The smiles keep coming and the exploring is getting more intense!
At this age they really start to notice things and want to get their hands on it.
Many activities that benefit babies at this age don’t require toys, and you can often use what you already have around the home or have been gifted.
Baby Mirror
The mirror is becoming a fun place to look and watch for little one now.
He often will watch what else is going on in the room behind him through the mirror, and then look back to see it in “real life”
READ MORE : Safe Montessori Baby Mirrors
I recognize that the “activity cube” is not exactly “Montessori”, but it was a family gift that we made use of to the best of our ability.
Often we would take the lid off and he would move the wooden pieces along the wires with intense focus.
So I would call that a Montessori at home “win” and not necessarily a classroom item.
Exploration Basket
Our biggest Montessori activity at 5 months old was an exploration basket that could come to any room with us.
At this point our babies at 5 months old are past visual cards & mobiles and are ready to grasp & explore!
This was much more useful than a “shelf”, as we changed rooms often depending on what household things I was doing at the same time.
5 Month Old Montessori Activity Items in Our Basket included,
- Natural Rubber Teething Fish
- Grasping Ball
- Helicopter Rattle (my childhood baby toy)
- Ribbon Giraffe Soft toy
- Pink Grasp Ball
- Fabric Ball
At times we changed items out of basket if he lost interest.
I kept a pillowcase full of other baby toys in my cupboard.
What I wish I had when they were little…
Oh Lovevery, how you came out with such great baby items after my kids were too big!
If I could get one item that would have saved me sourcing heaps of different Montessori toys, it would be the Lovevery Play Gym.
It’s been updated to grow with your child, and can become a tent for older toddlers once the “baby gym” days are over.
So, if you are looking for a “Big Gift” for Christmas, Birthday, or just saving yourself searching for heaps of different toys then it would be worth having a look at this Play Gym that suits from newborn to 3 years old.
The playkit for this particular age is not my favorite, and I would say to wait and look at the 7 – 8 month old one instead.
Reading
Reading has been studied SOO MUCH since Maria Montessori’s time, and I feel that she would be on board with reading at home if she knew the research that is available to us now.
Here are some of our favourite books to read as an activity with our 5 month old:
- DK Touch & Feel Kittens
- DK Who Am I? Baby Animals
- Big Book of Australian Animals
- Lets Find Momo Outdoors!
- DK Touch & Feel Trucks
- DK Touch & Feel Farm
As you can see at this age we took a liking to the sturdy board books from DK that have Touch & Feel components paired with realistic photos.
The realistic photos were a big draw for us to invest in a handful of these for our kid’s shelf.
“Let’s Find Momo Outdoors!” Was a a gift that has been a fun book to sit them on my lap and look at together for fun, it’s a look and find type book.
Montessori Specific Materials at 5 Months Old
If you’re looking for some Montessori classroom-like activities for your 5 month old, these are some Montessori community favorites.
10 Montessori Activities for 5 Month Olds
- Interlocking Discs
- Silver Rattle
- Fabric Ball
- Skwish Ball
- Socks with Noise/Rattle
- Spinning Color Wheel
- Varied Texture Balls
- Board Book
- Roller Rattle
- Floor Mirror
Is that Really All?
Yes, yes it is my friend!
You DON’T need it all, just a few things ( seriously 8 or less!).
It’s about their focus on exploring the items they do have. Less is More, I promise!
We had very curious babies with just a baby mirror, exploration basket, and books!
So use what you already have, get a few extra pieces it they suit your child’s interests and ENJOY observing them explore their world.
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