My first week teaching second grade, I walked my students down the hall to their very first dance class. It was a new dance teacher and I didn’t know what to expect. What I witnessed during that introduction lesson was extraordinary. It ranks in the top 5 teaching moments I’ve ever seen.
The underlying concept was deceptively simple, although it required a bit of gravitas, self-possession, and a flair for the dramatic. He did not utter one word the entire first lesson. Not one.
Through pantomime and modeling, he managed to establish the classroom routines, set clear expectations, and get the kids dancing. My students were absolutely enthralled.
The next year, when the dance teacher moved on, I decided to keep the lesson. I tweaked it, made it useful for my own purposes, but the essence was there. So it went that the first hour of the first day of school was spent in complete silence.
When I was starting out, I was fortunate to watch a lot of teachers in their classrooms, working their own brand of magic. I borrowed a lot of great ideas – ideas I use to this day as a parent.
The mom equivalent of this for me is checking out videos and posts. Sure, it’s not the same as watching learning unfold in real time, but it’s the best that I can get my hands on.
Whenever Rémy hits a new milestone, or runs headlong into a new childhood phase, I look to other moms for inspiration and guidance on what toys, activities, and practices are working for them.
Sometimes I find a ton of ideas that I can use, sometimes only a couple. No two lists are the same, and they all offer a slightly different perspective. I need that. We all do. We need to cast a wide net so that we can sort through the information and see what is going to work well for our specific child’s interests and development.
A few months before Rémy hit the 15 month mark, I started casting out my net for ideas. The Kavanaugh Report always offers a nice roundup of shelf work, as does The Teacher and the Tots, and Montessori in Real Life. I love that How We Montessori gives a good mix of shelf work and practical life practices.
I appreciate all these resources out there, giving me something to think about. And now that month 15 is behind us, I’m going to add in one more perspective. I give you our month 15: our unit of focus, indoor play, outdoor play, practical life practices, and favorite books. It’s everything and the kitchen sink.
If you want to see everything in action, check out our video, or keep reading for the detailed breakdown.
Unit of Focus: Color
I’m a curriculum designer by trade, so my fondness for units of overarching ideas should surprise no one. Units strengthen learning and help children see connections across multiple areas. I love them so darn much that I will, in the near future, delve into how to create a solid unit of focus.
Our focus has been on color for the past couple months. It has been fun to see Rémy first warm to the idea of color as an attribute, and then burn with the excitement of trying to connect colors to everything around him.
I’ll save a more in depth exploration of the unit for later, but here are some of the favorite color related activities from this month:
Scanning
A few times a week, we pull mama’s old art books off the shelves, and sit down to scan the images. I’m a fan of starting kids out with modern art to help them focus less on the subject and more on the elements, so we go with books like Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism, and Abstract Art.
After naming the artist, I point out the different colors used. Now, we cannot scan a painting without Rémy running to grab his…
Rainbow Stacker
At this point, these are the bee’s knees. There is nothing Rémy likes more than bringing over pieces of the Rainbow to books, toys, or play-doh, to show that he recognizes the colors.
Coloring
We’ve come to the place where he can scribble for a few minutes before sticking one of the Honey Crayons into his mouth. I consider this a giant step forward in our art making possibilities. While he is busy with making marks, I make sure to point out the different colors that streak across the paper.
Indoor Play
When looking for options to offer up to Rémy, I first stop to think about everything that I have observed. What is he working on? What needs are being met with outside play that don’t need to be hit as hard on the shelves? What is he doing with his hands? I ask a lot of questions, have a good think, and then pick things out.
This past Christmas, Rémy’s grandparents gave him a subscription to the Lovevery Play Kits. Every couple months we have opened up a new Christmas present, and a new set of toys that refresh our shelves. You will see the majority of toys are from those kits. When possible, I provide alternative options that would hit on a similar type of play.
Blocks
Rémy has worked his way up to being able to stack three blocks. It takes a considerable effort to coordinate the blocks to do so. Think of the basic engineering required in creating a mini tower!
The blocks he’s been playing with came in the Lovevery Explorer Play Kit, and there are only four of them. That was great when he was just learning how to stack and bang them together. Now I’ve got my eyes on a real block set like the Melissa and Doug Set.
Wood Dowel Stacker
We have two dowel stackers in the house – the Classic, and one that came in the Babbler Play Kit. They each do some things well, and I will use them at different times. Right now, we’re all about Lovevery’s version because the slight dowel movement helps him feel successful.
Nesting and Stacking Canisters
A whole lot of oatmeal, humus, and salsa were consumed in order to make this possible. Not that much actually – it only take 5 or 6 canisters of various sizes to create a great learning experience. Place them all in a big basket, and let the fun begin. He practices opening and closing lids, nesting, and stacking the canisters into towers.
Canister Nesting Set
This set came in the Explorer Play Kit before he was nine months old. He has loved it from day one, and continues to find the canisters a source of endless fascination. The set comes with three canisters, each with a lid that requires a different action to open. It’s been fun to watch him discover how to work each one.
Felt Nesting Bowls
What can I tell you… the theme of indoor play this month is stacking and nesting. This set of bowls came in a kit, but is no longer offered, which is a shame because he has enjoyed creating little fuzzy towers.
I think a nesting bowl set is a great idea, and is one of those supplemental play elements that can turn into a house or a pond or a boat. If we hadn’t received the felt set, I likely would have invested in the Grimm’s Wood Set.
Ball Chute
I’ll admit that when this came in the Babbler Kit, I wasn’t overly enthusiastic. It has a lot of bells and whistles. Usually, when that’s the case, I think the toy suffers from over design. Not this time.
Rémy has had a blast watching the balls swirl down into a box at the bottom of the chute. But the learning magic is really held in the box. It has multiple doors and openings, and he has worked at understanding each one. It continues to be a draw.
Coin Box
I was thrilled that a coin box came in one of our kits. It’s one of those classic Montessori activities that I knew Rémy would benefit from. To this point, he hasn’t been drawn to a lot of fine motor work (he would much rather be climbing something). And I was hoping to find an activity that he would latch onto. Luckily this did the trick.
Most traditional Coin Boxes come with a drawer to retrieve the coins. I like that design quite a bit. The one we are working with has a magnetic bottom that requires healthy doses of dexterity, problem solving, and frustration management. Ultimately, I think it provides some grit work, so I’m excited by that as well.
Wallet
This is another fine motor activity that has captured Rémy’s interest, and has held it for quite some time. The wallet came in the Thinker Kit at 11 months. At that point he just liked taking out the credit cards. He has slowly worked his way to being able to put the cards back (if I hold the wallet still), and partially unzip the zipper.
Wood Car and Driver
There were a few days this month where he only wanted to play with his car. He carried it everywhere. It joined us for lunch a few times. It has settled down now, but he still loves to take the little car on adventures around his playroom and kitchen.
Again, we lucked out because this car came in a kit, although Lovevery is no longer including it in future kits. That bums me out. This is well-designed car. But, I do have my eye on a couple cars as we expand our collection. The Sebra Wooden Car is gorgeous, and I am loving the old school feel of the Candylab Cars.
Music Basket
If it weren’t for our music basket sitting on the shelf, where would I redirect Rémy to when he starts drumming on the oven, or the window? He has always loved to drum using his papa’s big drumsticks, and he is all smiles when he starts pounding away.
The basket is filled with instruments that come as part of the Melissa & Doug Band-in-a-Box. He uses the tambourine as a drum, loves the clean metallic sound of the triangle, and walks around clanging the cymbals as if he were part of a marching band.
Shape Puzzle
Admittedly, this is an item on the list that doesn’t receive much love. He’s just never been into the wood shape puzzles. He started with a single circle puzzle that came in a kit, and then moved onto one that had Three Circles. He is currently working on this larger one that came in the Babbler Kit.
He pulls out the puzzle a couple times a week and then proceeds to place the circles in the correct positions and immediately take them out. I have only ever seen the puzzle completed a few times. He doesn’t seem driven to complete the puzzle; rather, it looks as if he’s working something out. It’s fascinating to watch.
Play-Doh
When we first introduced the magic doh, it was a set up activity. I would pull out the Play-Doh Tub a couple times a week, and we would smoosh and roll. Then I made the decision to put together a play-doh tray to sit on his shelves. It became his go-to activity. All. The. Time.
Pikler Triangle
We set up our Pikler Triangle when Rémy was seven months old. The first day he proceeded to climb to the top and then get confused about what he was supposed to do next.
Now at 15 months, he is able to independently climb to the top, wave to his proud parents, and then carefully maneuver himself over. If you ever want to see what pure happiness looks like, check out his smile at the top.
Medicine Ball Lift
This activity might be a little unorthodox, and you probably won’t find it on anyone else’s list, but it’s worth a mention. He’s been into exerting maximum effort by carrying chairs, pushing tables, and lifting heavy objects. Heck, he’s even tried lifting the car. But the medicine ball is one of those things that he comes to again and again.
Unicorn Rocker
Watch any old movie with a kids room, and you’re bound to find a well-worn rocking horse. It’s a classic for a reason.
Rocking creates a trigger for the brain to release endorphins, so it’s no wonder kids love to jump on and give it a ride. It also gives children a manageable balance and coordination challenge. Rémy has a Rocking Unicorn, but he still gets in on all the brain boosting benefits.
Outdoor Play
Rémy is what I call an outdoor cat. He’d much rather be outside running, climbing, splashing, and digging. So we tend to spend as much time as possible out in the fresh air.
Water Play
There’s two distinct types of water play that Rémy has engaged in this month. The first is non-immersed. This is when he stands outside of a bucket or pool, and scoops up water in his Watering Can, pitcher, measuring cup, or anything else handy. He then proceeds to pour said water all over the place. This type of play has improved his plant watering game tremendously.
The second type of play is what I’m calling tide pool play. It’s the type of play done in a kiddie pool. He works on all of the pouring techniques, splashes, drops heavy objects to the bottom, and pushes things around on the water’s surface. It’s so hot here in Los Angeles, that a pool that fits all of us is a must. We went with this Intex Easy Pool, and have spent hours in there.
Wagon Pull
The other day, we were having a conversation about how Rémy has no pull toy. There’s nothing being dragged around the house. But that’s not entirely true. He has a very red, very oversized pull toy. He started out by pushing our Red Wagon around the yard, running it into the poor trees and bushes. Now he’s graduated into pulling it.
Swing
We picked up a Heavy-Duty Swing pretty early on. It was something he enjoyed in small doses and with limited pushing. Now the kid wants to feel the wind in his hair, and a strong push on his back.
I’m thrilled that he’s taken to the swing, as it’s a real powerhouse activity. Not only does it work the muscles and helps develop balance, it also helps with sensory integration, improves focus, and helps with spatial awareness.
Neighborhood Walks
Living in a densely populated city during Covid means that the only time where he gets to really explore the outside world is during our walks through the neighborhood. I try to make the most of them. Some days I pick a specific subject to point out – trees, leaves, color, and doors. Other days, we just enjoy strolling along to the train station and waiting for one to pass through.
Dirt Play
This is where we’ve spent a solid chunk of our time, and I couldn’t be happier. I love our little dirt play so much; I put together a love letter of sorts. If you are interested in a thorough run down on the 10 benefits of dirt play, and the 10 bactivities we’ve been into, check out our video:
Practical Life Skills
Rémy is pretty stable on his feet, and is excited to do whatever big people do. So we’ve launched a handful of practical life practices.
Watering
Each morning for many months, Rémy watched his papa water the plants from the comfort of his backpack seat. He finally has started joining in on the fun. As his pouring technique has improved, so has his ability to water plants. He’s still working out the kinks, and isn’t totally accurate, but he loves the practice immensely.
Making the Bed
We have a big family bed that sits on the floor. Each morning, Rémy and I work on making the bed together. I introduced the bed making practice at 14 months. You can check that out below. Now he helps out by smoothing the sheets, tucking the covers under the bed, and placing a couple pillows.
Setting the Table
At snack time, Rémy carries over his Little Bowl, Cup, and napkin to his Weaning Table. At the moment he likes to nest and stack all of the items, which can be interesting depending on what makes it to the table first.
At the end of snack, he then carries his dirty dishes back to the kitchen. We’ve found that the kitchen tower is the perfect place to hold the bussed dishes.
Prepping Food
No matter how many exciting toys sit on the shelves, if I am in the kitchen cooking, then that’s probably where you will find Rémy. He wants in on all the action, and I do my best to oblige. We chop soft fruits and vegetables with his little Wood Knife, wash potatoes and carrots, and break mushrooms into pieces.
Sweeping
Rémy uses his Melissa & Doug Broom to help mama clean up after meals. Well, he mostly pushes dropped food around, but he has the very best of intentions. To me, it matters very little if he is actually helping; it’s all about the habits of the mind that we are establishing.
Brushing Teeth
This has been a bumpy road. When we first started, Rémy had a meltdown every time we brushed his teeth. After pressing pause, restarting, and trying a few different things, we have come to a place where he is eager to climb up and brush. Just getting him to this stage feels like a major victory.
Washing Hands
Unlike brushing his teeth, Rémy fell in love with washing his hands from the beginning. He continues to enjoy the sensory play of squishing soap between his thick fingers. And he is starting to get a sense of how hand washing is connected to other activities in the day, like diaper changes and food prepping.
Books
Interactive Read Aloud Baskets
To spice up reading time and help Rémy make connections between his books and the world around him, I’ve been putting together interactive read along baskets. These baskets are filled with items that relate to vocabulary words, and become a fun way enhance language development. For a run down on the baskets, check out this video:
Top 10 Favorite Books:
These are the books that he brought us to read again and again and again.
Colorful Foods: No longer offered
Disney Babies 1 to 10: No longer in print
Top 3 "Papa Books":
Der kleine Mondbär (Read in Swiss German :)
So that’s it – everything we’ve been up to. What are some of your favorite activities for this age? What has your little one excited? Please comment and share your ideas with us!
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