Running parent-infant and parent-toddler classes is her big passion. She has been doing this for 7 years now and the last year she has got a place to rent. She sees so many transformations happening in her class with the parents and the children. The parents become much more secure in their role as parents, they trust their children more and on the other hand, children become more independent, more engaged in their work as they were before. This is what makes her driving and keep doing her work.
So let’s look at her fabulous class! I am so excited! I want to tell you more about every element so you have a deeper understanding of what is inside the classroom.
The photos are from the space that was prepared for 0-3. Twice a week she transforms the place to serve only for the babies. She removes high furniture and all the materials for 1-3 and adds only the ones for the babies.
The space is 40m2. I love it when the classroom has big windows. They are not always available because not all of us are lucky to find such place but you only look at it. Big windows fill the class with such amount of natural and warm light. Light plays a special role in forming a calm and beautiful space also.
The classroom is not full of bright colours but does it make it look worse? No, not at all. This combination of wooden furniture, calm colours, green flowers and some colour elements form all together beautiful and inviting environment.
Furniture is mostly from Ikea. She reworked some pieces so they are costumed to the children and the purpose.
This little table and chair can be used from abut 6 months. They help a child to form independence from the day they start to sit.They are just the appropriate size for children. A child should be able to touch and feel the floor with his feet. It helps them to feel safer.
Glass walls are my seconds love after windows. They add some kind of elegance to the whole space.
Here you can see practical life and food preparation area.
On the top shelf you can see from the top and left to right:
1. Red bin for organic waste, cutting board, and knives;
2. Big ceramic green bowl with handles is for scrubbing the chairs, tables, and kitchen board;
3. Tray with 2 cloths, one for wiping the spills and the other for cleaning the table. There is a small sweep and dustpan for the table beside the tray. It is for sweeping the crumbs or for cleaning after beans transferring;
4. The green basin is for washing the fruits and vegetables. There is a little brush and the pitcher inside.
5. Towels are for the wiping the floor for any water spills.
Pay attention that Mojca has a hook on the right side of this shelf and on the right side of the sink. This way children can access them easily.
On the left, you can see a child-sized sink. And here is an interesting moment – Mojca’s room doesn’t have plumbing. But the sink is completely functionating. She really wanted to have a running water in her room so she had to improvise. She wanted the water to be available for children. So she made a DIY portable child-sized sink. Her friend helped her out. She used this tutorial. The sink only provides the cold water and the water pump has a humming sound but the kids are ok with this. Mojca changes the fresh water for every session and empties the used water.
On top of this shelf, you can see a basket with fruits and a basket with cutters.
These are some other food preparation works that are available in the classroom.
There is a corner in the classroom where all the cleaning tools are situated. Again they are on the child’s level so they can easily access them. There are different brushes and brooms.
You can see a huge and amazing ball tracker on the next photo. I like that its size is pretty big so the child can observe it while standing. Then there is a small chest of drawers of the nice mint colour. There are dry towels for the activities of practical life inside. The children can change them by themselves if needed after finishing the activity if the used towels are wet. Also there is a drying rack where children can hang towels and clothes they used for cleaning. I like a lot this practical life element. Also, pay attention to the picture. It is on the child’s eye level and it depicts a realistic photo of monkeys.
Other practical life work that you may find interesting is hands washing. I just love this ceramic bowl! It is beautiful and children learn to handle delicate things. Again there is a hook for a towel. Wow, every element of this environment is so well-thought!
Children have a small watering can so they can care for plants.
There is a table with mirror for nose blowing. Mojca stores napkins in this small drawer. It is so exquisite. Mojca has chosen such an appropriate piece of furniture exactly for this work and for this environment.
Then you can see the fine motor shelf. Every work is in separate basket or tray. Here we have scooping, transferring, bolts twisting and threading material. As you remember we do all the transferring works from left to right (it is indirect preparation for writing). Pay attention at the right amount of beans in the bowl. You should put the amount of beans (or other things you use for transferring) that a child is able to transfer. A child will probably don’t have that amount of patience to transfer the whole bowl and we don’t want him to stop and leave half in one bowl and half in the other. When I put such work on the sheld i put in the bowl about 10 spoons of beans and then I observe how children work with this amount. This may seem like a tiny thing but the whole Montessori method consists of such small but important details.
Then there is a shelf with various works that will be interesting for children.
You can see from the top and left to right:
2. Shape sorter from Ikea;
4. Small puzzle;
5. Mystery bag.
Then there is a place for musical instruments. I like that every of them has a separate basket rather than stored all together in one. This way a child can work with every instrument independently and concentrate on it.
Then you can see a language shelf. I like then she even put that adult books shelving exactly in this place in the classroom. They somehow belong to the language area of the classroom. Maybe this wasn’t her intention but it makes sense for me 😉 I like that Mojca uses different baskets. They add life and colours. The shelf looks calm and invinting. The hedgehog painting by the famous illustrator Jelka Reichman suits the space so wonderfully.
There is also a reading area. There is a cozy reading corner with pillows, arm chair, and basket with books. Have you noticed that there are different blue elements throughout the whole classroom? I think this add the feeling of connection to the whole space and it is pleasing to the eye.
The classroom also has an art area with blackboard and different art works. The red bucket is for cleaning the art board.
On the shelf you can see from the top and left to right:
1. Stamps;
2. Crayons;
3. Glue box;
4. Protective covers for all the art works. Children take the everytime they work with art materials and put on the table surface to protect the table;
5. This basket is for plain papers.
This is an area for the babies. It has a low mirror, sort mat and pillows, stand for mobiles and takane ball.
This is a low shelf with materials for infants that is near.
This turned out to be a very detailed post. But I really like this place and I wanted to show you all its corners. I see that Mojca has put all her heart and soul into it! I am happy to meet such a professional. I want to thank Mojca for such opportunity to visit her space virtually 😉
The other reason for such a detailed description of the elements is to help you create your own spaces. I think it will give ideas for teachers in the classroom and for parents at home. This way you will have a more complex idea of the Montessori 0-3 environment and can go and implement some of this ideas right away.
Please visit Mojca here:
This is not a sponsored post I just really like this place.
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Katherine, I really love this series you have been publishing with the various BEAUTIFUL Montessori environments. The photos are so lovely and the environments are so engaging. I look forward to your blog each week!
Very inspiring!