A few months ago, I saw a “different” toy in the dollar section at Target and couldn’t resist to buy it. I didn’t know its name, tried to Google it but I failed. Later on, while visiting an Historical attraction, I found the toy again as one of the colonial toys here in New England, and there was its name: Jacob’s ladder. Here’s a link to Wikipedia about it.

Then, I found some videos on YouTube with great things you could do with it like, the letters of the ABCs, a dancer, dog, horse, some magic tricks, etc. I loved it! And started to teach Pinky some tricks to do with it. She was interested for a while but not as much as I would love (Oh well!). In order to help her to make the ABCs letters, I did some cards just like the ones I did for the Legos in here. 

If you would like to give them a try with your kids, here they are (there are 2 letters missing because I really couldn’t made them .)

Have fun and remember to…….

Want to get inspired, just go and check these links:

I know is great to play and, while we are having fun, we don’t realize the mess we are creating. But, how do you feel when this happen every single day of your life??? I was done!!! It is kind of frustrate to tide a place one day just to have to do it the next day again and again and again. Furthermore, the amount of toys available don’t help too much.

I have been looking at all those beautiful Montessori bedroom around Pinterest and was kind of envy by not having that at home. Ok, I know it’s my daughter’s bedroom but our “organization” was NOT functioning at all. It is one of those moments when you feel that something is not ok. If you can’t visualized, here is what I’m talking about:

What’s wrong with this place: Too many colors, not peaceful, not enough space available for organization, TOO MANY TOYS!!!

After many weeks thinking about it and searching for ideas, I just wanted to answer this question: How would I be able to have a “Montessori bedroom” following my daughter’s needs (her age, “independence” and her likes) and mine (organization, peaceful and cute place, budget). My answer: Montessori has to meet a Fairy, Princess, “Mommy”, chef, shoes lover, books lover, costumes lover, small animals, cars, dolls and objects lover.

Therefore, here is when Montessori met Pinky!!! 

 

Pinky’s Montessori-inspired room.

 

Entrance. She loves princesses, so I bought this cute fairies decal, and the tree made it with a decorative Dollar tree contact paper ($1) Thanks to my friend Monica for such an awesome idea!. A shoe holder for a shoe lover, all available on a first sight, not as before that we where using that green basket that just ended with a mess whenever she was looking for a pair of shoes. Now the basket holds balls, helmet and other outside toys (we live in an apartment so we don’t have the advantages of a house). He iron board has a place available now. Added a plant, Mr. green is its name!.

View from her bed (peaceful???). On the wall: her own art framed, a mirror on her level, and with the extra contact paper, I made music notes for her music basket (toy guitar, xylophone, tambourine, flutes, etc.). Two new small bookshelves holding some toys, books, favorite stuffed animals (gave away all the rest), a radio and a green basket FULL of customs.

Pinky’s drawing: Ariel with flounder and Sebastian the crab playing on the water with a rainbow on the sky. Ahhh my little artist!!!! I have Lots of her amazing art pieces. There’s talent for sure!!. Next, there’s a shoe holder functioning as a princesses, barbies bed. Yeah!!! no more princesses around on the floor because they have they’re place to sleep, plus they are available at first sight so no more mess while looking for the desired one!

Her closet that has its function plus acts as a hiding/reading place (see at the end). Thinkerbell bows holder (made it recycling a box, glued a Thinkerbell picture and ribbon- glue a penny at the end of the ribbon to give it some weight). A mommy’s corner with her babies, stoller, swing. On the wall a frame of a picture of her actual preschool classroom and a drawing her best friend Sara made for her (Awwwww!)  with a picture of the two of them. A bind case holding all the miniature toys, Legos, animals, etc.

A doll house, doll cars, a bookshelf holding more books especially Dr. Zeus, Spanish and French ones and Princesses, lamp, a wipe case used as a hair bands holder. Next, there’s Pinky’s bed (it a transitional crib which I will like to change but it is not on the budget now. Montessori use a floor bed but since Pinky is finally used to her bed and she can get up and down whenever she likes (because her age), I’ll stick with it. I decided to change her crib into a toddler bed around her 17 months old but using the 2 little frames and a pillow on the floor just in case but this bed is not that high. On the wall a few more Thinkerbell pictures. I can’t help myself because being Puertorrican, I love to have things hang out on the walls. lol

A tiny chair, her Kitchen and a table where we practice the Piano lessons (she is getting good at it!). This table function also as a small toys place to play and art table (found it for Free!).

 

Reading-hiding place closet

Pinky loves books and to hide in the closets. Since she used to hide on mine and it wasn’t safe for her, I decided to make her closet available for her personal delight. Let me tell you, she enjoy it and her friends, too! I love it because it keeps its principal function holding her clothes (which she makes sure to have available because she uses her tiny chair to reach them. A little bit of challenge is good too. You will be amaze of what the can do by themselves!). I bought her a huge giraffe pillow when she was 11 months old and finally was getting on the way around the apartment but no more because now she keep it here. (Happy mommy dance!) 

Yes, that’s her cribs frame repurposed into a books holder.

For this year on Valentine’s day, dada wanted to buy her a HUGE HUGE teddy bear (uffff!!!), and he did. The teddy bear was in the middle of the bedroom creating more mess, but now he is acting as a cute and wonderful pillow and friend on reading-relaxing time. (yeah!!!). Behind the closet door, I added two closet lights, so when she closes the doors to hide inside she still can see (mysterious????) Also there’s a princess chalk decal my friend Monica gave us adding fun to the place (Thanks!!)

Isn’t that a comfy place!!!

That’s how Montessori came, met Pinky and helped mommy! Our room is still on more changes like giving away more unused toys but I believe the change has to be little by little for Pinky to be adapt. So far, she knows were everything goes and cleaning time is getting better.

 

Want more ideas?? Here’s a post from Deb at Living Montessori Now with lots of ideas for a Montessori rooms.

Linking to:

I saw this one on Pinterest (here’s the link to the post) and was on my to-do-list for a while until I got the best opportunity to give it a try: a sitting day! Oh boy, it was LOTS of fun. It was tried by TWO almost 4 years old girls and got 4 thumbs up (lol….two thumbs up for each girl). They had a great time; they laugh, cleaned their cars, dance, laugh a bit more and I even got the windows cleaned up, sort of!  The best thing about this is you won’t need too much time to prepare it when you are needing something ASAP.

Just a note: do not blow it in because your will get the opposite reaction: all the foam get inside the bottle and maybe into your mouth, lol.

Try it.

You’ll love it!!!

Coming form a beautiful island, Puerto Rico, I am always trying to teach Pinky about the beauty of nature. The pros about living in the States are the seasons appreciation. All the splendid changes, the weather, the plants, the animals. The cons are the nearby family, of course, and the missing never ending summer, the sun, the beaches, the peaceful sound of the “coquies” at night, the exposure to nature everywhere. Inside home (lizards, coquies, ants, etc. that make it inside with such a great ability), on your not fenced yard, within the curved country roads, at our country house. How much I miss my pretty Puerto Rico!

I had to learn how to love (or at least tolerate..oopps sorry about the sincere feeling!) the changing weather, how to survive the cold Winter, my Spring allergies and the short Summers. I have to do it because I want my daughter to love every bit of our nature, our earth. I want her to take care of our world and be grateful for the beautiful gift. In order to achieve this learning, sometimes I have to slow down the stressful day, forget the chores, and just listen to what God is gifting us.

Here’s what we heard:

 

Have a Great Week and Keep Listening!!!