my new website

It's finally done! My web-site! Please check it out at bellascasa.com

this is good

This Montessori classroom is so beautiful!

Check out this Montessori parenting ideas for summer from Michael Olaf company. So informative and fun!!!

graceful dancers

Here is what you need to make this mobile.

the dancer

3 Music wires, 2- 9" and 1-15"(Ace hardware), 4 different holographic papers(Joann), black thread, thin needle, scissor, monofilament

1. cut out the dancers, using this pattern

2. trace the cut out parts into the holographic paper

2. connect  the 3 body parts w. black thread

3. each dowel will have two dancers

4. tie the thread on to the ends of each dowels at       the length you'd like

5. find the balance point

6. do the same for the other two dancers on their dowel
7. find the balance point on the longer dowel and tie on a length of the monofilament and make a loop for hanging.

FYI-from what I understand (not having taken the Montessori Assistants to Infancy training), the Dancer is offered to the baby right from the beginning (0-3 months). It should be hung out of touching distance in front of the child while she is on her back. 

I hope these graceful dancers will enchant your special babies in your life.

montessori classic mobiles

These are the classic Montessori mobiles that I have made for my daughter. She had an absolute blast watching them as early as 3 weeks old.  As with everything in the baby's environment, I rotated the mobiles to maintain interest, starting from the Munari mobile. Babies reflexively prefer to look at high-contrast patterens. The black and white colors provide highest possible contrast to the eye, and thus, are most visible and attractive to babies.

  The Munari Mobile

The Octahedron Mobile

  The Gobbi Mobile

The Dancers

The Rainbow

Mobiles are important for the education of the visual sense according to Maria Montessori,“the higher development of the senses actually precedes that of the higher intellectual faculties.”

The visual mobiles are given to a baby  who is not yet reaching or grasping. They should not be hung so far away that the baby can't focus on them. These mobiles can be ordered here.

Directions for how to make your own Gobbi mobile can be found here.

This shows a baby enjoying a butterfly mobile, focusing and concentrating!!!

 Montessori Video, Infant - Concentrating, Focusing on a Mobile

Here are a few other mobile ideas that are very simple and aesthetic. The Joyful Child, (michaelolaf.com/store) is known for selecting the very highest quality and most appropriate materials for young children.

Stay tuned... in the next post, I will introduce how to make one of these mobiles! 

 

good books make me happy

This book, "A River of Words: The  Story of William Carlos Williams", by Jen Bryant is an absolutely beautiful book of art and words! It is gorgeously illustrated and I liked the sample text: "plums, wheelbarrows, fire engines, children, and trees"- the sort of vocabulary and rhyming that children love! 

Check out this blog for a thoughtful information on how you can help create a literate home environment for your children.

Just so you know...this is Chelyn's books in a basket in her bedroom. There are around 20 books on active rotation in different areas on our home as well as in our car.

Snack time

After months and months of looking for an interesting place to put Chelyn's snack, I found this corner shelf from an etsy shop,  buckcreekfurnishings. This beautiful corner shelf is truly like a tresure box filled with carefully chosen healthy snacks. The cabinet is just the right size for the little hands too!

In the cabinet, I have prepared  foods that are acceptable to eat in appropriate quantities. Every morning after the breakfast, Chelyn  relishes the chance to prepare  fruits or vegetables to add with the rest of her snacks. She washes  and cut them all by herself too!


Chelyn is free to prepare snack at any time and she proudly sets the snack table with a placemat, a napkin, a plate and a cup.  This creates an ability to make decisions and leads to independence.

She seems more eager to eat and more satisfied. And from my perspective, the added bonus of taking the time to create this environment is enormous.This activites are great way to encourage eating healthy snacks for growth and development, supporting life long healthy eating habits.

And just today, I was really excited to run into thekidcancook, a resource for creative ways to feed young children, with a focus on balance and presentation. After all, raising a healthy kid is not so difficult! Isn't it?

in the beginning

Welcome...
Bella's Casa is a special place for parents who want to provide their children with opportunities to discover all of the amazing things in the world around them. This is a place to learn and grow together with your children. I want to share my experience, both at home and in the classroom, with other parents and their children as they embark on a journey of lifelong learning. It is a wonderful resource for all parents who want to create (or enhance) learning spaces and activities that will grow a child's mind and instill confidence. My ultimate goal is to create a long-lasting community of parents as teachers, a supportive world filled with sharing ideas and ways to inspire our children.

I look forward to building our community.

Thanks for visiting.