Spending time in nature is a huge component of the Montessori approach, and it’s an idea that completely resonates with me. I haven’t read much of anything on the topic, like this book, because I don’t really need any convincing. It makes sense on so many levels.

For example, I believe that the foundation of environmental stewardship is just a downright love of nature. The more children love being outside in the natural world, the more likely they are to take care of it. Plus, nature is an amazing backdrop for creative play and exploration. Children can satiate their natural curiosity and love of learning by turning over rocks,

I mentioned in this post that I was thinking about creating some kind of candle ceremony to commemorate Henry’s birthday every year. When I stumbled upon this 9-candle holder on Etsy, I realized it was the perfect complement to the ceremony: one tealight candle for every year until he’s 9, then a colored candle to represent 10 years, and additional tealight candles in the remaining eight slots to take him to 18.

Here’s how the ceremony went:

1. I printed out his one year-old photo.
2. We clipped the photo to a ribbon using these mini-clothespins.
3. We lit the candle and read the following letter.

Dear Henry,

You bring

Montessorians believe that the sensitive period for helping children use the toilet independently is 12-18 months (according to the book Montessori from the Start). The author cites studies that indicate that in the 1950s, ninety-two percent of babies were using the toilet successfully during the daytime by 18 months of age.