O is for Octopus Sand Tray

It’s the 15th of the month, and I have a fun new post at PreK + K Sharing! Today, I’m sharing links to lots of free printables with a beach theme that I’ve used to create Montessori-inspired language activities for young preschoolers to readers and children ready for creative writing. I also give ideas for taking the beach activities outdoors.

Ocean Language Matching Tray

At PreK + K Sharing, I show how I used the printables to create Montessori-inspired activities. I also have links to other posts with helpful ideas and presentations.

Here’s the link to my article at PreK + K Sharing: Montessori-Inspired Beach Language Activities. (Note: The photos here are only very few of the photos/activities in today’s post at PreK + K Sharing.)

Summer Sentence Layout

Please join me at PreK + K Sharing!

Miniature Zoo Environment for Reading and Grammar (Photo from Making Montessori Ours)

I LOVE visiting the zoo in May. When I had a Montessori preschool, we took a field trip to our local zoo each May before the end of the school year.

But I love zoo visits at any time of the year. My family has had a great time visiting zoos during every season. My husband and I took our kids to zoos locally and when we traveled when they were little. And we still enjoy visiting the San Diego Zoo with our now-adult kids and kids-in-love.

Sorting Animals by Continent (Photo from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments)

I had a Montessori-Inspired Zoo Animal Unit last summer. (Photo from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments.) Be sure to check out the background zoology link and the great zoo animal posts I linked to there. Today, I’ll add some Montessori-inspired activities published since my post last summer.

Montessori-Inspired Zoo Animal Activities

Making Montessori Ours has a fabulous variation of the Montessori grammar farm … Miniature Zoo Environment for Reading and Grammar (photo at the top of this post).

Zoo Sensory Box (Photo from Pink and Green Mama)

Pink and Green Mama had a creative Zoo Sensory Box last year, although I’m adding it to this post.

From A to Z: Our Tot School Adventure has a cute Zoo Sensory Bin.

Animals of North America Montessori Print Shop Materials (Photo from The Work Plan)

Last year, The Work Plan had an Animals of Seven Continents work. Recently, The Work Plan had an Animals of the World puzzle and then added Montessori Print Shop materials to focus on animals of each continent (photo).

Zoo Animals and Where They Live (Photo from Montessori MOMents)

Since last summer, Montessori MOMents published Zoo Animals and Where They Live, including free printable zoo animals.

Zoo Animal Unit Study Pinterest Board

I have a Zoo Animal Unit Study Pinterest board with activities of all types and for many different levels.

Have you studied zoo animals and/or visited the zoo this year?

Montessori Monday Link-Up

If you have some Montessori activity trays/lessons to share, please link up below. It’s fine to link up a post from your archives – and you may link up anytime during the week! Please place the Montessori Monday button (using the code from the right sidebar) in your post or put a link back to this post.

Let’s use Montessori Monday to gain inspiration/ideas and to encourage each other! If you would leave an encouraging comment on the post linked up ahead of you (along with any other posts you’re drawn to), that would be awesome! Thanks for participating!

Note: If you have a giveaway on your blog, please add it to my Family-Friendly Giveaway Linky Page! If you enjoy entering giveaways, you’ll always find some great giveaways there!

Linked to AfterSchool Linky Party, The Mommy Club Resources and Solutions at Milk and Cuddles and Crystal & Co. , The Weekly Kid’s Co-op, Fun Stuff Fridays, Living Life Intentionally Linky Party, The Weekly Kid’s Co-op, Preschool Corner, Show-and-Share Saturday, The Sunday Showcase at Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Classified: Mom, and Link & Learn.

If you’re looking for Montessori elementary albums, the best place to start is with Montessori elementary training if you can afford it and it’s feasible with your life situation. Because you’ll make or be given albums along with the information and guidance you receive in your training, that’s the ideal situation.

If you want to teach in a Montessori elementary school, you’ll need the Montessori elementary training from the beginning. But if you’re planning to use Montessori elementary education in your homeschool, you have a lot more options. Montessori elementary training isn’t essential for Montessori homeschools, although it will give you more confidence.

Many Montessori elementary schools require Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) or American Montessori Society (AMS) training for their teachers. It always helps if you talk with the Montessori elementary school where you’re interested in teaching to find out its requirements. For homeschooling, there are Montessori elementary training courses you can take online if you want the information but aren’t as concerned about a specific teacher certification.

For my earlier Montessori elementary posts with background information, see Introduction to Montessori Elementary, Montessori Elementary Homeschool Inspiration and Ideas, and Free Montessori Elementary Montessori Materials Online (including free Montessori elementary albums).

Here are some helpful resources for Montessori elementary teacher training, Montessori elementary albums available for purchase, and Montessori elementary materials available for purchase:

Montessori Elementary Teacher Training

AMI Training Centres

The International Montessori Index

U.S. Montessori Teacher Education Programs Organized by State at Montessori Connections

Distance Learning Programs (some Montessori elementary) from Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE)

Lower Elementary (6-9) and Upper Elementary (9-12) Online Diploma Programs from North American Montessori Center (NAMC)

The Center for Guided Montessori Studies (online or online with low residency requirement)

Keys of the Universe (Online training for homeschoolers – website) Keys of the Universe (my post)

Taking a Closer Look at Online Montessori Training (a post with helpful recommendations about online training in general) from Montessori for Everyone

Where to Buy Montessori Elementary Albums

Elementary Albums from Montessori Research and Development

Natural Science 6-9 Album – Botany and Zoology from Montessori for Everyone

Keys of the Universe Albums (AMI elementary albums)

Lower Elementary Manuals (Blackline Masters on CD) and Upper Elementary Manuals (free samples and manuals available for purchase) from North American Montessori Center

Elementary Albums by Elizabeth Papandrea (information at My Homeschool Style)

Montessori Albums and Online Training Overview (post with helpful information) from My Homeschool Style

The Ultimate Post about Montessori Albums (post with helpful information) from Montessori for Everyone

Montessori Albums Page (post with helpful information) from Montessori Nuggets

Montessori Reading List (post with helpful information) from Montessori Nuggets

Primary Albums – Elementary Albums – TOO MANY ALBUMS! (post with helpful information) from Montessori Trails

Montessori Albums – Primary, Elementary, Infancy (post with helpful information) from Catholic Hearts Domestic Church

Where to Buy Montessori Elementary Materials

Where to Buy Montessori Materials (my post with companies that often have at least some Montessori elementary materials)

Comprehensive List of Concepts and Materials for 6-9 from Montessori for Everyone

Filling in the Gaps for Elementary 6-9 Montessori (Recommendations from Montessori for Everyone)

Montessori Basics 11: Materials and Resources for Elementary 9-12 (Recommendations from Montessori for Everyone)

Montessori Elementary Grammar Boxes from Montessori Print Shop

Albanesi Montessori

Curriculum Materials (elementary materials available in a number of areas) from Montessori Research and Development

Lower Elementary Montessori and Homeschool Program from Lisa Nolan’s Montessori for the Earth

American Montessori Consulting Resources

Lower Elementary Materials (Blackline Masters on CD) and Upper Elementary Materials (support materials on CD) (free samples and materials available for purchase) from North American Montessori Center

NAMC Mastery Checklists for the Montessori Elementary Classroom for North American Montessori Center

9-12 Montessori Math Cards (for schools)
Share your favorite kids’ activities! Link up Montessori-inspired lessons and activities here at Montessori Monday! Link up kids’ activities of all types at the Weekly Kid’s Co-op!

Welcome to the May 2012 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting With or Without Extended Family

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how relatives help or hinder their parenting. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

***

Deb's parents with their kids, kids-in-law, grandkids, grandkids-in-law, and great-grandkids, 2010.

My family is lucky. Our extended family is wonderful. Of course, that makes it all the more difficult that our relatives don’t live nearby. We miss them. We always lived in another state from my husband’s relatives. And my husband, Terry, and I lived a few hours away from my parents when we were first married and when our kids were little. Now, we live a few states away.

Priceless Relationships with Our Extended Family

Even though we haven’t been able to see our extended family as often as we’d like, we remain close in spirit. Our now-adult kids always cherished spending time with their grandparents and are still very close to their living grandparents.

While my kids couldn’t have the same type of relationships with their cousins that I did by growing up in the same community with mine, they still have very close relationships with many members of our extended family. My kids always look forward to seeing their grandparents and any members of our extended family. They even spontaneously give their grandparents a phone call every now and then.

Will and Christina have visited great-aunts and had them visit in various places around the world. They loved visiting their Great-Great Aunt Helia, who lived to almost 100. Will, Chea (Will’s wife), Christina, and Tom (Christina’s husband) have fun meeting up with relatives who visit San Diego. I’m happy our family relationships have allowed our adult children to feel so close to their extended family.

While some families have difficulties that don’t allow them to maintain close relationships, I really recommend embracing your extended family if you can. Even though we’ve had to nurture long-distance relationships, the relationships with our extended family have been priceless.

What We’ve Done to Embrace Our Extended Family

1. Even though my parents, siblings, and I had different diets and different methods of child raising, we always accepted each other’s views. There were no debates or arguments. The love and relationships were simply more important than wanting to be “right.” My parents are some of the most accepting people in the world, so that probably had a lot to do with our attitudes. And Terry and I had a similar relationship with his side of the family. Here’s a post about our extended family and our diets: ”Happy Families Can Have More Than One Diet.”

Will's first plane trip to visit relatives in Milwaukee at 3 months, 1985.

2. Terry and I took our kids with us on trips from the time they were babies. Will and Christina became excellent travelers. Trips to visit relatives were fun road trips or plane trips that we typically combined with educational and recreational activities in the area (Milwaukee – and Chicago – for Terry’s side of the family and eastern South Dakota for mine). ”Should You Use Unit Studies?” and “Little House on the Prairie Unit Study” show a couple of examples of our homeschooling combined with trips to visit grandparents.

3. My kids had special activities with their grandparents that Terry and I didn’t worry about philosophically. My kids are lifelong vegetarians who are happy to go fishing with their grandpa. My daughter, Christina, was the only granddaughter on Terry’s side. Her paternal grandmother loved dolls and collected Barbie dolls. Christina was given gifts of Barbies way sooner than I would have allowed her to have them otherwise. But those dolls (and the many other dolls her grandma gave her as gifts) were an important connection Christina and her grandma shared.

4. We were grateful for the special gifts of experiences and learning that relatives could give. Christina and her paternal grandmother did girly things together that made them both happy, such as the time her grandma studied and then created the special wrapped braid Christina wanted. I was never as talented at fixing hair, so that was a special gift for all of us.

Christina (9) wearing her wrapped braid and Will (14) with their grandma and cousin Tim, 1999.

My parents played an important role in helping my children experience gardening, which I talked about in my post “Exploring Nature and Growing Plants without a Garden”. I wrote a guest post at A Nation of Moms called “Dads Can Help with Child-Led Learning” in which I also talked about how my kids’ grandpa, as well as their dad, was an important part of their homeschooling.

5. We had fun finding different places to meet up with our extended family. My parents typically traveled to whichever city held the national figure-skating championships to visit us and cheer on our kids, starting with Will and Christina’s first Junior Olympics (now called Junior Nationals) in Pittsburgh in March of 1999.

Beth and Christina at the Dortmund, Germany, Christmas Market, 2009.

As adults, both my kids were joined at some international figure skating competitions by their world-traveling Great Aunt Beth. Beth met up with Will at competitions in Serbia and Estonia and in Germany for Christina. She was even Christina’s chaperone to a skating festival/competition in North Korea. Note: Beth is only 11 months older than me, so she’s not as old as great-aunt sounds.

My “Don’t Forget Family” post at Raising Figure Skaters tells more about including extended family in sports events. And, of course, we all had a wonderful time meeting up in England for Christina and Tom’s wedding!

Christina with her immediate family and grandparents and Tom with his immediate family and grandmother at Hazelwood Castle in England, 2009.

6. Internet, cell phones, and Skype play important roles in our lives. Unfortunately, we didn’t have Skype to communicate with grandparents when our kids were little. Fortunately, that will be different when Terry and I are grandparents. Terry and I talk with our kids and extended family members most often via cell phone, e-mail, e-greeting, and Facebook (and occasional snail mail), but we do communicate with our kids by Skype sometimes, too.

We saw our new Grandkitties (as in kittens!) – Will and Chea’s and Christina and Tom’s – the first day via Skype! And Christina and Tom often talk with Tom’s family in England via Skype. I have more about Skype in my post “Creating Memories Together on Skype.” I’m truly grateful for the role technology has played in helping us embrace our extended family.

7. We remember the value of hugging and saying “I love you.” With our closest relatives we say “I love you” A LOT. And a lot of hugging goes on when we get together with our extended family. My daughter, Christina, gives her ideas on sharing love with family in a Thanksgiving post she wrote last year called “8 Ways to Give Thanks for Family.”

I’d love to hear how you keep in touch with your extended family!

***

Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Dealing With Unsupportive Grandparents — In a guest post at Natural Parents Network, The Pistachio Project tells what to do when your child’s grandparents are less than thrilled about your parenting choices.
• Parenting With Extended Family — Jenny at I’m a full-time mummy shares the pros and cons of parenting with extended family…
• Parental Support for an AP Mama — Meegs at A New Day talks about the invaluable support of her parents in her journey to be an AP mama.
• Priceless Grandparents — That Mama Gretchen reflects on her relationship with her priceless Grammy while sharing ways to help children preserve memories of their own special grandparents.
• Routines Are Meant To Be Broken — Olga at Around The Birthing Ball urges us to see Extended Family as a crucial and necessary link between what children are used to at home and the world at large.
• It Helps To Have A Village – Even A Small One — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama discusses how she has flourished as a mother due to the support of her parents.
• The Orange Week — Erika at Cinco de Mommy lets go of some rules when her family finally visits extended family in San Diego.
• One Size Doesn’t Fit All — Kellie at Our Mindful Life realizes that when it comes to family, some like it bigger and some like it smaller.
• It Takes a Family — Alicia at What’s Next can’t imagine raising a child without the help of her family.
• A new foray into family — As someone who never experienced close extended family, Lauren at Hobo Mama wrestles with how to raise her kids — and herself — to restart that type of community.
• My Mama Rocks! — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment is one lucky Mama to have the support and presence of her own awesome Mama.
• Embracing Our Extended Family — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares 7 ideas for nurturing relationships with extended family members.
• Doing Things Differently — Valerie at Momma in Progress shares how parenting her children far away from extended family improved her confidence in her choices.
• Snapshots of love — Caroline at stoneageparent describes the joys of sharing her young son’s life with her own parents.
• Parenting with Relies – A mixed bag — Ursula Ciller shares some of her viewpoints on the pros and cons of parenting with relatives and extended family.
• Tante and Uncles — How a great adult sibling relationship begets a great relationship with aunt and uncles from Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy.
• Tips for Traveling With Twins — Megan at the Boho Mama shares some tips for traveling with infant twins (or two or more babies!).
• Parenting passed through the generations — Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes talks about the incredible parenting resource that is her found family, and how she hopes to continue the trend.
• My Family and My Kids — Jorje of Momma Jorje ponders whether she distrusts her family or if she is simply a control freak.
• Parenting with a Hero — Rachel at Lautaret Bohemiet reminisces about the relationship she shared with her younger brother, and how he now shares that closeness in a relationship with her son.

• Text/ended Family — Kenna of A Million Tiny Things wishes her family was around for the Easter egg hunt… until she remembers what it’s actually like having her family around.
• Two Kinds of Families — Adrienne at Mommying My Way writes about how her extended family is just as valuable to her mommying as her church family.
• My ‘high-needs’ child and ‘strangers’ — With a ‘high-needs’ daughter, aNonyMous at Radical Ramblings has had to manage without the help of family or friends, adapting to her daughter’s extreme shyness and allowing her to socialise on her own terms.
• Our Summer Tribe — Justine at The Lone Home Ranger shares a love of her family’s summer reunion, her secret to getting the wisdom of the “village” even as she lives 1,000 miles away.
• My Life Boat {Well, One of Them} — What good is a life boat if you don’t get it? Grandparents are a life boat MomeeeZen loves!
• Dear Children — In an open letter to her children, Laura at Pug in the Kitchen promises to support them as needed in her early days of parenting.
• Yearning for Tribal Times — Ever had one of those days where everything seems to keep going wrong? Amy at Anktangle recounts one such day and how it inspired her to think about what life must’ve been like when we lived together in large family units.
• I don’t have a village — Jessica Claire at Crunchy-Chewy Mama wishes she had family nearby but appreciates their support and respect.
• Trouble With MILs– Ourselves? — Jaye Anne at Wide Awake Half Asleep explains how her arguments with her mother-in-law may have something to do with herself.
• A Family Apart — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings writes about the challenges, and the benefits, of building a family apart from relatives.
• First Do No Harm — Zoie at TouchstoneZ asks: How do you write about making different parenting choices than your own family experience without criticizing your parents?
• Military Family Separation — Amy Willa shares her feelings about being separated from extended family during her military family journey.
• Forging A Village In The Absence Of One — Luschka from Diary of a First Child writes about the importance of creating a support network, a village, when family isn’t an option.
• Respecting My Sister’s Parenting Decisions — Dionna at Code Name: Mama‘s sister is guest posting on the many roles she has as an aunt. The most important? She is the named guardian, and she takes that role seriously.
• Multi-Generational Living: An Exercise in Love, Patience, and Co-Parenting — Boomerang Mama at The Other Baby Book shares her experience of moving back in with Mom and Dad for 7 months, and the unexpected connection that followed.
• A Heartfelt Letter to Family: Yes, We’re Weird, but Please Respect Us Anyway — Sheila of A Living Family sincerely expresses ways she would appreciate her extended family’s support for her and her children, despite their “weird” parenting choices.
• The nuclear family is insane! — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle is grateful for family support, wishes her Mum lived closer, and feels an intentional community would be the ideal way to raise her children.

Montessori-Inspired Mother's Day Card-Making Activity (Photo from To the Lesson!)

I had a post last year with a number of Montessori-inspired Mother’s Day ideas. Today, I want to share some Montessori-inspired Mother’s Day ideas published since my post last year. You’ll notice that there’s often a special tray or table set up for card making.

I also want to give some ideas for a Mother’s Day tea. Many Montessori schools have a special Mother’s Day tea, which is both a way to honor mothers and a way to reinforce exercises of grace and courtesy. Even though the concept works especially well in a school, it could also be a special surprise with help from the dad or another relative. And there’s no reason a mom can’t help plan a Mother’s Day tea. While it won’t be a surprise, it will still be a special gift of love from your child.

Montessori-Inspired Mother’s Day Cards and Gifts

Mother’s Day Cards (photo at the top of this post) from To the Lesson!

Mother's Day Card-Making Activity (Photo from My Montessori Preschool)

Mother’s Day photo frames and cards from My Montessori Preschool

Montessori-Inspired Father’s Day (idea for card-making tray and some other posts that could be appropriate for Mother’s Day as well)

Montessori-Inspired Mother’s Day Tea

Mother’s Day tea at Cornerspring

Mother’s Day Tea, an Inly Kindergarten Tradition from Inside Inly

Mother’s Day in the Montessori Classroom (AMC Montessori Spring Hands-On Newsletter Part VI) from American Montessori Consulting

Montessori Toddler Program Mother’s Day Tea Preparations from Montessori Mama

Mother’s Day Ideas Pinterest Board

Check out the collaborative Mother’s Day Ideas Pinterest board for Mother’s Day activities of all types. I also have a Handprint or Footprint Keepsake Crafts Pinterest board and Kindness Projects Pinterest board with ideas that could work well for Mother’s Day.

Montessori Monday Link-Up

If you have some Montessori activity trays/lessons to share, please link up below. It’s fine to link up a post from your archives – and you may link up anytime during the week! Please place the Montessori Monday button (using the code from the right sidebar) in your post or put a link back to this post.

Let’s use Montessori Monday to gain inspiration/ideas and to encourage each other! If you would leave an encouraging comment on the post linked up ahead of you (along with any other posts you’re drawn to), that would be awesome! Thanks for participating!

Note: If you have a giveaway on your blog, please add it to my Family-Friendly Giveaway Linky Page! If you enjoy entering giveaways, you’ll always find some great giveaways there!

If you’re interested in simple photo watermarking/editing/conversion software (with a GREAT CHANCE OF WINNING the software), be sure to check out my giveaway that’s open until Thursday at 10:01pm MST: PearlMountain Image Converter Review and Giveaway – 20 Winners (Total ARV $600)!

Linked to AfterSchool Linky Party, The Mommy Club Resources and Solutions at Milk and Cuddles and Crystal & Co. , What’s on the Tray Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, The Weekly Kid’s Co-op, Fun Stuff Fridays, Living Life Intentionally Linky Party, The Weekly Kid’s Co-op, Preschool Corner, Show-and-Share Saturday, The Sunday Showcase at Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Classified: Mom, and Link & Learn.

The giveaway is now closed. Please see the bottom of the post right under the Rafflecopter form for the announcement of the 20 winners!

Need Watermarking and Image Conversion?

I LOVE Pinterest, but Pinterest has made it necessary to learn how to watermark photos. Otherwise, it’s simply too easy for images to be pinned and repinned without a link or clue to the original source. And blog scrapers make the situation even worse.

PearlMountain Image Converter

PearlMountain Image Converter

I was wondering about watermarking software as well as simple options for labeling photos and resizing images. Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to review PearlMountain Image Converter and host a Mother’s Day giveaway of 20 full licenses of PearlMountain Image Converter software (ARV $30 each)!

Reviewing PearlMountain Image Converter was a very pleasant experience. PearlMountain Image Converter is an easy method for batch converting and processing images. It allows you to convert images to other formats, resize, rotate, crop, add watermark, apply effects, and add a border to many images at a time. It’s simple to adjust digital photos for printing or for your blog, e-mail, or any other web-based use. You can even save operations as profiles for future use.

PearlMountain Image Converter supports 60+ image formats, including JPEG, BMP, TIFF, PNG, PSD, GIF, TGA, ICO, PDF, and RAW. I tried converting JPGs to PNGs, resizing, and  adding a watermark to a number of images at once. It worked well!

Here’s an image from my Montessori-Inspired Lorax Activities that I updated with the PearlMountain Image Converter. I resized it, added a label, and added a watermark.

There are many ways my image could be changed, but this was my first attempt … and it didn’t take me too long to figure out how to use the software.

PearlMountain Image Converter System Requirements

• Microsoft Windows 2000, 2003, XP, Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit)
• 300 MHz processor or faster processor
• 256MB RAM (512MB or more recommended)
• 5MB hard disk space for installation

Disclosure: I was given a full license of PearlMountain Image Converter to review. I was not required to give a positive review, and the opinions expressed here are my own.

Now for the Giveaway:

What You Will Win:

20 winners will receive a full license for PearlMountain Image Converter Software (ARV $30 each)

Who is Eligible:

This giveaway is open to anyone 18 and older worldwide. The first entry is mandatory. You must leave a blog post comment telling why you want to win (and be sure to say you did that on the Rafflecopter form)! After you’ve completed your mandatory entry, there are lots of optional entries. You have many chances to win! (Note: For the extra entries, you may count ways of following that you already do. For example, if you previously “liked” Living Montessori Now on Facebook, you may still count that for your “like” Living Montessori Now on Facebook entry!)

It’s easy to enter giveaways with Rafflecopter! Just follow the directions to enter. You must complete the Mandatory Entry to qualify for any additional entries. The giveaway closes 10:01pm MST on Thursday, May 10. Best of luck!

Here’s a 45-second video with quick directions for entering through Rafflecopter:

How to Enter Rafflecopter Giveaways from Rafflecopter on Vimeo.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UPDATE:

It’s Friday morning, May 11. And I have 20 lucky winners of the PearlMountain Image Converter!!! They were selected using Random.org through Rafflecopter.

Here are the winners:

1. My Boys’ Teacher from What DID We Do All Day?
2. Marthalynn R.
3. Joanna P. from Mom Again at 40
4. Tracey B. from Don’t Mess with Mama
5. Nicole S.
6. Inez M. from Inez by Design
7. Jenny C. from I’m a Full-Time Mummy
8. Claudia from For the Love of Coupons and Deals
9. Heather S.
10. Ginnette C. (Gigi) from Montessori Spanish
11. Tiffany from Stuff Parents Need
12. Gricelda C.
13. Mieke G. from Lesson Plans to Pots and Pans
14. Julie C. from The Adventures of Bear
15. Maegan M.
16. Lillea B.
17. Kerry M.
18. Lisa S.
19. Deanna from Deanna Time
20. Jen

I’m in the process of sending out all the license codes via email. If you don’t receive your license code this morning, be sure to let me know!

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who won!!! Thanks so much to PearlMountain Technology for sponsoring the giveaway – and thank you to everyone who entered!

If you didn’t win, you can still purchase a copy of the software here: PearlMountain Image Converter software

As always, thanks so much to all my blog sponsors!

Montessori Print Shop

Montessori Compass

Total Yearbooks

Montessori at Home

Maestro Classics

Linked with Contest Girl and Free Sweepstakes and Contests

From my Google Analytics report for April 2012

Thank you to all my referrers!

Top 10 Referring Sites (Not counting sites like Facebook, Networked Blogs, Pinterest, Google, Twitter, Blogger, and Stumble Upon)

1. No Time for Flash Cards

2. Passionate Homemaking

3. Teach Preschool

4. PreK + K Sharing

5. Montessori Print Shop

6. Leptir

7. Pre-K Pages

8. 1+1+1=1

9. Carrots Are Orange

10. Early Education with Antek and Kuba

Thank you to all my readers!

Top 10 Visited Posts

1. Montessori-Inspired Activities for Care of Self

2. Free Montessori Materials Online

3. 2 nd Blogiversary Giveaway – 2 $600 Montessori Print Shop CD Rom Collections & $100 MPS Coupon!!!

4. Montessori-Inspired Lorax Activities

5. How to Set Up a Montessori Homeschool Classroom

6. Montessori Monday – Montessori-Inspired Earth Day Activities

7. How to Prepare a Montessori Baby Room

8. Free Counting Book Printable for Any Theme

9. Montessori Monday – Montessori-Inspired Outdoor Environment

10. Montessori Practical Life Activities

Thank you to all my followers!

If you were following me via Google Friend Connect, please sign up through my RSS feed (blog posts in a reader), Twitter (blog posts by me and others along with the Parent/Teacher Daily and other interesting information), Living Montessori Now Facebook page (links to my posts and lots of posts from around the blogosphere along with a featured Free Printable of the Day), Pinterest (lots of Montessori-, holiday-, and theme-related boards), and/or Google+ (post updates). And of course, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter in the right-hand sidebar to receive Karen Tyler’s AMS Montessori geography album and the Mom Bloggers Talk Montessori: Favorite Ideas and Activities eBook FREE along with a weekly newsletter containing a note from me with any important reminders and links to my posts from the week! I truly appreciate all my followers!

Thank you for photo permissions!

Thank you to the wonderful bloggers who have given me permission to use your photos in my posts (with credit to you, a link to your post, and a comment letting you know I’m using your photo, of course)! If you haven’t seen my request for permissions, here’s a link to my post: Request for Montessori Photo Permissions.

If I may have permission to use photos from your blog, please let me know! Although I use Montessori photos most often, I also link to posts with crafts, art projects, and educational activities (especially unit studies posts with family activities). If you have posts with similar activities, I’d really appreciate photo permissions for them. I love that the photos add to the post content and also bring attention to your link.

Thank you to link-up participants!

Thank you to everyone who links up and to everyone who reads and comments on the Montessori Monday posts! I always enjoy seeing the ideas that are linked up each week, and I appreciate the encouragement you give to each other in using Montessori education at home or school.

Thank you to everyone who links up and/or visits the participants in my Family-Friendly Giveaway Linky (which you can link up with at any time and has outdated links removed each Sunday)!

Thank you to my sponsors!

My sponsors all have products I wish would have been around when I had a Montessori preschool and when I homeschooled my children!

Thank you to Montessori Print Shop, who has free printables, beautiful inexpensive printables, a wonderful blog, and lots of great information and resources (see all the drop-down menus at the top of the Montessori Print Shop site)! For more information, read my Sponsor Spotlight – Montessori Print Shop. And be sure to check out the two Montessori at Home bundles! 

Thank you to Montessori Compass, an incredibly user-friendly, web-based software application that provides online Montessori record keeping, school management, and parent communication from any web-enabled device. Read my Montessori Compass Sponsor Spotlight to learn more about Montessori Compass. Sign up for Montessori Compass using the promo code LivingMontessoriNow and get a 30-day free trial and 50% discount for the first 3 months!

Thank you to Total Yearbooks, who has competitive pricing (including bulk pricing) for yearbooks for homeschools, sports teams, preschools, and other schools as well as books for sports memories, graduations, weddings, baby memories, and more. The yearbooks can easily be put together online through templates ready to go. You also have the option to upload a PDF or jpgs created with digital scrapbooking software and print books through Total Yearbooks! For more information, read my Total Yearbooks Sponsor Spotlight.

Thank you to John Bowman and Montessori at Home, with the newly revised eBook Montessori at Home: The Complete Guide to Doing Montessori Early Learning Activities at Home, and the condensed version in paperback Help Your Preschooler Build a Better Brain: Early Learning Activities for 2-6 Year Old Children. In the e-book, you get over 250 Montessori early-learning activities for use at home with 3-7 yr. olds. Read my review of Montessori at Home for more information.

Thank you to Maestro Classics, who has award-winning CDs that introduce children to classical music through stories. Each CD is performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel; Peter and the Wolf; Tortoise and the Hare; My Name is Handel; Juanita the Spanish Lobster; Swan Lake; Casey at the Bat; Sorcerer’s Apprentice; The Soldier’s Tale; and Juanita la langosta! Maestro Classics offers Special Packages, Educational Materials, and Kids Club! To learn more about Maestro Classics, read my Maestro Classics Sponsor Spotlight.

Thank you to my affiliates!

Please check out my products page for my affiliates, who have wonderful products! I only become an affiliate for companies with products I believe in. I really appreciate if you go through my affiliate links when you’re ordering because I’ll receive a small commission. It won’t affect your order or prices in any way (unless you go through a discount link of mine and receive a better price than normal!)

I’m an affiliate for My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Software, Montessori Helper, iTunes, App Store, Hearth Song, Magic Beans, Melissa & Doug, Plow & Hearth, Problem Solvers, Christian Book, Inspire 4 Less, and Barnes and Noble.

Thank you to my affiliate My Memories, who sponsored the giveaway in August of My Memories Suite 2.0 digital scrapbooking software and continues to offer a special My Memories coupon code for all my readers (and your friends and family). If you use the coupon code STMMMS48784 at My Memories upon checkout, you’ll receive a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store – a $20 value!

Thanks again, everyone! Happy spring!

Pig and Corn Cards and Counters (Photo from Our Country Road)

Spring was my favorite season growing up on a farm. And spring is a great time for a farm unit with a mixture of indoor- and outdoor activities. Of course, a farm unit is fun at any time of the year.

A Montessori-inspired farm theme fits well with Montessori education’s emphasis on real-life work. There are even Montessori schools that were created with the theme of providing real-life farm experiences. And many Montessori schools provide a few farm experiences in the middle of a city. When I taught at Tempe Montessori School in the late 1970s, the school had a sheep in part of the school’s large backyard.

Here are some wonderful activities for a Montessori-inspired farm unit I found online that work well at home or school.

Montessori-Inspired Farm Activities

Farm Posts and P is for Pig (free printables – photo at the top of this post) from Our Country Road

Farm Animal Matching (Photo from Montessori MOMents)

Farm Animal Families (free printable cards) and Farm Animals for all Ages (photo) from Montessori MOMents

Farmyard Families and Farm Animal Matching Cards (free printable cards) from The Helpful Garden

Farm Animal Nomenclature (free printable cards) from Montessori for Everyone

Farm Printables and Where Does It Come From? Cards (available inexpensively) from Montessori Print Shop

Farm Printables (purple links are free) from Montesori Materials

Toddler Farm Matching (Photo from 1+1+1=1)

Farm Printables and Activities from 1+1+1=1 (Photo from Tot School ~ Letter Gg)

Matching Farm Animals with Miss Ava from Making Montessori Ours

C is for Cow Farm Unit (with free printable) at Living Life Intentionally

Washing the Horse Activity (Photo from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments)

Farm Theme from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments

Farm-Themed Open and Close (Photo from Homeschool Mo)

Tot Time – Fun on the Farm from Homeschool Mo

Farm Sensory Tub (Photo from Counting Coconuts)

Farm Posts from Counting Coconuts (Photo from May Sensory Tub – Farm)

Pouring "Milk" from Milk Jugs (Photo from Chestnut Grove Academy)

Farm Sensory Tub from Carrots Are Orange

Farm Posts from Chestnut Grove Academy (Photo from Workbox Wednesday)

Farm Unit from Five Hazelnuts

Counting with Grain Bins from hands on : as we grow

How Many Spots? (Photo from The Preschool Experiment)

Farm Posts from The Preschool Experiment (Photo from Farm Theme Tot Trays)

Montessori Grammar Farm (Photo from Making Montessori Ours)

Montessori Grammar Farm (my roundup post) – Photo from More Montessori Grammar Farm Work from Making Montessori Ours

Grain Matching (Photo from United Montessori Association)

Corn Unit Study (my roundup post) – Photo from Grain Matching – Food Unit from United Montessori Association

Free Montessori Botany Materials for a Gardening Unit

Erdkinder – The Montessori Answer to Adolescence from Montessori for Everyone

Farm Unit Study Pinterest Board

I have a Farm Unit Study Pinterest board with activities of all types. I’ll be continually adding to it.

Have you done many farm activities at your home or school?

Montessori Monday Link-Up

If you have some Montessori activity trays/lessons to share, please link up below. It’s fine to link up a post from your archives – and you may link up anytime during the week! Please place the Montessori Monday button (using the code from the right sidebar) in your post or put a link back to this post.

Let’s use Montessori Monday to gain inspiration/ideas and to encourage each other! If you would leave an encouraging comment on the post linked up ahead of you (along with any other posts you’re drawn to), that would be awesome! Thanks for participating!

Note: If you have a giveaway on your blog, please add it to my Family-Friendly Giveaway Linky Page! If you enjoy entering giveaways, you’ll always find some great giveaways there! There are 3 Montessori giveaways linked up right now!

Linked to AfterSchool Linky Party, The Mommy Club Resources and Solutions at Milk and Cuddles and Crystal & Co. , What’s on the Tray Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, The Weekly Kid’s Co-op, Fun Stuff Fridays, Living Life Intentionally Linky Party, The Weekly Kid’s Co-op, Preschool Corner, Show-and-Share Saturday, The Sunday Showcase at Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Classified: Mom, and Link & Learn.

Dyeing Wool Yarn (Photo from Olives and Pickles)

Rainbow activities are great a number of times during the year … for St. Patrick’s Day, a study of colors, a weather unit, April showers unit, any rainy season, or just a rainy day. Today, I’m going to bring together a number of wonderful Montessori-inspired rainbow activities I found online.

Montessori-Inspired Rainbow Activities from Around the Blogosphere

March Activities (with a rainbow theme), Rainbow Art Activities, Dyeing Wool Yarn Tutorial (photo at the top of this post) from Olives and Pickles

Fruit Loop Rainbows (Photo from Little Wonders' Days)

Rainbow posts from Little Wonders’ Days (Photo from Fruit Loop Rainbows)

Beaded Rainbow (Photo from To the Lesson!)

Beaded Rainbow, Rainbow Art, and Color Mixing Extravaganza from To the Lesson!

Rainbow Bead Stringing (Photo from The Education of Ours)

Rainbow Scooping and Rainbow Bead Stringing and Color Mixing from The Education of Ours

DIY Color Tablets (Photo from Pink and Green Mama)

DIY Color Tablets (my roundup post, including Homemade Montessori Color Tablet Game {photo} from Pink and Green Mama)

Rainbow Posts from Pink and Green Mama

Water Transfer and Color Mixing (Photo from Chasing Cheerios)

Water Transfer and Color Mixing, Rainbow Rice for Our Rice Pit, Catching a Rainbow Science Experiment, Raining Rainbows, and Collecting a Rainbow of Nature’s Colors from Chasing Cheerios

Desk Set Up for Rainbow Week (Photo from 1+1+1=1)

Rainbow Posts from 1+1+1=1 (Photo from Tot School – Rainbows)

Rainbow Sensory Tub (Photo from Homeschool Mo)

Rainbow Sensory Tub and Rainbow Fish Activities from Homeschool Mo

Rainbow Sensory Bin from Trial & Error Mama

Vegetable Rainbow (Photo by Julie from The Adventures of Bear)

Rainbow Pegs and Cups, Gluing a Vegetable Rainbow, Rainbow Lunches, and Letter Hunt in Rainbow Rice from The Adventures of Bear

Lots of Rainbow Ideas from Rockabye Butterfly

Rainbow Trays from 1 Mommy’s Journey

Rainbow with Colored Chips, Rainbow Mural, Collaborative Rainbow Project, and Rainbow-Making Work from My Montessori Journey

Rainbow Numbers and Counters

Rainbow Numbers and Counters in my Montessori-Inspired St. Patrick’s Day Math Activities at PreK + K Sharing.

Rainbow Addition and Subtraction Game (Photo from Counting Coconuts)

April Sensory Tub and Playdough – Rainbows, Rainbow Activities – Part I, Rainbow Activities – Part II, Rainbow Rainstick, and Rainbow Addition and Subtraction Game from Counting Coconuts

Noah’s Ark and Rainbow Godly Play in my Old Testament Godly Play post

Rainbow Blog Hop

If you have kids’ rainbow activities of any type (they don’t need to be Montessori-inspired), please link up with the Kids’ Rainbow Art, Eats & Activities Blog Hop organized by Outlaw Mom!

Linked to AfterSchool Linky Party, What’s on the Tray Wednesday, The Mommy Club Resources and Solutions at Milk and Cuddles and Crystal & Co., Thrifty Thursday, The Weekly Kid’s Co-op, Fun Stuff Fridays, Living Life Intentionally Linky Party, Preschool Corner, Fun Frugal Friday, Show-and-Share Saturday, The Sunday Showcase at Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Classified: Mom, and Link & Learn.

Springtime Poetry Basket (Photo from Counting Coconuts)

April 22-28 is the Week of the Young Child, a celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. April is also National Poetry Month. This is a great time to start some poetry activities with young children if you haven’t started them already!

Teaching poetry to young children is one of my favorite activities. Even when I was the director of my school and not teaching full-time, I still taught poetry and music twice a week at group time and creative writing during individual work time.

There are so many fun activities that can be used to introduce young children to poetry and rhythm. Today, I’ll share some Montessori-inspired poetry activities that can be used for a poetry unit or as individual poetry activities. There are many types of songs, rhymes, and fingerplays for young children that are wonderful for group activities, too.

Montessori-Inspired Preschool Poetry Activities

Oh, Precious Words from My Montessori Journey

Poetry Basket Posts from Counting Coconuts (photo at the top of this post from April Poetry Basket)

The Little Turtle Poetry Basket (Photo from Chasing Cheerios)

Our Summer Poetry Basket from Chasing Cheerios

Poetry: ‘Springtime’ from To the Lesson!

Poem of the Week (Photo from Our Montessori Home)

Poem of the Week from Our Montessori Home

Lady Poetry Basket (Photo from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments)

Ladybug Poetry Basket from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments

Bear Poetry Basket (Photo by Julie from The Adventures of Bear)

Bear Poetry Basket, Cloud Poetry Basket, and Ladybug Poetry Basket from The Adventures of Bear

Poetic Play from The Little List

Poetry Lives from Countryside Montessori School

Poetry for Kids Kit (available for purchase) from Montessori for Everyone

Montessori Services Poetry Materials (available for purchase)

Montessori Elementary Poetry Activities

April: National Poetry Month! (or How to Eat a Poem) from It’s Elementary!

World Poetry Day from Contemplating Montessori

Poetry Posts from The Very Montessori Blog

A Closer Look from MariaMontessori.com

Montessori Language Arts: Summer and Poetry from North American Montessori Center

Poetry Reading List from Middleburg Montessori School

When Poetry Meets Grammar from Keystone Montessori School

Montessori Students Explore Poetry and Life as a Poet (Children’s Meeting House Montessori School in Loveland) in Loveland Magazine

Animal Poetry (Original poetry based on the animals of Africa by elementary Montessori students who worked with a performance artist) from Montessori Magnet School

Montessori Coffee House from Maria Montessori School

Poetry Café for Valentines’ Day from Country Village Montessori School

Center Montessori Poetry Café: Brennan and R.J.

Poetry Posts and How to Memorize a Poem for elementary and up from Montessori Muddle

Poetry Pinterest Board

I have a Kids’ Poetry Pinterest board with activities of all types and for many different levels.

Have fun! I’d love to hear about your poetry activities!

Linked to AfterSchool Linky Party, What’s on the Tray Wednesday, The Mommy Club Resources and Solutions at Milk and Cuddles and Crystal & Co., Thrifty Thursday, The Weekly Kid’s Co-op, Fun Stuff Fridays, Living Life Intentionally Linky Party, Preschool Corner, Fun Frugal Friday, Show-and-Share Saturday, The Sunday Showcase at Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Classified: Mom, and Link & Learn.