Once a quarter, I will be sharing my top 5 Montessori-inspired items with you. These will be tried and tested by my little one, Jamila Noor. They can include anything from toys, to books, to furniture items, and include the items most used and loved by her, so you know that everything is 100% child approved. 🙂
This quarter, Jamila moved from being an 8 month old baby just starting to crawl, to a 10 month old almost-toddler – confidently moving around the house, coasting on furniture and developing a cheeky little personality. Alhumdulilah, how time has flown!
It was difficult to narrow down her top 5 this quarter, because she’s made such huge leaps developmentally, and her interests are constantly changing as she learns to master new skills. However, the 5 items below have been consistently reached for and were useful in helping her to achieve her milestones.
Object Permanence Box
Between 8 to 10 months, babies begin to realise that objects continue to exist when they can no longer see them. An object permanence box is a great way to support this discovery and has also been pivotal in establishing Jamila’s hand-eye co-ordination. Initially she struggled to put the ball into the hole, but now she gets it in confidently almost every time, Alhumdulillah.
Book Display
We recently brought Jamila the Ikea Flisat Book Display, and absolutely love it. One of her favourite activities is being read to, and she’s recently started to choose a book herself and sit in her reading corner. I love to see her chuckling as she flicks through the pages, even if she doesn’t understand them just yet! Book displays are great as they allow your child to view the book covers, so choosing the one they want is so much easier.
I Say Alhumdulillah, by Noor H Dee Iput
My sister brought a set of ‘Good Little Deeds’ books for Jamila on Eid, and they VERY quickly became her favourites. We love this one in particular, as whenever Jamila sneezes she looks around the room for myself and my husband, anticipating our ‘Alhumdulillah!’, which she finds hilarious.
Ice Cream Mould
This ice-cream mould has been a game-changer with teething. Jamila was an early teether and is currently pushing out tooth number 9! I’ve been freezing some yogurt and strawberries (her favourite), and they provide fast relief for her sore gums. They’re also great for hand-eye co-ordination, and they’re something we can make together as she grows. I’d strongly recommend these to any parent of a teething baby.
Rope Baskets
I use these rope baskets to display toys in Jamila’s shelf. As they’re soft and made of rope rather than wicker, I don’t need to worry about her accidently hitting herself with them, or causing any scratches on the floor. They’re the perfect size to hold sensory balls, puzzle pieces, or building blocks.
Montessori Muslim 