Montessori Play Room – How to design a Montessori playroom at home!
What should be in a Montessori play room? Montessori play areas are carefully crafted to encourage independent play and concentration. Here are some easy steps you can take to create a Montessori playroom in your very home!
What is a Montessori playroom?
What makes a montessori playroom stand out from the rest? A Montessori playroom is simple with a limited number of toys/activities. It has everything displayed nicely at the child’s level and includes some open space.
Montessori playrooms use toys that promote engagement over entertainment. There are no toys with flashing lights or anything overstimulation. A Montessori playroom creates order and routine
The first step in creating a Montessori playroom: choosing a room!
You want to choose a room with a lot of natural light for your playroom. If you don’t have a room with much natural light, try painting the room a soft, neutral shade.
Think minimalist and neutral. The more simple, the better. This simple backdrop encourages a calm atmosphere and promotes concentration and focus. Bold primary colors can quickly become overstimulating. Remember, you’re creating a calmer space and allowing the colorful toys and materials to attract your child’s attention. The goal is to make the toys really stand out!
The second step in creating a Montessori play room: organization & structure.
Children love organization and structure. It may not appear that way when they are running wild and creating chaos in the house, but trust me, they LOVE structure.
According to Montessori, a bit of structure encourages creativity. It’s all about having the materials easy for them to see, so they can look around and know what’s available and make a choice on their own. This fosters an environment of independence and autonomy.
How to organize a Montessori playroom for the best outcome
Ok so just HOW do you organize a playroom that fosters creativity and independence? By choosing furniture that is your little one’s size, hanging art at their eye level, and making toys within reach for them, you can create a playroom that gives them independence.
Ideas for furnishing your Montessori play room
- Toddler Table and Chairs
- Bookshelves
- Nugget Couch
- Toy baskets
- Toy bins
After you’ve chosen a room and furnished it, it’s time to add toys!
As I said earlier, Montessori toys are ones that encourage engagement. They aren’t going to be flashing bright lights or battery-powered. Some of my favorite Montessori toys I have for Isaiah came from my Lovevery subscription. I have talked about this subscription in my gifts for new moms blog post and several YouTube videos.
It’s best to have about 8-10 toys in your play space. You want your child to focus on one toy before jumping to the next. Having too many toys can get overwhelming. If you have more than 10 toys, a toy rotation is a great idea! We rotate our toys about once per week to keep Isaiah interested.
Why Do Montessori Playrooms Use Wood Toys?
Wooden toys are often used in Montessori Playrooms because wood is a natural, beautiful, and long-lasting material. The wooden toys that Montessori Playrooms choose usually have a purpose for development, unlike a lot of battery-operated toys that are more for entertainment.
Lastly, add a quiet space!
A quiet space for reading and relaxing helps create a sense of calmness in the room that your children can use whenever they need. Consider adding a teepee tent for a reading corner or laying pillows on the floor for your child’s quiet space.
Recap on how to design your own montessori play room at home
There is no concrete way to design your own montessori playroom, but some good guidlines to follow include:
- Lots of natural light with soft tones/neutrals
- Keep things simple; don’t overstimulate your child
- Keep toys and books in your child’s reach so they can make decisions for themselves
- The goas is to fill your playroom with toys that engage rather than entertain
I hope this post gave you some fun ideas on how to craft a Montessori play room in your very home!
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