Montessori at 2 months old with your baby is an exciting period!
The smiles begin and your baby really starts to interact with objects around them.
With Montessori in mind, it is about creating a prepared environment that your baby can access and explore with their newfound focus.
In the words of Maria Montessori, children at this age have an “unconscious absorbent mind”.
Babies will naturally take in and absorb what is in their environment around them.
So here is how you can help your baby begin their Montessori journey at home at 2 months old and a bit about our experiences doing Montessori at home with a 2 month old.
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Montessori Toys for 2 Month Old
At this age a Montessori “shelf” is not necessary to set-up, but having a specific area for focused activity time for your baby is a great idea.
Every baby is different and a main principle of Montessori is to follow the child. Observe what interests your baby most to look at and interact with.
A mobile for your baby’s eyes to focus on and explore is a great first toy to begin with.
At 2 months old it can be a good time to switch from the contrasting Munari mobile to the octahedron mobile (shown below).
Along with a visual mobile, you can also introduce a more tactile mobile when they start to show interest in “batting” at objects in their line of sight.
We used a DIY Munari mobile for quite awhile as it took me a bit to make it and being rural I didn’t get chance to get more craft materials to try different style.
“Children acquire knowledge through experience in the environment.“
Maria Montessori (The 1946 London Lectures)
Things To Do with Montessori Baby at 2 Months Old
- Tummy time facing mirror
- Play under Octahedron Mobile
- Hold grasping toy for baby to reach for
- Read to baby
- Tummy time outside
- Face-to-face chat
- Baby watch you fold laundry
- Wear Baby on a walk outside
- Tie scarves to play gym to touch/watch
- Have siblings near for baby to watch play
REMEMBER – All baby play should be supervised. Please don’t leave your baby unsupervised with play materials.
We gave our boys lots of free play on the floor when 2 months old to become acquainted with their own bodies
Our second little lad spent lots of time watching his 2 year old brother play.
This captured his interest watching and listening to his brother make noises with the toys.
In this photo our 2 year old playing with dollhouse and cars from my childhood.
Don’t feel plastic is banned from a Montessori at home life, because that is simply not true.
We gave our boys lots of free play on the floor when 2 months old to become acquainted with their own bodies
Our second little lad spent lots of time watching his 2 year old brother play.
This captured his interest watching and listening to his brother make noises with the toys.
In this photo our 2 year old playing with dollhouse and cars from my childhood.
Don’t feel plastic is banned from a Montessori at home life, because that is simply not true. Sometimes a plastic item, such as a car, will look more realistic than a wooden item which can be considered more Montessori aligned.
* FYI – August 2023 Sale! *
Practical Life with 2 Month Old
Practical life with your young baby looks a lot like them watching while you go about your day-to-day activities.
At 2 months old your baby can observe you:
- Fold laundry
- Put dishes away
- Baby wearing while vacuuming
- On blanket while you garden
Outdoor Play with 2 Month Old
As just mentioned in practical life activities you can do with your 2 month old, you can, and should, take your baby outside with you for playtime outside.
There is so much for your baby to look at while outside. Laying them on a blanket next to you while you do your gardening is a great start to outdoor play.
While your baby is outside they can watch the leaves in the trees, hear the birds and animals nearby, and get safe exposure to some vitamin D.
This aligns with Montessori as it is beginning their foundational learning of outside versus inside.
Your baby will start learning what to expect when outside and experience the differences between inside/outside .
Our Outside Play doing Montessori at Home
We did lots of tummy time outside with both boys. Our eldest used to watch the dog roam around the yard or the trees blow in the wind.
Our second little lad (above) spent a lot of time watching his older brother play in the yard.
I took them on walks about once a day at this stage and would use a moby wrap to baby-wear 2 month old.
With our second baby, our 2 year old would ride his balance bike during walks while I wore younger sibling.
This was a great way to get outside and do some gross motor activity with toddler and have different things to look at for baby.
NEED MORE 2 MONTH OLD PLAY INSPIRATION?
> CHECK OUT THESE 2 MONTH OLD ACTIVITIES WE DO <
Lovevery Alternatives for 2 Month Old
SO you might have heard of Lovevery Kits which are aligned with Montessori, they are a lovely kit but you might have been put off by the pricetag.
Here are some Amazon alternatives to the Lovevery “Looker Kit” to help you keep to your budget if it’s something that interests you.
- Manhattan Mobile
- Sensory Hanging Toy
- Teething Grasping Toy
- Teething Mittens
- Standing Contrast Cards
- Hello Garden Board Book
Dealing With Toys from Family
This is the hard one, you have decided to follow a Montessori approach at home but your friends and family may not fully understand what that looks like and buy you what’s “popular”.
Something I did was save some of these gifts for “special occasions” like going to an appointment and I might be in a waiting room for awhile.
Or…they just got packed away.
Look, it’s HARD…and trying to do what suits your home and stress levels is what is best. Any toys with batteries/noise was a straight “No” for me.
So find your line and where your “wiggle room” is, and make it work. Your home doesn’t have to look just like a “Montessori classroom”, do what suits your family.
Montessori aligned materials can seem “more expensive” (though usually you have less toys in general so it evens out).
Montessori Baby Routine for 2 Month Old [example]
Follow the child, find a rhythm that suits your baby and family.
Observe when your baby is most active and interested in focused “work” playtime, and when they are sleepy or want more time with parent.
Create a rhythm/routine around that. When your baby wants to sleep let them sleep, fit that in whenever your baby likes to nap/sleep.
Example routine:
- 7am – 9am : Feed, Burp, Cuddle & Chat | Activity Time with Mobile
- 9am – 11am : Take a Walk | Practical Life with Carer
11am – 12pm : Prep Lunch & Eat Lunch
12pm – 2pm : Grasping Activities | Tummy Time with Mirror- 2pm – 4pm : Errands | Practical Life with Carer
4pm – 6pm : Cuddle & Chat/Sing/Read | Prep Dinner
6pm – 8pm : Have Dinner | Bath | Calm Activities
What to Expect from Baby at 2 Months Old
Body Movement
During tummy time baby can hold head up for short amounts of time and look around.
While being held upright you baby will gain better head and neck control.
Social & Emotions
Baby will get excitable with familiar faces and voices, gurgling/giggling and smiling might begin.
You might be able to start see basic emotions such as your baby being happy or upset during interactions.
Language
Talk to your baby often, their brain is always learning and by speaking to your baby and pausing for a reply/reaction is teaching them the basics of language.
Your baby may being to make responsive noises when you pause, like you would a conversation.
- Want more information? Here is a List of Best Montessori Books for Parents!
- More Activities for 2 Month Olds!
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