It’s time to change the way we see babies.
Drawing on principles developed by the educator Dr Maria Montessori, The Montessori Baby shows how to raise your baby from birth to age one with love, respect, insight, and a surprising sense of calm. Cowritten by Simone Davies, author of the bestselling The Montessori Toddler, and Junnifa Uzodike, it’s a book filled with hundreds of practical ideas for understanding what is actually happening with your baby, and how you can mindfully assist in their learning and development. Including how to:

• Prepare yourself for parenthood–physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.
• Become an active observer to understand what your baby is really telling you.
• Create Montessori spaces in your home, including “yes” spaces where nothing is off-limits.
• Set up activities that encourage baby’s movement and language development at their own pace
• Raise a secure baby who’s ready to explore the world with confidence.

THE MONTESSORI BABY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION

It’s time for a change in the way we see babies
Why we love babies
What we need to know about babies

How to read this book

What babies are really telling us
 

2 Introduction to Montessori

What? Montessori education for babies?

A brief history of Montessori

What is Montessori?

Some important Montessori principles

            - Absorbent mind

            - Human tendencies

            - Sensitive periods
            - Observation

            - Prepared environment
 

3 From conception to the first 6 weeks

Before the baby arrives

            - Wanting for baby

            - Conception to birth
The birth

Symbiosis - the first 6 to 8 weeks with our baby

The voice of the newborn: an interview with Karin Slabaugh

4 Setting up the home

Setting up Montessori-style spaces

8 tips for setting up the home

Babies do not need that much

Create “yes” spaces

Observe and rotate

Room by room

Floor bed questions

Tips for tricky situations

            - Spaces where there are older siblings

            - Small spaces

            - Getting rid of the clutter

What’s next - preparing the home for a young toddler

Benefits of setting up our home Montessori-style

House tour

A Montessori home from the baby’s perspective by Zach

5 Montessori activities for baby

PART 1 Introduction to activities

How can we support our baby’s development

How to choose activities for our baby

Our role is to prepare the environment, not be the entertainer

How to help if our baby is stuck or struggling

PART 2 Language activities

0-3 months

3-6 months

7-9 months

9-12 months

12+ months

Bilingualism

PART 3 Movement activities

Activities to Support the Development of Movement

0-3 months

3-6 months

7-9 months

9-12 months

PART 4 Other

Music

The Outdoors

Further notes on activities for babies

            - Spontaneous exploration with objects

            - Dressing for movement

6 PARENTING THE MONTESSORI BABY

Trust

Acceptance

Respect

Having kind and clear boundaries

Encouraging concentration

Freedom of movement

A secure attachment

When our baby cries

Be their guide

Framing their view of the world

Foster connection with our baby

Go slow

7 PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE

PART  1 DAILY LIFE

Daily rhythm

Eating

Sleeping

Teething

Using a pacifier

Travelling in the car

Baby wearing

Sharing

Colic & reflux

Screentime

PART  2 PHYSICAL CARE

Clothing

Diapering

Bathing the baby

PART 3 CHALLENGES IN DAILY LIFE

What to do when behaviours change? Hitting/throwing/biting/pushing

What if the baby is clingy and won’t let us put them down?

How can I stop them touching things? When will they stop putting things in their mouth?

What to do when we are cooking or need to do errands?

How can you do Montessori on a budget?

PART 4 OTHER

Siblings

Twins

Premature babies

Adoptive parents

Physical disabilities or neurological difficulties

8 PREPARATION OF THE ADULT

Preparing ourselves

Intellectual

Physical

Emotional and spiritual

49 ideas for staying calm

Do our best

9 WORKING TOGETHER

We don’t walk alone

            - It’s ok to ask for help

            - Working with our partners

            - Working with grandparents and carers

            - Being a single parent or co-parent

Getting on the same page

What to look for in a nursery or carer

Saying goodbye to our baby

Notes for our visitors - grandparents, friends, carers

10 WHAT’S NEXT

The toddler years

The following years

              - The child from 0-6 years

            - The child from 6-12 years

            - The child from 12-18 years

            - The child from 18-24 years

The path to peace
 

BONUS Real stories

MONTH BY MONTH SUMMARIES

FURTHER READING

APPENDICES

Junnifa’s observations of Solu - birth to 15 weeks

Where to find materials

DIY activities

            - How to make Montessori mobiles and patchwork ball

            - How to make a topponcino

            - DIY object permanence box

            - Rings on a peg or dowel

            - Rattles - to come

            - Ball Tracker

Equilibrium and hand timeline

Psychomotor timeline

Primitive reflexes - to come

Montessori activities by age - 0 to 12 months