Purposeful Nurseries
Finn’s room showcased by his mom, Meg of Sew Liberated fame
But at the same time, there is an intersection between one’s parenting philosophy and the way one chooses to set up a baby nursery. In the Montessori philosophy, for example, the physical environment is an absolutely crucial component. The “prepared environment” embodies all the important elements of the philosophy. Everything in the room should be at the child’s height because it places the child at the center. Also, everything should facilitate independence, since the primary goal is to cultivate a child’s independence, thereby building a really solid foundation of self worth. The objects in the room should help the child develop his/her senses, and everything should be organized to help the child develop an internal sense of order.
That’s why I’m in love with Finn’s room, showcased by his mom, Meg over at Sew Liberated. Everything is so intentional and purposeful. And there’s not even a crib! They aren’t used in Montessori environments.
The good news is that Matt likes it too! It’s always a relief when we’re on the same page about something (we usually disagree when it comes to home decor). But then again, my whole point is that a nursery shouldn’t just be about “home decor.” It’s a chance to put your parenting philosophy into action. Anyway, I love this room!
3 Comments
Cécy
Laugh at me but now I want kids just to make a cute bedroom like this.
I love the wall stickers, such a cute collection, and the idea to have art and things at the child's height and eye level is a great idea I think. I like the simplicity of the room. I'm going to bookmark that bedroom page for whent he time comes.
Jessica
This is a very interesting concept and I'm going to do more reading about it. We have a crib for our little one on the way but I knew we'd only be using it after eight months because I plan to co-sleep until at least then.
Anonymous
I love these rooms! Just remember… its not just baby's room that needs to be an inviting, exploration-friendly environment — its the whole house! We've basically "Montessori-ized" the entire house from our knee-height down. The higher up stuff (on top of dressers, etc.) is grown-up stuff and everything down below is exploration-friendly. As I type this, I have a little girl getting some independent play time over in the living room. I can see her, but don't need to be "right there" because I know that everything she wants in within her reach and that she's perfectly safe! Yeah for rooms like the ones pictured — I would just love to see some more ideas for how people keep the Montessori theme up in their living rooms, TV rooms, dining rooms, etc.!!