Montessori Mom

Montessori On A Budget is lovely. Check out the great spindle box idea.

My sister used pretty, reusable shopping bags as gift bags last year. It was like receiving two gifts!

Bring them when you shop and cut down on your throw away bags or reuse them again for your holiday giving.

You can make a nativity scene from many recycled items. This is a wonderful way to make a nativity craft from Popsicle sticks.
Use your creativity and make yours from spools, pots, spoons, paper cups and other reusable items from home.

This is a wonderful idea for a play kitchen stove and sink using a recycled cabinet and your creativity! This one is cheap and cheerful!

Pinterest.com is a great education resource for parents and teachers. Check out the site for great recipes, handwork and much more!

Make Montessori reading cards and use objects to match the cards this holiday. This is a great activity for a child who can not read or is an early reader.
For example, print out this bulb, print with colored paper or color it. Label the card with the word “bulb” and find an actual bulb and let your child match it to the card. This is a wonderful first step in understanding the process of reading.
About.com has many more Christmas printouts for this activity. Use items you have at home to make a set of cards and objects to match.

Make Montessori type reading cards for the holiday and New Years. You can use old greeting cards, pictures from calendars and magazines to make exciting cards.
Also, you can use printouts online. I like DLTK’S and Activity Village.
Archive
Holiday Three Part Cards

I noticed the furniture, dishes and basically all items for American Girl dolls are very expensive. I’ve been going to the local thrift store lately to purchase some great bargains for these dolls. I purchased small, toy wicker chairs for less than two dollars. A solid oak jewelry dresser was the perfect size and style for a doll’s dresser, and it cost less than three dollars! Just use your imagination when looking for great deals for your child’s doll’s items.
You can find doll clothes too. Just hand wash and iron them to make them look new.

After your child has mastered stacking wood blocks, add architectural building blocks. You can purchase a variety of different styles of blocks. These sets provide a wonderful lesson in architecture.
Here are two lessons about blocks.
Cubes and Blocks
Architectural Shapes

I like to make a simple Thanksgiving turkey centerpiece using a whole, fresh pineapple. Use the leaves of the pineapple for the tail, the fruit as the body and attach a turkey head. You can make the head with paper, felt or use a summer squash.
Here is a turkey centerpiece that looks much better than mine!
This one has a nice pattern and more creative turkey pinneaple centerpiece ideas.
This is a fun project to do with your children.

Make a cookbook with your child this holiday season. Write down the simple recipes your child likes to cook with you. You can make a recipe box, a notebook with the recipes printed out or a handwritten one with pictures and illustrations.
This family cookbook for kids is something my children loved to do with me.

The holidays are here and it’s wonderful to spend time with your children.
Let your children help you in the kitchen and be a part of your family festivities.

Here are some simple things young children can do.
Slice the cranberry sauce
Scrub with a brush and water potatoes and carrots
Grate cheese
Pinch off bread crumbs from slices of bread
Crush crackers in a baggie with a rolling pin

Show your child how to do these activities.
Words are easier to understand with actions.

When you celebrate Hanukkah make it a fun learning activity by making your own unique timeline .
Here are some links to help you.
Hanukkah Timeline
Chanukah Timeline
Hanukkah Crafts and Activities
Bob’s Place Hanukkah Printouts and Ideas

This beautiful Advent paper chain printout is a great way to teach handwork skills and enjoy the excitement of the holidays. Young children love this activity. This is a fun way to practice counting and number recognition too. Check out more at activityvillage.co.uk for more creative and fun ideas.

This turkey is easy to make and would make a wonderful family or school project. Check out the other fun ideas for Thanksgiving at Parents.

This video has a series of napkin folding to do with your child. You can fold napkins several days before you holiday event.
Here are some more to try.

Wikisori has a great collection of cultural printouts and worksheets. These would help any teacher or parent!

Montessori introduced very young children to geometric shapes. They were always popular with our students. Here is a fun classroom or family activity using geometric shapes to study architecture with art.

Visual perception of small and large objects are the first step in math readiness.
Sorting objects from smallest to largest is a great way to introduce the first steps of math. Use different sized balls or other items to put in order of size. Show your child how to do this, use as few words as possible and finally, let your child have a turn.

Use the printouts from Sorting from Smallest to Largest for the next step in your child’s mathematical development.

Fractions sometimes are confusing for younger and older children to understand. This lesson has a free printout game to teach fractions in a fun and easy way.