Maria Montessori-innovated method of education is an approach for hands-on learning and self-directed activity.
In it, I ensured age-appropriate activities and supervision. Therefore, I chose the following Montessori activities when my infants grew 10 months old.
Montessori Activities For A 10 Month Old:
I kept my 10-month-old children busy with the following activities:-
- Peek-a-Boo and Hide and Seek – I played these games with my children for interestingly developing object permanence.
- Play For Interaction- I used toys, various things of different textures, blocks, rattles, sound-making toys, and lighting toys in the play with my children and made interactions accordingly.
- Tummy Time- For developing the motor skills and muscles of my children I urged them to be in tummy time and crawling.
- Water Play- I filled up a shallow basin with water and some floating toys and then encouraged them to play with them for sensory inspiration.
- Reading Books- I read colorful picture books with textures for language development in my children.
- Dancing To Music– As one of the activities for a 10-month-old, I urged my children to join in dancing to music. As a result, this helped create a sense of rhythm in them.
- Outdoor Activities- I used to take out my children for a short walk in a stroller and help them to explore nature or play with a swing.
Montessori Ideas For A 10 Month Old-
Normally Montessori-inspired activities for 10 months old point at motor skills, sensory exploration, independent activity, and language development. Here is what I followed:
- Sensory Activities with treasure baskets, filled with safe common things of different textures and sizes, and water play with cups and other containers.
- Motor skills development with an object permanence box, containing toys and stacking and nesting toys for hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills.
- The environment of the play zone with low shelves with toys and picture books so that my children could handle them according to their choices. In addition to this, my infants loved the Montessori idea of providing them with small chairs and tables.
- Practical Life Skills with self-feeding utensils and food items.
- Language development by reading together simple books of realistic images and by naming articles and people around my children.
- Social and emotional development with a safe mirror to explore reflections for self-awareness and fixed dates for playing with other children for developing social interaction.
DIY Montessori Activities For A 10 Month Old:
DIY Montessori activities for a 10-month-old focus on sensory exploration, fine motor skills, and making choices. Some activities are –
Treasure Basket- I filled up a basket with wooden articles, fabrics, and safe kitchen utensils and then encouraged my babies to explore them with curiosity for sensory development.
Object Permanence Box- I took a box with a hole on top and an under-drawer. Then asked them to drop a ball through the hole and retrieve it by opening the drawer. This helped them to develop an understanding of object permanence.
Puzzle- I offered my children a wooden puzzle with clunky pieces that fit different slots. Next, I encouraged them to put the pieces in the right slots. As a result, it developed a sense of placement in my children.
Water Play- I used to take a tray, small cups, water-safe toys, and sponges and encouraged them to play with water and toys, and squeeze sponges to take out water. Obviously, it promoted sensory development.
Pulling Scarves From A Box – I stuffed a box with colorful scarves but left one end out a little. Then I asked my children to pull the scarves out one by one. It was fun and good for motor skills.
Rolling Ball Tracer: Additionally, I arranged a ramp-like plane and urged my children to leave some balls one by one at the top of the plane and watched them roll down and trace one by one.
Indoor Activities For A 10 Month Old:-
Here are some indoor activities for a 10-month-old. I tried them with my children at home, you too can try them at home obviously under your supervision-
- Peek-a-Boo– this was a classic entertainer for my children
- Building Blocks– arrangements of plastic or wooden blocks for developing motor skills.
- Music and dancing- I played some baby songs or rhymes and danced with my children for coordination.
- Sensory Play- I filled up sensory bins with rice, pulse, or pasta and also used safe household items and toys for sensory exploration.
- Mirror Play- I set a safe mirror in the play zone of my children because I knew babies love watching their reflections in different movements.
- Story Time- I read story books with high-contrast pictures for concentration development.
- Puppet Shows- I collected hand puppets and soft toys to show my children a story happening for entertainment.
- Water Play- additionally I took a shallow bathtub with floating toys and urged them to play with them for more motor skills.
It must always be remembered that Montessori activities for a 10-month-old must be age-appropriate and beneficial.
Brain Development Activities For A 10 Month Old:-
Essentially some activities that have been discussed in detail under the previous subheadings are brain development activities for a 10-month-old. Despite that, I mention here for better understanding-
- Motor Skills-
- a) Standing and moving with support
- b) Tummy time
- Sensory Play-
- a) Texture exploration
- b) Water Play
- Cognitive Skills –
- a) Problem-solving shape sorter
- b) Peek-a-Boo
Social and emotional development-
- a) Play dates with other children.
- b) Mirror Play under supervision.
Language Development-
- a) Reading picture books
- b) singing baby songs
Problem-solving activity-
- a) simple puzzle solution
- b) Hide and seek with toys.
Here I would like to mention that I routined and repeated my children’s activities and also encouraged them for positive results.
Montessori Toys For A 10-Month-Old –
I considered the following Montessori toys for my 10-month-old children as important for sensory exploration, fine motor skills, and liberty:-
- Montessori Puzzles ( for problem-solving ability)
- Wooden Blocks ( for grasping and fine motor skills)
- Treasure Basket ( for raising curiosity and sensory exploration)
- Object Permanence Box ( for hand-eye coordination and concentration)
- Stacking Toys ( for understanding size and shape and motor skills)
- Shape Sorter ( for problem-solving ability)
- Soft Balls ( for grasping and coordination)
Finally, I never forgot to supervise everything during the play.
FAQ:
What Activities Can You Do With A 10-Month-Old?
I can encourage my children to be engaged in ‘ Peek-a-boo ‘, ‘ Building Blocks ‘, ‘ Dancing and Music’, ‘ Sensory Play’,’ Mirror Play’,’ Water Play ‘ etc.
What Can You Do With Your 10-Month-Old All Day?
Throughout the day, I can urge my children to play, learn many things in exploration, dance with me, listen to story books, go out for outside activities, etc.
Sumanta De is an educator. He has been teaching students for more than 16 years following the principles of Dr.Maria Montessori. He has a 7-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter.
He is nurturing his children abiding by the principles of Dr.Maria Montessori. His passion for Montessori methods goes beyond the classroom.
Hence, he shares his experiences and insights through a dedicated Montessori blog and a YouTube channel under the name “NewChild Montessori”. He aims to offer valuable guidance to both parents and educators.
Education: M.A. English, Masters in Child Psychology & Bachelor’s Degree in Montessori Teachers Training