Simone Davies

Simone Davies is an experienced AMI Montessori educator since 2004. Simone is the author of “The Montessori Toddler” and co-author of “The Montessori Baby” and “The Montessori Child” books, comprehensive guides to raising children in a Montessori way. She is the founder of Jacaranda Tree Montessori in Amsterdam for families with children under 4 years. She also has a popular blog, instagram and podcast “The Montessori Notebook” and is mother to two young adults.

Is my child differently-wired?

Many parents ask me about raising neurodivergent children and whether their child might be “differently wired.” So I invited my dear friend Debbie Reber of Tilt Parenting to share her wisdom and resources. Debbie is the author of Differently Wired and podcast host of the Full Tilt Parenting podcast. You…

Summary of The Whole-Brain Child

There are some books that I recommend year in and year out. One of my favourites is “The Whole-Brain Child" by Dr Daniel Siegel and Dr Tina Payne Bryson. The scientific parts are easy to digest, provide a scientific base to parent from, and the 12 strategies outlined in the…

Montessori and music: creative ways to integrate music in the classroom and home (including the Yoto Player!)

An often overlooked area of the Montessori classroom or home is the music area. I’ll admit, I’m not naturally musically talented. Fortunately, babies, toddlers, and preschoolers are such enthusiastic, nonjudgmental participants that I’ve never felt shy about playing music, dancing, or singing with them. So let's look at creative ways…

A book recommendation if you have a child who is an introvert

It can be hard for us if our child takes some time to warm up when we arrive somewhere new, our child hides behind our legs, or stands next to us while everyone else seems to be playing at a child's birthday party. You are not alone. Susan Cain's book…

Montessori and grandparents

Introduction A grandparent wrote to me as they want to be involved with their grandchild but don't know the best way. The parents want them to follow Montessori principles and let the child choose for themselves; the grandparent also wants to be able to read books with them and have…

Easy ideas for keeping your child’s artwork

Another common question I get asked is for good ideas what to do with all the lovely paintings and artwork that the children make in class and at home. So here are some simple ideas for you try for keeping your child's artwork. Let me know what are your favourites…

One Simple Practice to Be a Kind and Clear Guide

We want to be a kind and clear guide to our child. And people want to know why their child listens to me.Well I have been lucky enough to practice with many toddlers over the last 20 years, raised two children in a Montessori way, and my Montessori training has…

20 ways to connect deeper with the Earth, the Montessori way

As parents, caregivers and educators, it is now more important than ever to help our children connect deeper with the Earth, the Montessori way. Dr Montessori wrote: “We must study the correlation between life and the environment. In nature all is correlated. This is the purpose of nature. Nature is…

When our child gets frustrated easily

"My son is 2, nearly 3, and is full of energy and confidence. However, he seems to get frustrated quite easily and it escalates fast for him so that I have to remove him from the situation or he will scream, hit my daughter usually, or us his parents and…

A beautiful public Montessori school in Austin, Texas we wish we could all attend

I'm super excited to share with you today an amazing public Montessori school in Austin, Texas. It's been a while since we did a school tour around here and so important to highlight that there are many great programs making Montessori accessible to all. Montessori For All is based in Austin, Texas…

Is Montessori parenting a fairy-tale? That’s what the Atlantic said. Here’s what I think…

An article appeared in The Atlantic on 27 February 2024, The Fairy-Tale Promises of Montessori Parenting. The article gives a good overview of Montessori at home, its origins, its aims, and how it might look at home. “Psychologists generally agree that the ideal parenting style is “authoritative” and is characterized…

S2 Bonus episode: A quick personal update, The Montessori Child book, and talking to children about war

Hello there! I'm popping into your podcast feed with a catch up on what has been happening the last 2.5 years since the last podcast episode, including the launch of The Montessori Child book. The book picks up where The Montessori Toddler leaves off, covering how to bring Montessori into…