Using Montessori at home from birth has been one of my greatest joys as a parent. It's been so fun to prepare our environment for my children to really explore at their own pace. When it comes to Montessori activities for infants, there are so many possibilities. One that I have really loved for each of my Montessori babies has been our DIY pull-up bar!
Benefits of Using a Montessori Pull-Up Bar with Babies
There are many benefits to using a pull-up bar with babies. While every baby will find a way to practice their gross motor skills, a pull-up bar puts this skill exactly on their level. A pull-up bar gives babies a safe place to practice their new pulling to stand skill. At the bar, there's no fear that a heavy piece of furniture will topple over. Plus, it's hung at just the right height for success. The mirror adds visual interest and is fascinating for babies.
Learning to cruise along the bar is excellent strength building practice for learning to walk. Unlike walking a baby around, cruising along the bar is exactly at the child's pace and for the distance they are ready for.
Learning to cruise along the bar is excellent strength building practice for learning to walk. Unlike walking a baby around, cruising along the bar is exactly at the child's pace and for the distance they are ready for.
Making a DIY Montessori Pull-Up Bar at Home
Everyday, Nora is getting more and more mobile. She wants to pull up on everything and cruise along the furniture. So, I knew it was finally time to install a pull-up bar. I looked into purchasing a pull-up bar, but they are pretty expensive. I couldn't see justifying the cost for one item, especially when only one (or maybe a couple) baby would use it. So, we made our own! It was easy, cheap and fits perfectly into our space.
The whole set up cost less than $10 and took less than an hour to complete. We bought an unfinished handrail at Home Depot. Then, we used the saw available at the store, to cut it to size. I also choose to leave the wooden bar unfinished. I will rub it down with olive oil from time to time. But, this way Nora can safely suck on and teeth on the bar!
Hanging a Montessori Pull-Up Bar
We hung the bar at 17 inches from the floor for Nora's pull-up bar. When we moved this set up to our larger playroom for our three subsequent babies, we hung at 14 inches to make it a bit easier to grab on to. The exact height will really vary based on how big your babies are. They should be able to grab fairly easily from a seated positing and then walk along with their hands not far above their chests.
To hang, we just used screws that came with the hardware. Instead of hanging on an angle, we hung horizontally. It's very stable and I would feel confident that Nora (or even Henry) could hang on the bar without issue.
To hang, we just used screws that came with the hardware. Instead of hanging on an angle, we hung horizontally. It's very stable and I would feel confident that Nora (or even Henry) could hang on the bar without issue.
Nora loves the bar. She moving along the bar, smiling at the cute baby and teething on the bar. It makes me sad she's already so big, but it makes me happy to find something she loves so much.
Want more ideas to entertain a baby? Check out my Baby Activities Pinterest Board.
The Montessori pull-up bar is a safe, inexpensive item that can have many beneficial effects on babies’ physical and mental development. It may seem daunting to make a DIY pull-up bar for your home, but it's well worth the effort when you witness your baby's joy in their newfound abilities.
The Montessori pull-up bar is a safe, inexpensive item that can have many beneficial effects on babies’ physical and mental development. It may seem daunting to make a DIY pull-up bar for your home, but it's well worth the effort when you witness your baby's joy in their newfound abilities.
