Montessori mobiles are some of the first materials that a baby will use in a Montessori home. They are a great way to engage a baby even before they have a ton of movement. Theodore is my third baby to use the Montessori mobiles from birth. At week 6 week have introduced three mobiles (one DIY and two traditional). For Teddy, here has been our timeline so far:
Birth: Munari Inspired
2 Weeks: Traditional Munari
5 Weeks: Octahedron Mobile
This is just when we introduced each mobile. At this time (6 weeks) I am rotating between the mobiles at different times of the day. So his first time I might have the Octahedron out, and then later in the day use the Munari. I'm flexible about this and just follow his interests. As long as mobile is grabbing his attention then it stays in our rotation.
Benefits of Montessori Baby Mobiles
So clearly I love the Montessori mobiles, but, why should you use them? Here are a few reasons I love them:
Visual Development
Babies are born with under developed eyesight. The Montessori mobiles meet a baby exactly where they are in terms of eye sight. The first mobiles are high contrast, then move toward distinguishing between colors and eventually to more complex shapes. They are exactly they right for what a baby needs at this stage.
Like many Montessori materials the mobiles offer exactly what a baby needs in the moment - nothing more, nothing less.
Avoiding Overstimulation
Unlike so many traditional baby toys, the mobiles aren't overstimulating for babies. They aren't flashing lights, sounds, moving around or restricting the baby's movement. They aren't trying to distract a baby or influence a baby's play choices. So often these toys are so overwhelming. A baby gets fussy and then they are given another toy to attract their attention until they are once again completely done.
Instead, the mobiles isolate the visual sense. A baby is free to look at and engage with a mobile or not. Simply by looking away, a baby can engage with something else. When a baby is tired, they can simply doze off under the quiet, gentle, slow movement of the mobile. Or turn their attention to something else in the environment.
Opportunity for Concentration
Babies are born with the ability to reach deep concentration. But, like any other skill, it is something that needs to be practiced to grow and develop. If we want our children to be able to concentrate, giving them space and time to practice that concentration is important. The mobiles give this opportunity to babies.
Since the mobiles isolate a baby's learning to just one sense (like many Montessori materials) they are able to deeply focus. In these moments they build their powers of concentration which they carry with them as they move to other materials as they grow.
Even if you don't use them all, Montessori mobiles are a great material for babies! I'll share more of Teddy's journey through all the mobiles as he grows!
Have you seen benefits of the mobiles?
Have you seen benefits of the mobiles?
This post is week 6 of my Montessori baby series focusing on Teddy, read more on Week 6 here: Montessori Baby Week 6 - First Mobiles
