Need gift ideas for Montessori preschoolers

[aratiaw]

DD1 and one of her friends are turning three soon and both are starting at a Montessori school in the new year. DD will get some toys for her birthday but I'd also like to get a birthday gift/s for each girl that is more recognisably Montessori. I had thoughts of making a set of sandpaper letters - but would that sort of thing be much use if there are no other M materials in the home? Any suggestions?

[jenfl]

Hmm. If they were a bit older, I'd suggest a moveable alphabet? That way, they could write things at home. But they're probably a while from using that.

Of course, they'll have plenty of exposure to "materials" at school. Maybe just simple, imaginative toys and art supplies?

[ADirrim]

How thoughtful! Making a set of sandpaper letters would be lovely and useful as they will begin using them this year to begin learning sounds (you do not need additional items to use them- their parents could have them find things around the room that begin with that sound, trace the letter and then fingerpaint it in a cookie sheet, eventually even cut things out of magazines that begin with them- Lynne Lawrence's book Montessori Read and Write has many other ideas and step by step suggestions if they need it).

Other things to think about:
If their home is not equipped with child-sized equipment, some practical life materials would be lovely. Child sized household cleaning tools (broom, mop, etc), a little dish set (where they can set the table or pour water from a pitcher into small cups), or a nice little cooking set to use with mom or dad (Molly Katzen has some great kids books for this purpose- Pretend Soup) that would be really nice. Practical life lessons are the first thing children learn. Montessori Services has a nice catalogue for Montessori families called [I]Small Hands[I], they also have really nice, high-quality, books in there:

http://www.forsmallhands.com/store/

Finally, I am a big fan of Michael Olaf's Montessori Catalogue and it will has a great explanation of how each item would relate to a Montessori classroom. Everything they sell is of high quality. They have really nice art supplies (Stockmar crayons, etc) too.

http://www.michaelolaf.com/CWcontents.html

Finally, I think Aline Wolf's books: Andy and His Daddy or Look at the Child make really nice sentimental keepsakes.




Hope that helps!
Abigail Miller
www.bloommontessori.com
http://bloommontessori.blogspot.com/

[daytripper75]

http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-Tea-.../dp/B00003GPDU

Something like this would be fun and very Montessori.