Montessori for Under $10

Montessori sometimes has a reputation that it is really expensive. Sometimes people think that in order to "be Montessori" you have to spend a ton of money on fancy wooden toys. But, in reality, there is so much Montessori to be done without spending a ton of money. There's so much that I can't possibly share every DIY, or easy to purchase product. But I wanted to share a few ideas that come to mind. 

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First, and most importantly, you can make changes to your parenting style to be more inline with Montessori. These ideas cost NOTHING and are more important than anything you could buy. This includes showing respect to your child, offering your child choices in daily life, getting on your child's level to speak with your child, following your child's interests, and just slowing down to your child's pace! These are the important Montessori changes that cost nothing but make all the difference. 

There are tons of simple changes you can make to your home to make it more accessible to your children, and therefore, more Montessori friendly. Here are few inexpensive ideas:

• Use hooks - bring things down to your child's level 
• Large step stool - stools are a great way to give access to your home 
• Wooden trays - these small trays can help organize lots of materials 
• Add a small plant - you can find plants for cheap or grow from seeds in your home, these add beauty and practical experiences 
•  Use postcards/calendars/small art pieces and hang as low art {animals | museum art | natural art} 

Practical Life

Practical experiences are so important in Montessori, and so many wonderful tools can be found for under $10: 

• Wavy Chopper | Nylon Knives - great ways to introduce kitchen work to young children 
• Small pitcher | smaller pitcher -- super easy for pouring drinks 
• Small scrubber | Wooden Scrubber  - for everything from dishes, to tables and floors
• Small Tools screwdrivers | hammer - children can use real tools for a variety of practical tasks
• Garden tools - these are a great size for practical work 

Toys 

Here are some classic Montessori friendly toys for under $10! 

• Magnetic letters 
• Art supplies -- Watercolor paint | modeling clay | rock crayons | paint sticks 
• Baby balls
• Montessori baby peg/cup, egg/cup - a classic baby toy
• Pocket microscope 

DIYs 

And, of course, there are TONS of DIYS you can make for your child at every level. Whether you are looking for toys, traditional Montessori classroom work, or gross motor equipment, a DIY may be possible, depending on how creative you are! Here are some cheap DIY ideas: 

• Continent globe 
• Sandpaper letters
• Balance beam 
• Pull up bar
• Montessori mobiles
• Object Permanence Box
• Bolt Boards

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