So...What is with those Hanging Froebel Yarn Balls??

That was my question after noticing that Nienhuis Montessori is
now selling a version of Froebelian hanging yarn balls
for toddlers. The stated purpose is:
"Use of this material provides the toddler practice in hand-eye coordination, recognition of color and the differences between 2 and 3 dimensional shapes."

Check the Niehuis version out here:
http://www.nienhuis.com/index.php?target=categories&category_id=1759&page=2

The rational straight from the Froebel USA website
for the original idea (known as a Gift 1) is:
"This Gift consists of 12 soft yarn balls of approximately 2" in diameter -- two balls each in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. One of each color pair has a string, the other does not. The string (approx. 6 inches long) has a loop on one end so that they can be dangled. It is introduced while the child is still an infant and is used for children ages 3 mos. (with adult participation) to 4 years. The balls come packed in a wood slide-top storage box. Froebel recognized that a ball is often a first or favorite toy of infants. It is lightweight and easy to grasp or hold. For Froebel, the ball symbolized unity because it is a complete whole, a pure form. The whole is the beginning of understanding and everything else is derived from the whole."
These can be purchased here:
http://www.froebelusa.com/froebel-gifts/gift-1-12-yarn-balls-in-box/

Here are some creative yarn balls from Etsy:

Toddler Trays

http://montessori-n-such.com/detail.aspx?ID=979

...or how to organize your activities for young
children. If your activity is organized on a tray
it isolates the activity and gives it a time (work cycle) and space
control. The child takes down the materials to
a rug (which is another space control) and lays
out the materials, does the activity, replaces the
materials on the tray and then returns the tray
to the shelf or cubby. The teacher/parent
replaces consumable items and its ready to
do again the next time or for the next child.
An important step for the teacher/parent is
to either display the work or put it in a journal
so there is a record and accountability
for the work accomplished. Sometimes this
can come in the form of a photograph of
the completed activity placed in a work
journal. If it is a stamping activity or small
book or similar consumable, the item
should be saved and/or displayed.
Some great examples of trays are
at Tot Trays here:
http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/TraysforTots.html
She gives some good storage ideas
as well. I store my materials in plastic
stacking drawers from Rubbermaid.
They are in primary colors and fit nicely
above between the spaces of my
oak shelves and the ceiling. Of course
they could be stacked up in a closet
as well or on shelves or just stacked
one on top of another in a corner.
Rotating your trays and activities
is important. I like the idea of setting
out equipment that will fit on trays
with guided activities, viz the small
red and blue rods, or numbers and
counters or part of the pink tower (the smaller cubes).
Anything that can fit on the tray
and be carried safely will work...so
be creative!
Kathy

New Geo Shapes for Toddlers!

Happy New Year!
Our friends at Young Minds at Play are
offering a coupon on their geometric shapes
puzzle. The quality is outstanding! I bought
several myself and they are really superb!
Here is a pix of my grandson working with Jeff's handmade materials.

Terrific Tesselations

Did you know that tesselations are a part of the Montessori cirriculum...
falling somewhere between sensorial and geometry;or maybe better
stated a sensorial application of geometric shapes? MWEI has
a nice webpage and illustrations here:
http://homepage.mac.com/montessoriworld/mwei/sensory/stessel.html
A video presentation is here:
 http://homepage.mac.com/montessoriworld/mwei/Course1/VideoCourse1/Tessellation.html

Jeff at Young Minds at play has made a beautiful set of wooden
shapes in trays following this idea which you can find here:
http://youngmindsatplay.com/tessellation_square
http://youngmindsatplay.com/tessellation_rectangular

Here are the patterns for the shapes to make control cards etc. :

Lots of Great Christmas and Winter Paper Craft

This site has so many great projects and graphics...

for those last minute cards and activities or for winter 

themed activities go here...

http://cp.c-ij.com/en/event/christmas/decoration/index.html

A Beautiful Nativity

...the birth of my grandson!  Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas Nativity Sets

I love the variety and beauty of these nativity sets. (I include
some to play with in the mix...see if you can spot them!)

Native Nativity

Japanese Kokeshi Nativity (my personal favorite!)

Crocheted Nativity

Olive Wood Nativity from the Middle East

German Nativity

Peruvian Nativity

African Nativity

Waldorfian Nativity

Little People Nativity

Polish Nativity

Nativity on the fountain at Temple Square