I am an immigrant from Pakistan. Living in a joint family system is a norm there. I was raised living in the same household as my grandparents. I had my daughters in the same household as their grandparents until they turned 5 and 3 years old. My daughters enjoyed being pampered by their maternal and paternal grandparents while we lived in Pakistan and still share a unique bond with them, even while being thousands of miles away from them.

Bilingualism

My children are bilinguals, and their grandparents played a significant role in building their vocabulary. They are proficient in both Urdu and English because of their communication with their grandparents. I feel that every person has their way of communicating, and I always think that my children learn some unique new words after visiting them. The kind of words that we read in old classics, but as parents seldom use in our daily communication

Speech development

My younger daughter has Down’s Syndrome, and I had read about how she might have delayed speech. However, since she was always around grandparents who loved talking to her and reading to her, her speech and vocabulary developed exceptionally well. My mother sang her favorite Bryan Adams songs to her every time we visited her, while my mother-in-law introduced her to various games that helped build her vocabulary early. Having grandparents around also reduces the need to resort to screen time, which also helps in improving the child’s speech.

It made us better parents

Having grandparents around made us better parents. I feel that since young children demand constant stimulation and attention, it can be exhausting for us parents to keep up with that. My husband and I benefitted greatly from having our parents live close by. Even though we were the primary caregivers, having little pockets of breaks when your child is with the grandparents does wonders for the parents’ mental health. There have been times when I did not have the energy to play one more round of peek-a-boo while feeding the baby, and my parents would come to the rescue. I felt that sometimes the kids needed a break from me too, and were more flexible around the grandparents.

They learned empathy

Living around grandparents teaches children to be more empathetic. Being around adults with different physical needs is a great learning experience for the children. My daughters were mindful of the limitations of the grandparents and would love fetching them a glass of water, massaging their heads when they got tired, and helping them find their glasses. In my opinion, this experience slows the kids down in our fast-paced lifestyle and makes them mindful of people with different needs.

They’re loved unconditionally

I believe that children can never be spoilt with too much love. Our parents have raised us to the best of their abilities, and after becoming a parent myself, I feel that we face different challenges every day. Grandparents have been through it all, and they realize how the days are long, but the years are short. I love watching them being a hundred percent present, even while listening to the same story for the tenth time. I love all the extra cuddles and kisses that my children get from them, making them feel loved unconditionally. It feels good that my children will always have an advocate for them, even if they mess up because, in the grandparents’ eyes, they can do nothing wrong. Wouldn’t we all want someone in our life that we knew would make us feel that special?

My favorite part about my children’s relationship with their grandparents is when they tell them stories about how my husband and I were as kids. My girls always listen to them with wide eyes, imagining their parents as naughty little kids just like them. They laugh and giggle at the silly things that we used to do when we were their age. I think it comforts them to know that we are also the same and gives them perspective on the cycle of life. There is nothing as wholesome as a healthy, loving bond that we share with our grandparents if boundaries and respect for each other are maintained from both ends.

If this post has you feeling sad about having lost a parent, this might be what you’d like to read.

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What are Montessori toys and why are they so popular? Montessori is an educational method that was developed by Maria Montessori in 1897. Her educational system is designed to put the child first and allow them to self-lead in the classroom. So, how does this educational style relate to toys? Children are naturally curious and learn through play and things that spark their interest. Toys are one of the first things we introduce to our children. There are tons of toys on the market that encourage children to develop social, cognitive, emotional and physical skills. Here are the best Montessori toys for babies, and kids.

Montessori toys are based on reality, encouraging children to use their imagination during playtime. You’ll notice that these styles of toys are typically made from natural materials – wood, ceramic, wool, cotton, metal, and even rock. Another benefit of these types of toys are they typically have to be manipulated in some fashion for them to be effective, they do not move or make noises on their own, encouraging that extra amount of self-lead playtime. Below is our round-up of some of the best Montessori toys to keep your kids learning, engaged and active!

Montessori Toys for Babies (0 – 12 months)

Organic Wood Baby Rattle

This is a great introductory toy for infants. The wooden rings make gentle interactive noise, while the wood is organic and soft enough for little ones to use as a teether. Start them off early with new ways to engage their newly developing sense in the world around them.  Recommended for ages 0 – 12 months.

Wood Baby Gym

Aside from being gender-neutral, this activity gym is the perfect home addition for infants. The hanging rings encourage early motor skills and can double as teethers. Remove the hanging toys during tummy-time so your babe still has a toy to stimulate their senses. Recommended for ages 0 – 12 months.

Pop Up Toy

This spring-loaded toy offers interactive play along with teaching fine and gross motor skills. Encouraging little ones to use hand-eye coordination during playtime. You can also begin to teach primary and secondary colors with the color-coordinated pegs. Recommended for ages 12+ months.

Montessori Toys for Toddlers (1 – 4 years)

Clamp Bee to Hive

Introduce your toddler to a fun beehive inspired game that has several educational components. This toy teaches fine motor skills by using the tongs to put the bees into the hive. Each bee has a color-coordinated hive that teaches the concept of color sorting and hand-eye coordination. It is also a great introduction to begin counting as each toy comes with 7 bees. Recommended for ages 2 – 4 years.

Wooden Music Set

Spark your toddlers’ musical senses with an interactive musical set – xylophone, tambourine, and pounding hammer all-in-one set. This vibrant set offers several ways to play from using gross and fine motor skills to developing logic, coordination, matching and so much more. Get creative and play together to create a new song or play along to a favorite nursery tune. Recommended for ages 1 – 4 years.

Montessori Toys for Kids (3+ years)

Geometric Wood Pattern Blocks

Inspire creativity with older kids and watch them design new patterns, designs, and shapes. This set comes with 24 design cards ranging in levels of difficulty which give examples of what shapes and patterns can be created with the blocks. Recommended for ages 3 – 7.

Wooden Geoboard

Encourage fine and visual motor skills by forming tons of 2D designs with this wooden geoboard set. This toy will grow as your child does as they can create more difficult patterns and designs as they get older. Recommended for ages 3 – 7.

*For younger children please use adult supervision with the bands. 

See and Spell Puzzles

Encourage your little one to build a love for learning with this see and spell puzzle. Each set comes with 28 double-sided spelling cards that will help teach common sight words, hand-eye coordination, and spelling sequences. Recommended for ages 3 – 6.

Self-lead learning, development, and education are what each of these toys is developed to inspire. Many of these toys are great for many years of use and will grow with your child. These interactive Montessori toys will provide hours of play and educational skill development without feeling like work. Let your kids’ creativity soar with our round-up of Montessori toys!

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