The do-it-yourself montessori materials: 22 items for children to sew and make step by step

Fabrics, needle and thread and a lot of willpower: here is a manual for making many objects useful for the growth of the little ones at home.

He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

A precious manual for making 22 objects at home following the Montessori principles is now available online and in bookstores. A beautiful gift idea for young and old

For babies and older children, for those who already go to school and to sit at the table, to play and to learn, the Montessori method is now applied in many schools around the world and beyond: even at home it is not like that. It is complicated to approach this pedagogical system, which has a lot of manual and do-it-yourself skills. But what if we're not that good with our hands?

The answer can come from Laurence Loiseau-David, former model maker for several stylists and now assistant at kindergarten, who in a magnificent book - DIY Montessori Materials 22 useful and beautiful objects for the growth of your child (Terre di mezzo Editore) out today - packed a myriad of brilliant ideas for make twenty-two objects with ease useful for the motor and sensory development of every child, from birth up to 6 years.

All you need are plain, colored or black and white fabrics, needle, thread and a sewing machine: with these tools and step by step instructions contained in the manual, it will not be difficult to make games and objects to stimulate children following the Montessori method.

For example, small cushions of different textures and weights, dressing pictures to learn how to tie, close and open, a puzzle ball, a soft carpet on which to walk with bare feet, or a small extravagant carousel.

The do-it-yourself montessori materials: 22 items for children to sew and make step by step

Here are all 22 ideas to carry out with your puppies:

Index

The puzzle ball

In Japan it is given to newborns as a lucky charm, in the United States it is called the Amish ball, the puzzle ball is a fundamental object in Montessori pedagogical teaching.

The sensory pillows

In the Montessori method, sensory cushions are used to develop the sense of touch, but also that of smell, allowing you to discover various scents with herbal or spice fillings.

The patch

It is a flexible mattress especially suitable for the first 8 weeks of life

The multi-fabric pentagonal ball

To stimulate sight and touch and encourage the child to reach his goal without putting him in front of failure, because it rolls slowly and remains within his reach

The fleece carpet

An essential item for babies (and older ones)

The geometric carousel in black and white

Especially useful from a visual point of view: it is not made to be touched or grasped, it must not be musical or equipped with a mechanism to turn (the normal movements of the air are enough to move it delicately) and it must not be too colored, white and black will do just fine. Often the merry-go-rounds on the market are too fast, too noisy and too stimulating

Read also: Montessori mobiles from 0 to 1 year, what they are and how to make them at home

The fabric books

With which the child discovers the different elements that compose it by touch and develops his sensitivity by distinguishing the parts in relief, the contours and so on.

The black and white patchwork checks

For the Montessori pedagogical method, it is advisable to insert black and white images in the child's environment, a contrast to which he is particularly attracted.

Stereognostic bags

The Greek stereos means "solid" while gnosis indicates knowledge. With these bags, the child is encouraged to recognize the shape and volume of objects through touch

The frames of the lacing

In the Montessori method, lacing frames are wooden frames with fabric inserts that tie together in various ways. The frame can be made up of screwed or glued pieces, with a square or round section, or it can be a simple photo frame

The perpetual calendar

Usually it begins with "Che tempo fa", understandable from 2 years, followed by "The seasons", which can be associated with the circle of the year and finally "Today" for the date, when the child learns to read

The garland of the name

With this garland the child learns to compose his own name with the help of different locking systems, but with the possibility of hooking the letters together in only one way

The circle of the year

In the Montessori method, the birthday is celebrated with a real ceremony: the child takes his place in the world thanks to the elements that surround him and of which he is a part: the Earth, the Sun, time, space

The cushions to insert

Similar to the game of stringing the beads, but with fabric elements, to give a different feeling compared to that of the traditionally used wood

The cards to bind

These are tools that help the child develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination

The sensory-motor carpet

It offers the child the opportunity to discover tactile sensations and thus to develop kinesthetic sensitivity. Walking barefoot along the path, the child becomes aware of the importance of touch

The cases for the thematic cards

Used during the sensitive period of image assimilation and for that of language assimilation, which ends around 3 years

The bib with press studs

Which follows the purpose of helping the child to become more autonomous, between the ages of 2 and a half and 3. He can put it on his back like a cape, holding the tabs, fasten it with snaps and then carry it on his chest.