Our Journal (Pics of activities/room set-up)

I posted a list of resources that I'd be using but I also wanted to start a separate thread for pictures of activities that I do, how I set them up and how I set up the room in general.

Leo's shelves/activity spot:
Right now it's mainly full of toys but it will slowly get filled with activity trays as I get everything together.


Leo's art/activity table:
This is a cheap table and chairs from IKEA that I painted with chalkboard paint. The shelving unit is also from IKEA (but we got the wrong size trays, they shouldn't stick out ). We keep all his drawing/craft stuff in the trays. So writing stuff in one, paper in another, colouring books in another, glue and foam cutouts in another, etc.


Pouring activity:
Presented at 23 months old. I showed Leo how to carry the tray to and from the table. Explained that all the items stay on the tray when we are playing. I filled up the jug about 1/4 of the way with water. I then showed him how to carefully pour from the jug to the bottles using the funnels (one hand on the jug, one hand holding the funnel). Leo is left-handed so I presented the activity with the jug on the left hand side. It took a few goes but he's pouring really well now. Rather than verbally correcting him when he went wrong, I just showed him again how to do it, really exaggerating my movements and doing everything slow and deliberately. At the end I showed him how to wipe down the tray and table and carry everything back. He then wanted to practice carrying the tray back and forth between the shelf and table.

Hey hun, looks fab, i am montessori basic level trained and worked in a montessori nursery for over 4 years, the tray you have set up is fab, only thing i would say is maria montessori say to keep things simple, so only one funnel, cup and jug

i set up activities for alesha, i only do one or two a week, her current one is a ice cube tray and some small metal tongs, a bowl and inside the bowl is enough glass stones for one each of the cubes in the tray, took her some time to get the nack of this one, but she loves trying to do it for herself once i have shown her, and silence during teaching is the key too,

enjoy your montessori journey

Hun everything your doing is amazing! Will be keeping my eyes peeled as I really find I lack imagination when thinking of fun activities to do with Pearl.
I have been wanting to set up an art area for Pearl for a while and we have a little table and chairs in the shed so may copy for chalk paint idea. I had been tempted to paint the wall but worried she would try and draw on non chalk walls as well.
We also have some ikea shelves which I have shorted into section. Art, music , imagination, books ect ect.
Will you be getting any of the texture blocks ( sorry don't know there names) ? I saw them on a visit to a montessori school and they looked great. They also had some smelling jars which Pearl was really interested in.

only thing i would say is maria montessori say to keep things simple, so only one funnel, cup and jug

Thanks for your input! I know I should keep things simple but Leo saw all three funnels (just bought them today) and so had to have all 3 funnels. If I had try to put just one on the tray it would have just been a fight instead of a nice experience. That said, he did quite like picking which funnels to put in which bottle and liked dividing the water between the bottles so it worked for us. I'm not going to be doing things strictly Montessori style, just winging it as we go. But it's good to remember that if he's struggling with something to strip it down to absolutely as simple as possible.

Oooooh loving the funnel idea -Ewan is water mad so will give that a go although he's not quite as controlled as Leo so I can see us all getting very wet. I've learnt my lesson with his water table and think I may try this outside for the first time we give it a go.