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When I look at materials for my children I ask the same basic questions as everyone else, what is it made of, is it good quality? But my focus isn't on the materials. It's never really about the materials. It is about what the child can do with the materials.
Yes, our brooms are wooden, high quality. But what can a child do with it? The child can participate. They can clean up a breakage. They can tidy a space or a room or a house. They can feel empowered, trusted. What about a lovely Butterfly mobile. They are designed by Holly Zucker and handmade in the Pacific North West. But what can the child do with it? They provide a very young child their first opportunity to work. They provide opportunity for concentration, for beauty, for tracking, for visual discrimination. 
Here are my picks for gift giving from HWM Shop with international alternatives provided where possible, ages are not always relevant but I've broken them into three general categories.  
1. . Once a baby can sit independently they will like to work with their hands. This is the same Australian made shape puzzle we used in our home. Otis worked out the circle first and then spent time working at the square and triangle. Puzzles promote hand eye coordination, visual discrimination and allow the young child to concentrate and complete a task. (Similar available by ). 
2. & 3.  and . Mobiles are the child's first work. Butterflies and whales would have to be two of the most beautiful animals to put on a mobile. The whale mobile was used both by Sara at  and Meg at . (Also available at ). 
4.  provide a lovely sensory experience. Once a child is old enough to grasp and shake they begin to gain an understanding of cause and effect. (Also available in France at ). 
5. . This little pop up toy has been loved by Montessori families for years for good reason. Coordination is required to put the little pegs in the hole (perhaps with some colour matching work) and then push down and track them as they 'pop' back up.  (Also available in the )
6. This  is divine. Otis used his for months and it's totally chewable. The young child can grasp the lovely tactile rattle and shake for the bells to ring. The child will begin to make intentional and coordinated movement to shake the rattle.  (Also available from ). 
7. 9. and 10. Beautiful and simple wooden toys for the infant. A child who has just begun to grasp will like to hold onto the  (perhaps the most simple gift ever!), a little older and they can work on hand to hand transfer and wrist rotation with the  and the  is perfect when they are sitting for hand eye coordination. (Similar available at  or ). 
8. A lovely soft . For the care of self table or just for a gentle brush. Some child just love the soft and relaxing feeling of having their hair brushed. 
1. . I have found that toddler love to bake. They love to cook and stir and watch their creations come to life. Aprons help to set the scene and little tools are easier to the child to use and control. It's also great for children to use a few basic tools in the kitchen that are just theirs, that they can have ownership of. (Apron available from , lots of other child sized kitchen tools are available at ).  
2. . Durable and educational. Fun for children starting with letter, colour, shape and number recognition. These are popular all year round but fantastic for small/family/friend gifts and stocking stuffers. (Also available at ).
3. . Matching cards that can also be used as vocabulary cards. Animal and plant cards are always my favourites for toddlers. These are beautiful, bright cards which children can use for matching promoting cognitive development and concentration. When aligned with your child's sensitive period/developmental needs and interests, children will use these repeatedly.  of Otis using the matching cards. (Also available at ). 
4. . One of the reasons I like this puzzle is because of it's difficulty and size. As it is actually four puzzles in one box, I present only one puzzle at a time. The puzzle can be challenging for an older toddler however because only one puzzle is offered the child can complete it in a short period of time. The transport subject appeals to many children and it's also a lovely puzzle a couple of children can work on together. (Also available from ). 
5. . Children are attracted to animals and small models. Australian animal models allow children to explore, examine and get to know the animals in their natural environment, perhaps the birds they see in the tree or animals they have only observed from afar.  
6. Child sized , , , . For the toddler at home I feel it's all about practical life. Enjoying the physicality of pushing a broom or swishing the window squeege. Children enjoy having their own materials and to be able to work along aside their care-givers as they attend to the home environment. (Many similar available at ). 
7. . A beautiful cardboard lotto game. Very young children can use the card to recognise their favourite animals. Later the game can be used for matching or lotto. (Also available at ). 
1. . Preschoolers can feel a sense of success and pride once they start to read words, then sentences, then an entire book by themselves. Readers such as these are a great way to promote and encourage little readers. (Also available at ). 
2. We love our . From learning to write their own names, to learning how words are formed. Once children know (most if not all) the letters they can have fun forming/constructing words then putting a few words together to sentences. This movable alphabets comes with a lesson plan included. (Also available at ). 
3. . A little more interesting than usual blocks. Great for learning geometric forms. Put these in a  and have the child feel and guess what's inside. The stereognostic sense allows the child to discriminate size and shape through the use of touch.  
4. . I love the global feel of this puzzle and it's great to work with a small group of children together on a table or on the floor. For team work, visual discrimination, because it is large it will require concentration and patience, and possibly could be considered cultural work. (Also available at ).
5. . Lyra are our favourite brand of pencils and the Ferby are great for little hands. The pencils are really high quality, highly pigmented and we will never go back to cheaper brands - you will see and feel the difference. These are also good small gifts or stocking stuffers. 
6. . We love Ochre for a unique and authentic art experience. They can dry up and be used over and over again. A different feel and experience to paint and it's completely natural (it's straight from the earth) and non-toxic. Sourced ethically by Indigenous educators. A great way to lead to Indigenous or Australian studies or stories of the Dreamtime.  
7. and 8.  and  are fun for those learning pencil control and may be looking for some quiet work to concentrate on. The stencils are also fun little gifts, perhaps paired with a pack of pencils. (Although not similar these are lovely shape stencils at ). 
I'll also be posting about what will be under our tree. Our gifts to the boys are not so exciting, some are practical (think books, new lunchboxes and pajamas) and others fun but I'm always interested to hear what others are getting so, I'll be posting here!
Our days have been hot, sticky and often stormy. Our art shelves were one of the last areas that we organised. The study doesn't have any built in storage so we have utilised some open shelving. The boys can reach almost anything. The hot glue gun and aerosols (fixative and adhesive) are on the top shelf where Otis can't easily reach. They have access to lots of paint, pots and brushes. Ready for when they feel inclined. Some days are definitely theme related, the boys will start on something and work on it all day.  
Caspar loves anything space related and together they painted the solar system. Caspar traced around his magnetic planets and then they painted them in. The planets are in some sort of order - I didn't want to intervene. Caspar uses these
and this . 
Some random plant paintings. I need to find a good book (I'm open to suggestions!) so they can identify what is in our garden. 
Painting decorations made from white clay (I suggested and facilitated this one). 
I love it when they get their paint on! 
What we are reading in December, please note this post contains affiliate links. I've been reading
by David Hieatt. From the DO/ series of books this is a simple, motivational business/start up book. Short, sharp and to the point!
Otis has been reading
by The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York). A beautiful way to learn and identify shapes. This book introduces children to shapes through the Metropolitan Museum's extensive and varied art collection. We also have
which is just as lovely. 
Do your children read out loud to you? Caspar has always been against this but as he is at home this term I feel it is important for me to find out more about where he is with his reading, so I can help with the areas where he needs it the most. This is a
that Caspar has been reading out loud, each chapter finishes with the focus words from that chapter. It is a great way for us to go over the words/sounds he is having trouble with. 
Do you have any books on your wish list? These are two I have ordered and hope to put under the Christmas tree -
and . Have you read these? If they are good I am sure I will let you know. 
How are you? We are ok, struggling at times. This whole homeschooling thing has it's challenges. We have toured and Caspar has spent some time at their new school. It's a lovely place, a Montessori school right on the river. Children can attend up to 15 years, which I think is equal to grade 9 or 10. Observing the older classrooms has made me feel really excited for the future, to know that a Montessori schooling doesn't have to finish at the primary level. It's really opened my eyes. I know many people consider Montessori for younger children or even just preschool but Montessori has so much more to offer.  
I wanted to share a few links with you if you have time for some Montessori reading.
i is a wonderful site. I really enjoyed this article by Junnifa - . 
Here is a treasure trove of articles useful for parents at , lots about practical life and a few enjoyable articles about . I really hadn't thought about baking with premade pastry but I think Otis would enjoy it. 
I totally freak out when asked to be interviewed and I usually decline! But who can say no to Baan Dek?  Here is an article where I was interviewed by the lovely team at Baan Dek Montessori - . 
When I look for Montessori (in the home) inspiration I often click over to . 
Here is a sneak peak of how the children's study is coming together, it's actually a really fun space to be in (as pictured below, we recently put a big crafting table in the middle of the room - it's working out well) and Otis (pictured above) doing some shape work. 
I hope you have a lovely weekend!
One day Otis spilt some milk on the kitchen floor. 'I'll just go get my mop' he said to me and off he went. He cleaned up the milk and put his mop away. He was two. I totally credit his school (and teachers) for this as he had recently started in a formal Montessori classroom.
I guarantee you cleaning up after accidentally making a spill or breakage happens naturally, automatically to children (including toddlers) in Montessori environments all around the world - everyday. Often in Montessori schools using a mop or wet mopping is actually presented as a lesson. Not to say that Otis always cleans up his spills (he doesn't) but what (to me!) is miraculous is that at two years old he could recognise a spill and without even thinking collect the materials and clean it up. This can only happen when and where the environment allows for it. 
A child is much less likely to clean up if his materials are out of reach, he doesn't know which cloth to use, if he has to ask for help. 
It's not just about independence. It is also about self pride. Contributing to a community. Doing a job/task well. Completing a job/task from start to finish. About being a responsible person. It is about respecting a child enough to allow them to clean up after themselves. 
Our cleaning station as pictured above is located in a small cupboard under our stairs. It is the same area where I keep my broom and mop and our vacuum cleaner and buckets. Previously we stored the children's cleaning materials in and near the kitchen. We still need cleaning cloths and a spray bottle in the kitchen kept on the pantry shelves, but where the materials are located really depends on each family and each home. 
A children's cleaning station isn't just for children in the sensitive period for practical life. It's for all children. In the sensitive period or not children need to have access to their materials. Caspar (now 7) doesn't particularly gain enjoyment (but perhaps satisfaction) from cleaning (as Otis does) but still needs to be able to find and reach a broom or dustpan for when he needs to clean up a breakage or spill.
You can read more about our
and Otis cleaning in action in a previous post (sweeping)
and as you will know we have lots of practical life materials including . 
1. , 2. , 3. , 4.
and 5. . 
If you are starting to think of gifts for a child around the two to three year range (perhaps even younger) you might consider puzzles and possibly alphabet puzzles. A Montessori child of this age would be learning lower case letters and their sounds before upper case. Which is why for this age I absolutely prefer lower case to upper case letter work. I also believe that an alphabet puzzle is a great material to have in the home to support the work going on in the classroom.  
Alphabet puzzles support hand eye coordination and letter recognition. I prefer a basic print font and I am quite picky especially when it comes to the single/double story a's. I avoid puzzles that have the double story 'a' - although most children are adaptable. I like that the letters can be taken out and the child can start to put simple words together (possibly their name) before moving onto the movable alphabet. 
In short I really support alphabet puzzles. Due to the number of letters most wooden alphabet puzzles are of a good size and are satisfying work for the child. TAG toys have two featured above (3. and 5.) and are more accessible to those in the US. Puzzles 1. and 2. are from Australia. Puzzle 2. comes with a gorgeous felt cover. If you are looking/considering an uppercase puzzle
is handcrafted in various woods and is beautiful (also look for their number puzzle). 
Photo credits: , , , , .  
We have been in our new home for a couple of weeks and most of our areas are coming together. The children's study has been by far the most difficult room to put together. It is currently a homeschooling room, it's much larger than their previous space and both boys seem to have grown physically and in maturity since leaving our last home. I've been able to create different 'stations' or areas however I am in desperate need of some inspiration. 
Let me make clear that their study will not look like a Montessori classroom. However when looking for children's study/learning spaces the ones I find most inspiring are Montessori classrooms. Above are some of the best I've found and I have listed some of the things I take away as inspiration for our own home. I love how they all look different and unique but all share many of the same characteristics. 
In my last order from Karla I asked her to pop in a
for Otis. I didn't use them with Caspar (although he would have had access to them at school) and I really wish I did. I think I've mentioned previously that Otis has a tendency to rush his work, while enjoying the task he is quick to finish and move onto the next thing. I'm hoping the folding cloths can be just one of many activities where I can show him how slowing down and being accurate/precise is important. 
Folding cloths like this would be easy to DIY, the stitching could be done by hand or replaced by some permanent marker. The stitching/lines are there to guide the child to fold the cloths in several different ways. The demonstration part is easy too - using slow, deliberate movements the child can quickly catch on. And the practical implications in the home environment are obvious, the child can move onto folding laundry, folding napkins for table settings or perhaps origami!
When Caspar was around three I started looking for good Montessori first/early readers. The Bob Books were the series most recommended. While he was learning to read at school (he was at a Montessori school) I wanted to complement this learning by having good readers at home. As a Montessori parent what do I look for in a first/early reader? 
Books that start with the Pink Series and progress in a logical way. 
The first books as with the Pink Series have a focus on phonetic, CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words. 
Has an interesting (non-offensive), engaging story line.
Is not in any way associated with licensed characters.
Is true to life - the story line is plausible. 
Is attractive, illustrated in a nice way. 
Contain full short stories, setting the child up for success and satisfaction at being able to finish an entire book. 
I have now started using the Bob Books with Otis. However having him at home (not attending school) this term I wanted more. I sought out Miss Rhonda's Readers which have been a delight (so much so we now stock them at ) . Although there are a few different readers available here are my top three. 
1. . Very basic. The images are purposeful but not distracting. The storyline is amusing, my children find them funny but others may not. Originally made by hand the Bob Books were written by a teacher in the 1970s. Set One contains 8 booklets and there is a full series to grow with the developing reader. 
2. . Colourful and nicely illustrated. A little more engaging and colourful than the Bob Books but simple enough that as a first reader children can start to decode the words and follow the story. These are a lovely addition to our home and are read repetitiously. Originally written by Miss Rhonda for her own Montessori Classroom. True to life stories including images and stories of nature. Set one and two each contain eight books. Miss Rhonda has a new set three which is a lovely first chapter book. 
3. . These are the only books on this list we haven't used in our home. They are the next on my list though. They come highly recommended as most of the stories are true to life and many have life like illustrations. Their
is an excellent guide. The books are available in sets or  (or on ). 
We have tried a few other first/early readers however have found them a little hit and miss. I'd love to hear if you have tried any first/early readers that you can recommend. You know I love to support small business and especially one started by a  Montessori teacher - have you tried ?
Living in Brisbane our lifestyle has totally changed. Although the warm weather is everywhere in Australia right now, never before have my children spent so much time outdoors. Practically all day, everyday. Dirty feet - every night. The boys have been using the  which has given us a few new ideas. 
The boys love chocolate and I knew I could come up with a healthy chocolate snack. They don't look so pretty but they taste fantastic and only took a couple of minutes to make. 
Today we walked to our local library to find a beautiful organic community garden. The ladies there were so, so lovely and welcoming. I was amazed to find such a wonderful resource in our own neighbourhood. Below are some of the snippets we took home. Some to grow, some to eat!
 Otis made some leaf prints.
He was experimenting, this was the most effective method. 
I really love air plants - they are so practical. We gave ours a soak today and they are looking all bright and fresh. More seedpods collected on our nature walk. 
Some language work (above). Movable alphabet . 
I have no idea what this is called or what Otis is learning (above) but it looks like fun. 
Otis, watching gekkos on the balcony and the possums running up and down the power lines. These are beeswax candles we made previously. 
I hope you are having a lovely weekend! 
I've mentioned before about Montessori not being something we do during a specific hour, at a designated time, about it being more of a parenting and educational philosophy. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy to make Montessori a part of every day. And to those who are skeptical of Montessori I think the way we live makes sense. 
Gosh Otis loves to sweep and he loves these stairs. I get that cleaning is really satisfying - and that the stairs needed sweeping. Sometimes he makes a rushed effort but today he paid attention to detail. 
Today he kept on checking the temperature, it was a particularly warm day. 
Getting his materials from a kitchen drawer. He also has the drawer above this one for his other/baking materials. While we were travelling we really missed him having access to his own kitchen materials and food. I think I heard a million times 'I'm hungry' 'I'm thirsty'. We rarely hear this at home as he can fix these things for himself. 
Eating while he works. I haven't set this up as something for him to do. He has got the strawberries from the refrigerator, his materials from the cupboard, he is slicing the strawberries because he is hungry. 
Making basil pesto for dinner. I put the ingredients on the board and Otis did the rest - most of the basil was already finely chopped and he put in a little too much olive oil but we can live with that. 
What we have been reading and listening to this month. Please note this post contains affiliate links and possibly a link to my own shop. 
I have been reading . This was such an enjoyable read, schools get so much bad press it's refreshing to read the great work many school are doing. I would recommend this book to teachers and school administrators looking for inspiration from real life (US based) examples of integrating sustainability into schools.
Caspar has been particularly interested in space and reading . How inspiring are the recent space activities including the landing of the Philae Spacecraft? These type of activities can stay with a child (or even an adult) forever. 
Continuing on from our , Otis is enjoying . A wonderful book all about feathers, lots of beautiful pictures and discussion on the purpose of feathers! On a practical/actual reading level Otis is starting with the
(written by a Montessori teacher for her own classroom) proudly available in . 
In our listening/audio centre the boys are thrilled with the. If you know this CD you'll understand the need for play-silks and instruments nearby. This is a CD that you cannot sit still listening to. It really is beautiful. Also in the listening basket we have a birds song and rain CD - both very relaxing.  
I have recently ordered  - I've seen it popping up on Montessori blogs all around the place - I can't wait to read it!
Yay! We made it to Brisbane. We are far from feeling settled (Caspar is feeling very unsettled) however we are comfortable and loving everything Brisbane has to offer. Even the scorching weather - no complaints here. Queenslanders are the most down to earth - laid back and all round chatty people. We have been made to feel so very welcome.
A big part of our life right now is finding our rhythm and most importantly enjoying the same things we did in Canberra, enjoying the familiar. 
On moving in day the house was full of boxes and strangers (removalists!). A little audio/listening centre with a few cushions, a few CDs, a basket of play silks and next to that a basket of instruments and a pile of familiar books - created a nice little nook for the boys to play energetically or to sit quietly if they wanted.
The boys study (it's huge!) still needs a lot of organising and rearranging so most of our work has been outside. I have even managed to give Otis a lesson or two. Below the parts of the plant we eat using vegetable matching cards.
And for relaxation a little guided meditation (Otis is giggling!) at the end of the day. 
Let's talk soon! 
There is nothing really like learning in place. Learning about birds under the trees. Learning about fruit and  vegetables in the garden or at the market. About land forms at the beach!
The boys have been learning in place a lot in the last couple of weeks. Above Caspar is giving a presentation on the attributes of this beak. Otis is playing, looking and also learning below. 
- every day we have focused on finding and observing the birds in our area. We've compiled a list of the species of birds we have seen in each location. With the focus on birds we have  also covered one by one the topics of bird nests, feathers, feet, beaks and tomorrow sounds! It's been easy to adjust these topics to two age levels. 
While both children enjoy being at home - they really need room to move - which makes the physical location learning is to take place even more important. 
Caspar above is collecting perhaps some of the most precious learning materials - gifts from the place and the birds themselves. 
What I have been enjoying online this week...
, Hugh - I think you are all kinds of fantastic!
by Irene at Montessori Life as We Know It. 
Montessori Moms have introduced
- What a wonderful idea when you don't have time for a full post - I might consider this for the future. 
Renee from
has opened a little , I have ordered . You must check out Renee's learning materials, they really are so beautiful. 
I don't have to tell you how awesome this is.
at Midwest Montessori. 
by Babs (who is also all kinds of fantastic!). 
I adore reading about the adventures of  and
who are both toddlers and wizzes in the kitchen! 
I hope you have a lovely weekend! 
The ability to read and write is not, in itself a sufficient ambition. What is of supreme importance is bringing about, in a child, a desire to read and write: this is the Holy Grail. - Montessori Read and Write, Lynne Lawrence.
I recently wrote that I was not correcting Caspar's spelling. At his stage in development I want him to be able to write - just write without the focus on spelling, grammar or other corrections. Just to enjoy it! The more he writes the better. I want him to write freely, with abandon, uncorrected, unjudged. 
There are lots of opportunities for writing as a part of everyday living - notes, signs, letters, labels, lists, pretend/role play and on research projects. However having him out of school I really wanted to ensure no matter how busy we are that there is an opportunity for writing daily (even when travelling). For both of my children I want to ensure we have an environment that supports writing (and/or drawing) as a daily habit - a healthy batch of daily expression! But how do you create this without forcing it, without prompting it? I knew it was with journalling.
Expression and communication is really the reason behind writing - gosh kids have so much to express (I'm not sure what Otis is expressing above!). It's therapeutic. I started by introducing a journal to both boys about a three weeks ago. Otis' journal is a basic blank project book and Caspar's journal has the top third of the page blank (for pictures) and the rest of the page is lined (for writing). 
Otis will usually only go to his journal if he see Caspar using his. However Caspar now uses his every single day. When introducing Caspar to the idea of a journal I spoke to him about using it daily, I spoke of how he could use it to record his day, something to do at the end of the day. I asked him to give it a go. This only lasted a week. Caspar said he was too tired in the afternoon and it wasn't working for him. So he started journaling in the morning (often as soon as he gets up) - and not as a record of his day however there are often daily reflections in there. He will draw a picture and only a few sentences - perhaps about a book he has read or about something he has done with Otis. We have created a daily habit of journalling, it's everyday, it's expression and it's with abandon. 
As a parent I've found the process of my children using a daily journal really freeing. For Caspar it's a habit - I don't have to worry about him. I don't have to question is he writing - am I doing enough to encourage him. I also know with more writing will come improved handwriting, improved spelling. It's happening. 
Today was our first day not back to school. It felt really strange not to be sending the boys off to school on what would have been the first day back from school holidays. Instead with stormy weather we stayed home and made the most of the day.
If you haven't read my previous post - we are moving mid term and are keeping the boys out of school until we are settled in our new location. They will be attending another Montessori school. I have been advised by their teachers to expect some regression with their school work - I guess it's only natural. So my aim while they are home is to reinforce what they already know and not really to focus on introducing any new concepts. Also I don't want to do any work that would conflict with their school/work philosophies - I want to support what they have gained from school not compete with it. 
I have been teaching Otis French Knitting. The top photograph was taken with him sitting on my lap, which explains why his knitting is so perfect, I have been picking up his dropped stitches. Caspar's on the other hand is much, much longer and has a few more holes in it. The boys are so productive at home, they get so much done, knitting like this is a good way for them to use their hands and fine motor skills and just work - build on something, a bit every day. It was fun to look back on this
when I first taught Caspar to do the same thing!
I love to see the materials Otis selects from his shelves to work on! Geoboard above and stencils/cutting below. He doesn't lack an appetite to work. 
Caspar's teacher mentioned that she would have liked to see him doing mathematical sums in his mind, to move him from counting with his fingers by the end of the year. He does it a little but I really want to ensure he gets lots of practice. These sums are completely doable for him (it's addition and subtraction) and the game is fun, he's still using his fingers but I can see him doing it less and less. This game is great for Otis's number recognition too, Caspar does the sum for him but it's up to Otis to recognise the numbers. I can see why second children are often more advanced!
Below are some maths word/story problems which I love. I started Caspar with addition to see how he went. I have written the answers on the back so he can check his answers. The set we have includes addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. I love the way these story problems put maths into context.
Just as note about how we approach this type of learning - I have printed the cards and put them into a this little bag. Caspar has a pile of 'work' on his desk. Work meaning a pile of things he is working on, projects, journal, stories etc. It is a pile of work that he manages himself. Rather than put this work on our shelves I just put this little bag on his work pile and of course he was interested enough to do it. These cards also sneak in a little reading practice. 
Reaping what he has have sown. Through the wind and rain Otis picked these beautiful flowers from our garden, bulbs that we have planted seasons ago. 
The most pleasant work for children is not sowing but reaping, a work, we all know, that is no less exacting than the former. It may even be said that it is the harvest which intensifies an interest in sowing. The more one has reaped, the more he experiences the secret fascination of sowing. - Maria Montessori in The Discovery of the Child. 
Feeling quite sad for the boys - both have been asking to plant some seeds which is just impractical right now. Otis prepared these and has been watching them all day - sprouts are so fast growing I feel this will fulfil his need to grow something. 
Yesterday the boys made these below by putting cellophane into embroidery hoops, once the frame is in place and tightened they use their scissors to go around the edge and cut off what is hanging out (more pictures from yesterday ). Today we had enough light to capture the colours on the wall. I'm not sure what this teaches the boys other than the fun of playing with light. 
I hope you don't mind some of these everyday type posts. It's been lovely posting and sharing here a bit more often! 
 (above and below) was published only this month and is so gorgeous, you will not disagree. It is a large book with lovely thick pages (it also smells really good in a bookish way!). It is based on a virtual museum as it takes the reader through exhibits from the tree of animal life - each chapter representing a branch of the tree. 
This museum is unlike any other you've visited before. Open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, its collection boasts an unrivalled catalogue of the world's finest and most extraordinary creatures, with each exhibit in immaculate condition and presented in fantastic detail. 
Each 'exhibit' contains brief scientific information which I am sure children would absorb like a sponge. However we can't get past the amazing illustrations and matching the animals with their names. I have an will continue to buy this as an impressive gift for those who appreciate beautiful books. 
, is really high on our favourites list right now - you can see a little most about this book in my post . 
I picked up  (above) to look at in the National Library Bookshop and there was no way I was going to put it back. Again it's the detailed and fascinating illustrations that drew me in.
Leaves, twigs, branches and bark collect on the ground in forests all over the world. We call this leaf litter, but it isn't rubbish at all. If you look closely you will discover a world of animals and plants living side by side, a busy secret world we hardly ever see. 
The lift the flaps and the peek into the underground world provides such a unique perspective. This is also a really tall book which allows for the page to be dominated by the illustrations. 
This is in the same collection as the well known .  (above) takes the reader through the five branches (five kingdoms) of the tree of life. The main attraction for me is the way this book is laid out - it would be a wonderful introduction to the child to the classification of living things from kingdoms to species. For a child from five onwards on I don't feel this rather large subject would be overwhelming but organised and 'categorised' from the start. Helping the child to make sense of our world. 
I am still on the look out for beautiful and preferably photographic nature books that cover the topics of weather and natural phenomenons - please let me know if you have any suggestions. 
While compiling a list of our favourite nature books I noticed one book stood out - I realised it's not a children's book! The text is small, the language is descriptive and complex. The images and the message it conveys are strikingly beautiful. 
Books tell us of stories far beyond our lands. Often beyond our imagination. How inspiring for a child. 
Create a language rich home environment. Surround yourself in beauty.
Although Otis can now be trusted with good books,
In addition to the books freely accessible to your child, keep a supply of books of good literature and beautiful illustrations in a closed cupboard or shelf. These are books for you to read out loud to your child each evening before bed or at a special time during the day. As with the books freely available to the child, these high quality-produced books also reflect reality and introduce him to a further knowledge of his world. It does not matter if the child understands all that you read to him. In fact, no child comprehends on our adult level, even when he is familiar with the words used and the people, objects, and actions described. What is important at this stage is the child's absorption of good language and expressive thought. 
This books is  Them by Sharon Beals. 
I recently purchased some audio books for Caspar on a disc (The Famous Five!). My husband called me out on cluttering up the place. While a few discs aren't going to clutter up our house, he had a point. It's likely the kids will go through stacks of audio books and my purpose was to see if they liked them in order to take them travelling. 
We have a long road trip coming up and I really like the thought of having a few audio books as an option when the kids are struggling. We aren't taking or downloading any dvds - I don't want the kids to be glued to a screen but feel audio books are not so passive, they require concentration and imagination. They can listen while gazing out the window and know what is going on around them. 
I tried a few audio books however found the most popular titles don't come for free! I subscribed to
which has been really easy to use. Audible works through Amazon and my links below are affiliate. Headphones were a must. We decided to go with some kids headphones which have a sound limiter. I took the above photograph because until I saw it in real life I had no idea how the sound limiter works. I've listened to some books and while the story is still very clear and easy to hear the sound limiter prevents the children from turning up the volume too high - to protect their little ear drums. Our headphones are Kidz Gear from
in Australia and the  (they have good reviews and are really comfortable, I also feel they are not too kiddish in style). 
Choosing the right stories for the children is key too. Audible has the option of listening to a short sample before making a purchase which is fantastic. So far I have asked Caspar to listen to a few stories of my choice and he has picked out the ones he likes best. Above Caspar is listening to
by Andy Griffiths which he finds hysterical.
is on his list also. Both of these books are for Caspar, I'm still considering if it's suitable and what titles would be good for Otis.  
While this method is looking best for us I'd love to hear how you approach audio books especially while travelling or minimising clutter. We really haven't used audio books before so please let me know if there is an easier process I'm missing out on!  }