So for example, infants are very interested in high contrast cards. Now these cards I printed out online for free from somebody's blog. There's actually a set of 16 of them and if you're Now whereas before you might have been kind of hanging them up in places where your baby was very regularly like the changing table, now that they're a little bit more active you're probably giving them more tummy time and these cards make for a great tummy time experience. All you have to do is set them up kind of right in front of your baby within their line of sight. Your baby may even try to start reaching for them if they're close enough and it provides something that they can really focus their attention on. Now I'm not sure whether or not you're familiar with the different Montessori mobiles or maybe you're using them with your infant. One of them is called the Gobi mobile and it's actually the third in a series of mobiles that you present to your infant starting from birth. And the Gobi mobile is great because not only does it provide a source of visual stimulation but if you hang it low enough then your child once they start batting at objects can actually reach up and start batting at the little balls. So if you have a Gobi mobile for your baby then that's another option that you can try as well. Another simple and easy sensory experience for your baby is to provide them with one of these crinkly taggy blankets. As you can see it's got different textures on either side of the blanket and a series of differently textured ribbons all the way around the whole thing and obviously when your baby is holding it it makes a really fun crinkly noise. If you've never seen one of those before then you can find them all over Etsy just type in crinkly taggy blanket and they'll pop right up. In fact I will leave a link down below for you guys just so you can get there a little easier. Another favorite around our house is a wood and silk teether. The wooden part of it is nice and chunky and big really easy for small hands to grab. The surface of the wood is very smooth so babies can put it in their mouth and chew all over it without any kind of a danger and the little silk blanket that's tied around it provides a very different texture. So it's kind of like two sensory experiences in one but like I mentioned it is one of Mia's favorites so we basically carry it around with us everywhere we go. In a Montessori environment especially with young babies you'll often find treasure baskets which is basically just a basket filled with a collection of different items for your baby to explore. Sometimes they are categorized for example all kitchen utensils and other times they can just be random selections of things it's kind of really up to you. So at three to six months you can introduce your baby to their very first treasure basket and one of the easiest treasure baskets to make is just a basket filled with a variety of differently textured balls. During tummy time all you have to do is put the basket on the floor in front of your baby, stand back and let your baby do the rest. Not only will your baby be delighted by all of the different textures on the balls sometimes the basket also ends up being part of the experience as well. You're also providing an opportunity for them to work on hand-eye coordination and their manual skills. Even better is when they get a little bit older and they're able to make contact with that ball and then bring it to their mouths for the ultimate sensory experience because we all know that babies explore their world by putting things in their mouth. You do want to pay attention to how many balls you're providing to your baby at one time. I know the set that I have comes with six different balls and I do not give them all to her at the same time. Usually I will only select two to three balls to place into the basket this way she doesn't become overwhelmed with choices and then becomes frustrated which kind of defeats the purpose of allowing her to have that independent play time. Something similar to a set of sensory balls is a single sensory ball. This one is actually soft like a stuffed animal and each of the little wedges has a different texture and some of them are even crinkly. You can kind of hear that as I'm holding it. This is one that you can certainly try during tummy time or even just when your baby's awake laying on their back. On the earlier end of the three to six month range I would say that this ball is something that you would want to introduce your baby kind of maybe when you're nearby. It is kind of large and it does have the tendency to roll away which might be frustrating to a young child who is just now working on their ability to reach out and grab for things but as your baby gets older and starts inching toward that six month mark they might become a little bit more proficient at handling the ball and holding on to it by themselves. Another classic Montessori activity for babies is a bell rattle. The one that I purchased is an oval shape whereas typically I think you usually see them in like a little cylinder shape so that they're able to roll much more easily and the idea is that as the baby gets older they can then crawl after it. So what she's able to do with it is use her fingers to grab onto all the little wooden dowels in the middle and basically just shake it like crazy. She's really starting to learn about cause and effect what happens when I grab onto this toy and move my arm and I can tell that it's very exciting for her because she gets very exuberant about her rattle shaking once she realizes what's happening. As I mentioned this toy is also very useful as the baby gets older because once they start crawling and it rolls away on the floor then they have something to crawl after. It provides that motivation. So this is a toy that will grow with your baby. Now this is a little set of some Montessori inspired wooden toys. It comes with four of them including a set of interlocking discs, grasping beads, a simple wooden teether, and a wooden baby rattle. Starting with just the most basic of the four toys the wooden teether is just to promote your child working on their manual skills being able to hold objects and bring them to their mouth. It's also great for teething babies which tends to happen somewhere toward the end of this three to six month range and it is perfectly sized for little hands. The grasping beads obviously do what the name implies. It encourages your baby's grasping skills and they also provide yet again another great teether for babies. The wooden baby rattle can be used before your child even discovers how to really use a rattle for its intended purpose because the little wooden dowel in the middle is just right for their hands so they can hold on to it. They can gnaw on the little ball on the end and then as they become a little bit more experienced they can learn how to shake it and make all the little wooden rings that are attached to it clink into each other. The last toy in this set, the interlocking discs, are great as a teether in the beginning just for your baby to kind of hold on to but they actually do have a purpose. Once your baby is a little bit older, so again closer to the six month end, the idea is that the discs are on a flat hard surface where your baby is spending some tummy time and as your child accidentally bumps into the discs they kind of roll away in this very interesting pattern and The interlocking discs are also the perfect shape for encouraging hand-to-hand transfer skills in slightly older babies. A super simple toy that you can actually make at home by yourself very easily is a hand kite and it's just a little wooden ring with a series of colorful ribbons tied to it. Your baby will love to chew not only on the wooden ring but also on the ribbons as well. You just want to make sure that the ribbons are 100% secured on there. I have mine double knotted and then at the other end I've actually burned them just a little bit so that they don't become frayed and you also want to make sure that they're not long enough that they can become a choking hazard. Just to err on the side of caution though, I would definitely make sure that this is a supervised toy with young babies. If you have not yet introduced your three to six month old baby to a mirror, now is the time to do it. At three to six months they don't recognize themselves in the mirror. Typically that skill does not develop until they're about 18 months old but at three to six months they still find it very fascinating to look at faces, especially faces that they feel are familiar that they see regularly. So that could be your face in the mirror if you're looking with them or it could be their own face that they see on a regular basis which they very likely just think is another baby. So this one's really easy. Just put your baby in front of a mirror, sit back and like we said earlier, let your baby do the rest. Watch all of the different facial expressions that your baby starts making at him or herself. They sometimes make some really funny ones. A lot of parents feel most comfortable placing a mirror in a baby's play area where they can be supervised. However, with the right safety considerations in place, you can also place a mirror in your baby's bedroom. This way when they're in there either before they sleep or when they wake up, they have access to this mirror and they can begin to develop a visual map of their environment. Having a mirror low down where they can see it really helps to give them a view of all angles of the room that they might not otherwise have. I would highly suggest giving a mirror a go if you have not yet. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised how long it keeps your baby entertained. Another great activity is a grasping ring that is suspended above your baby by an elastic cord. You can hang this elastic cord straight from the ceiling or even from a baby activity gym, but the idea is that you hang it low enough that not only can your baby see it and focus on it, but they can also begin batting at it once they start doing that and then eventually grasping it. Once your baby discovers that the ring moves, when they pull on it, they can actually bring it to their mouth because it's on an elastic cord. Your baby is going to go wild with it. Not only is this one great for encouraging hand-eye coordination, but it's really great for parents because you have a built-in teether that is not going to roll away from your baby. Anytime your baby lets go, it springs right back into its original position and it's right there for your baby to grab again. The next activity is something that I think a lot of parents just tend to forget about and that's taking your baby outside. You certainly want to take precautions, putting sunscreen on if they're going to be in direct sun, placing them in shade if at all possible, providing a safe clean location for them to hang out. But if you're doing all of those things, then there's no reason not to take your baby outside. And I don't necessarily mean in the stroller, although that is an option as well. I mean simply spreading out a blanket in the grass and allowing your baby to lay on it. Allow them to look up at the clouds moving. Place them under a tree where they can see the leaves gently blow in the breeze. Allow them to feel the sun on their face for a short bit of time. They can feel the wind blowing through their hair. They can hear birds chirping. And baby's skin, especially their little toes, are so sensitive. So pull the blanket back a little bit. Allow them to put their feet in the grass and feel what it feels like to have grass between their toes. If you're feeling really adventurous, then flip your baby over for tummy time. Put them right at the edge of the blanket so that they can see and get up close and maybe even touch and feel the grass blades. If you're worried about dirt and germs, then wash your baby's hands right after they do it. These are the kinds of rich sensory experiences that build your baby's foundation for knowledge about what the world is like. I try to make a point of it to spend time outside with my girls every single day as long as the weather is permitting. And even then, there are some Montessori folks who will tell you that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. Not to mention the benefits of just getting some fresh air. There's so much research out there that shows that being outside has so many health benefits, not just for children, but for adults as well. So if you try no other activities from this video, let the one that you do try be going outside with your baby. And I would be remiss if I did not mention one last activity that is not just for Montessori babies, it's for all babies. And that is reading with your child. I often get asked, when should I start reading with my baby? And the answer is now. Your baby is never too young to sit down and look at the pictures of a book and hear the words that you're saying to them. No, a very small baby is not going to understand anything that you're saying. But eventually, they are going to start making those connections. And it's not always easy to identify when that moment of recognition happens. So if you start now, you're going to catch it as early as possible. Reading doesn't need to be for an extended period of time. It can simply just be something that you incorporate into your everyday routine. Even if you're only just reading one book at bedtime every single day, that's better than nothing. Reading is tied to academic proficiency in school, and it does wonders for your child's early language development. So the sooner that you're able to start reading with your baby, the more benefits they're going to gain from it. If you want your child to have a love of reading, then it's important that you start reading as soon as possible. As far as what types of books you want to read to a three to six month old baby, you certainly want to focus on things that are based in reality. Things with very clear, high contrast pictures that are easy for your baby to see. It does not have to be a full on lengthy story. It could be something as simple as a picture book with one picture and one word on each page. I know that when my toddler was a baby, she very much enjoyed all of the baby touch and feel books because as they do start reaching out for things that they see, they are going to start reaching out and trying to touch the pictures that they see on the book. And if there's interesting things on the pages for them to touch, it makes the experience even better. With that said though, if you want to read a full length story to your baby, especially if there are some books that maybe you had as a child that were favorites that you've been excited to share with your baby, then there is certainly nothing wrong with you doing that now. If you're really trying to go for strict Montessori philosophies, then the one thing that I would shy away from showing to your baby are books that are not based in reality. I did talk about this topic at length in a video that I did called Montessori at Home on Pretend Play, which I will link for you guys if you're interested in hearing a little bit more about why. But if you're just now dipping your toes into the world of Montessori with your baby, then I wouldn't obsess over that detail right now. As long as you're reading something to your baby every single day, you're on the right track. So that is it for my suggestions for Montessori activities for babies ages three to six months. Of course, this is not an extensive list. There are lots of other things that you can do with your babies. So if you have any suggestions for some Montessori style activities that you've been doing with your three to six month old baby that you find are successful, please share them with us in the comments below so that the rest of us can learn about them too. I will be sure to leave links to all of the toys that I showed to you guys in this video today in the description box below in case you're interested. And if you have any questions about the toys or activities, then also leave me a comment below and I'd be happy to chat with you guys about it. If you liked today's video, then please be sure to give it a big thumbs up. And just in case you're new to my channel, I did want to let you know that this video is part of a series called Montessori at Home, which is aimed at providing practical tips and advice for busy parents like you and I for implementing Montessori philosophies at home with your children. So if that sounds like something that you're interested in seeing more of, then you might consider subscribing to my channel so that you don't miss a new video because I do post a new video just like this one every single week. Thanks so much for watching today and I'll see you next time. Bye.