Babies are able to 'play' from birth. It just looks very different to the sterotypical play we may think of when we hear the word. There are ways that we can 'play' with our newborns - READ THIS POST HERE to find out more about this, but another thing we can also do is introduce mobiles to our baby, and the Montessori progression of mobiles are the best out there for supporting our child's visual development. Scientific research has led to the Montessori mobiles being designed in such a way to offer stimulation to your baby and support them to use and develop visual skills.
So why should we introduce Montessori Mobiles? A newborn's least developed sense it their sight. When they are born, the neurons in their brain aren't fully developed. This means that they can only see black, white and shades of grey. During a baby's first 6 months, introducing mobiles is a way to assist the process of their sight developing. Mobiles help babies practise coordinating their eyes and how to focus. They offer opportunities to deelop skills such as visual tracking, colour and size dicrimination, focus and concentration. They also help with binocularity - both eyes working together, and depth perception. All vital skills for the future! The Montessori Mobiles offer babies just the right amount of challenge for their current visual skills, and provide what they need to facilitate the development of their next steps.
What is the order of progression for The Montessori Mobiles?
All of the Montessori Mobiles are ordered into a sequence, based on scientific research on babies visual development. The first one you introduce to your baby is The Munari Mobile at around 2-3 weeks old. The next are then The Octahedron Mobile, The Gobbi Mobile and The Dancers Mobile, with each mobile being presented approximately 2-3 weeks after the previous one, dependant on baby's developmental needs and interest. There are then additional mobiles such as the Animal Mobiles or The Rainbow Mobile that you can introduce too.
After the Visual Mobiles have been presented, and your baby is ready, they can move onto the Tactile Mobiles. Discover more about Tactile Mobiles here (Link COMING SOON).
View a VISUAL TIMELINE of The Montessori Mobiles HERE (Link COMING SOON).
Why are Montessori Mobiles so special?
they are aesthetically pleasing
they have simple lines, move gracefully and therefore have a calming effect on baby
they are perfectly designed to challenge baby's eyesight, without overwhelming them
they work on developing one specific sense - sight, and therefore don't make any sound
they are all geometric shapes or realistic representations - an important concept in Montessori
How do you present the mobiles?
Place your baby down under a play gym or mobile hanger on a soft playmat or Topponcino when they are happy and content. You may want to prop them up a little if they're particularly sicky or struggle with gas when on their back. Position the mobile above baby's chest but still in their eyeline, and at a height of about 30cm above them. It's best to not place a mobile above baby's sleep space, such as their crib, because it is meant to be something to stimulate them.
What should you do, as the adult, whilst baby is under the mobile?
In Montessori, it is important to show the baby respect at all times. This includes when they are playing. We as the adults should respect their play time, even if it doesn't look like stereotypical 'play' to us. Whilst your baby is concentrating on their mobile, it is time for you to quietly observe them and try not to disrupt their focus. We can support siblings to do this too. Let your baby tell you or show you they're finished. You will know when their attention has moved away from the mobile as their gaze will have changed position, or they'll grumble/cry!
Our set of Montessori Mobiles and large wooden play gym was kindly gifted* by Ivana at Jacob's Montessori. Be sure to check out their website and Etsy page for their amazing products!
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