We've been having lots of fun since M turned 15 months and started walking -real walking. Montessori was so right when she stressed the importance of the liberation of the hands. For a toddler it is a landmark to stand up and start walking. This leaves her hands free to explore, manipulate, transport, while being able to move around at the same time.*
Now that M doesn't need her hands to crawl, a completely new perspective opens up for her to explore and she seems to be thriving on it. One of the activities she has been enjoying recently is mopping the floor. Water is of course included and she never misses an opportunity to be near water. It has been pretty sunny here lately so most mornings we actually go outside and play with water and I love to see how M reports our doings to her father when he gets home.
May it be due to the change of position or to the 15 months, she is now willing to do everything by herself and imitation has become a great motivation. She wants to get dressed by herself, feed herself without any help, and spends some time putting on hats, headbands or necklaces and then peeping at the mirror.
She has picked up some new words, which she oftentimes uses (cheese, toes, sí, no, més, and pedra) and I am specially amazed by the logic of some terms she uses for more than one object or person. "Eyes" was one of the first words she started using while pointing at my eyes right away after waking up in the morning. However, later she has started using the same term for light and for glasses. I thought at first that the resemblance between the sounds /lait/ and /ais/ was the origin of such a fusion but what a silly girl must have I been. She is not that careless. There is some logic hidden in that selection. We see with the eyes, thanks to the light and with the help of glasses (in my case). She has always been very interested in glasses and long long ago I left an old pair in one of her discovery baskets for her to explore. It is not seldom that she reaches for my glasses before I have even gotten up from bed and waits for me to hand them to me, as if they were my crutches. Well, they unfortunately are...
Some other terms she uses in a very specific way are "aya" and "yaya". I mentioned the use of the latter in another post. The former was originally the name she gave her cousin -and sometimes babysitter- Clara, but later she has started using "aya" for young girls with long hair.
Another word she picked up lately was "més" (Catalan word for "more"). It took me a bit to see this, 'cause she would say "mémé" and it sounded similar to "mama" but rackink my brains I noticed she said it mostly when eating and I realized it had been her father's influence always asking if she wanted more (més). Interestingly enough "més" stands for "more", "again", and "the other one". When she is eating something she specially likes, she will keep telling you "més", "més". Then, recalling she played with water outside, she will peep through the balcony's door and proclaim "més".
Other activities we have been enjoying this week are baking and cooking. It was delightful to have such an enthusiastic kitchen assistant...
A complete novelty around here was painting with paint and brushes. I wanted to decorate Easter eggs and give painting a shot so I got down to work. When I set up the activity, I didn't really think M would be interested in painting with a brush, so I used fingerpaint and prepared myself for any kind of initiative. Much to my surprise, M took the brush and that's what she did:
Toilet brushing has also featured daily in our morning "program". Yes, I know what you are thinking. Yuk. She never had an interest in the toilet brush before but now that she does, I'd rather encourage her motivation for practical life activities than prevent them from taking place.
Although a bit late, I am now linking up to Melissa's Vibrant Wanderings. I owe her the inspiration for these updates in M's progress. I hope you enjoyed reading us. I wish you all a very nice Easter break!!!
* "By the time the child is fifteen months old, the early mission of hand and brain development is complete: the intellect, guided by information supplied by the hand, is developing, and the hand is now an effective tool" (...) "the child has accomplished an extraordinary feat: he has gotten himself ready for activities directed toward work with structured materials--in other words, for human activity". Lillard P.P. & Lillard Jessen L, Montessori from the start, p. 58.
Now that M doesn't need her hands to crawl, a completely new perspective opens up for her to explore and she seems to be thriving on it. One of the activities she has been enjoying recently is mopping the floor. Water is of course included and she never misses an opportunity to be near water. It has been pretty sunny here lately so most mornings we actually go outside and play with water and I love to see how M reports our doings to her father when he gets home.
She has picked up some new words, which she oftentimes uses (cheese, toes, sí, no, més, and pedra) and I am specially amazed by the logic of some terms she uses for more than one object or person. "Eyes" was one of the first words she started using while pointing at my eyes right away after waking up in the morning. However, later she has started using the same term for light and for glasses. I thought at first that the resemblance between the sounds /lait/ and /ais/ was the origin of such a fusion but what a silly girl must have I been. She is not that careless. There is some logic hidden in that selection. We see with the eyes, thanks to the light and with the help of glasses (in my case). She has always been very interested in glasses and long long ago I left an old pair in one of her discovery baskets for her to explore. It is not seldom that she reaches for my glasses before I have even gotten up from bed and waits for me to hand them to me, as if they were my crutches. Well, they unfortunately are...
Some other terms she uses in a very specific way are "aya" and "yaya". I mentioned the use of the latter in another post. The former was originally the name she gave her cousin -and sometimes babysitter- Clara, but later she has started using "aya" for young girls with long hair.
Another word she picked up lately was "més" (Catalan word for "more"). It took me a bit to see this, 'cause she would say "mémé" and it sounded similar to "mama" but rackink my brains I noticed she said it mostly when eating and I realized it had been her father's influence always asking if she wanted more (més). Interestingly enough "més" stands for "more", "again", and "the other one". When she is eating something she specially likes, she will keep telling you "més", "més". Then, recalling she played with water outside, she will peep through the balcony's door and proclaim "més".
Other activities we have been enjoying this week are baking and cooking. It was delightful to have such an enthusiastic kitchen assistant...
Toilet brushing has also featured daily in our morning "program". Yes, I know what you are thinking. Yuk. She never had an interest in the toilet brush before but now that she does, I'd rather encourage her motivation for practical life activities than prevent them from taking place.
* "By the time the child is fifteen months old, the early mission of hand and brain development is complete: the intellect, guided by information supplied by the hand, is developing, and the hand is now an effective tool" (...) "the child has accomplished an extraordinary feat: he has gotten himself ready for activities directed toward work with structured materials--in other words, for human activity". Lillard P.P. & Lillard Jessen L, Montessori from the start, p. 58.
There is so much going on with her! How exciting! I love that you got so many great photos of M in action. It's fascinating to hear about her language development, too, especially because of the careful attention you pay to it and the details you pick up on.
ResponderEliminarA has expressed interest in the toilet brush many times, but I have been too worried about a germy mess to let her use it. Perhaps that's one of those things I ought to just let go on. Once again you have inspired me!
Thanks a lot, Melissa. I always appreciate your comments and nice words.
ResponderEliminarIt is nice to feel that someone is reading what I write, and not just someone but the author of my absolute favorite blog -and not just reading but commenting as well! Thanks!