The Kavanaugh Report

I just love the preschool years, there is so much exploration, learning, and just watching your child become a fuller version of themselves. It's in these years that our children develop strong individual interests. They want to explore with their senses, still love familiarity, and are ready for new experiences. At 5-years-old, there can be a broad range of interests, skills, and desires which can make it difficult to have a one-size-fits-all gift list. But, in this Montessori friendly birthday gift list, we'll get some really great choices that new 5-year-olds will really love!  I'm shopping this list right now as my fourth child. Somehow my tiny baby Ted is turning 5 in just a couple of weeks. It feels like he was just born yesterday.  Montessori Favorites for 5-year-old Birthdays Here are some great Montessori friendly toy choices for a new 5-year-old. Remember when you are making choices to keep your individual child's interests in mind. Here are some Montessori fr...

There is a pervasive myth in Montessori circles, especially online, that children start to read very early. That Montessori somehow seamlessly launches children into reading in their preschool years with very little effort. And, while that might be true for a selection of Montessori preschoolers, it has not been true for my children. Reading has been a longer journey* for most of them, it's something that has required a lot of conscious effort. I want to normalize that in Montessori spaces.  (tracing a sandpaper letter with R2-D2 toy!) Montessori is lovely for children that learn easily and quickly. It allows them to move at their individual pace and work on more challenging work as they are ready. If they are ready to start reading, they can! No one and nothing holds them back, and that is truly a gift. But, the same is true for those children that need a little more time to learn a particular skill. They have the freedom to repeat as much as necessary. To return to work on their ...

Two-year-olds get all my love. They are just the most interesting, passionate, funny, and loving little people. And when they are put in an environment that is created just for them, it is incredible how capable they are. Our days at 2-years-old follow a pretty predictable rhythm of activity that allow our toddler to focus on the activities that call to her. Through her chosen activities she is able to meet her developmental needs. And, its really a joy to watch. Remember, that each two-year-old is going to be unique. And, every family is unique. So the exact materials that my child is working with may not meet the ones that your's is interested in. Make sure your observations of your child's needs drive your shelf choices.  Montessori Toddler Favorites 25 Months to 27 Months I've broken Penelope's skills, activities, and favorite toys by general category, but at this age there aren't clear lines between activities. So while art activities work on fine motor skills...

Maria Montessori talked extensively about the importance of the hand to human development. Our hands make us unique. Our hands give us the ability to express our intelligence through action. As a result, Montessori environments will have a lot of opportunities to refine hand movements through both fine and gross motor work. Watching this work unfold is really quite special. And, it's been particularly fascinating with my left handed child.  Out of my five children, one is left handed. So I wanted to share some of the observations I've made and some of the ways we have prepared our environment for left handed success. I do want to say that I am far from an expert here, so this has just been my personal experience. As always, you should base your actions off of your own observations of your child, and their unique developmental needs.  Parenting a Lefty with Montessori As a righty, married to a righty, with four other righty children, we were surprised with it became clear that ...