Montessori Services Peace Activities and Resources Review

I love using and reviewing Montessori Services products. My 3½-year-old granddaughter, Zoey, is my reviewing partner. Today, you can see our peace activities using Montessori Services peace activities and resources.

Disclosure: I received approximately $50 worth of peace materials from Montessori Services in order to provide an honest review. In recent years, I’ve purchased a number of Montessori Services peace materials on my own, too. I was not required to write a positive review, and any opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Since I started blogging, I’ve hosted a number of Montessori Services reviews and giveaways. I’ve never been disappointed with the quality of Montessori Services materials. If you read my review posts, you can find out more about some of the Montessori Services materials that are wonderful for schools and homeschools. Parents using Montessori principles at home will also find much to offer through Montessori Services or its partner site, For Small Hands, which specializes in child-size tools and materials for families.

Montessori Services Peace Materials in This Review

Montessori Services has many peace activities and peace resources. This review just covers a few of them … the ones currently on my Montessori peace shelf.

A Little Peace

A Little Peace by Barbara Kerley is one of my very favorite peace books. It’s a National Geographic children’s book with amazing photographs and few words. At the back of the book, there’s a map with the country and explanation of the activities in all the photos. The book is wonderful for toddlers on up. I often like to place a small globe (such as the Montessori continents globe) beside the book as an added geography activity).

Montessori Peace Activity for a Small Space

I love that this can be part of a larger peace area or a complete peace activity for a small space.

The materials I used:

• When I Make Silence (Update: I love this book, but it’s no longer available. You’ll find lots of great peace books here and mindfulness books here.)
• Small Pewter Labyrinth (If this isn’t available, there are other lovely finger labyrinths available. I like to use one that’s 6-7″ in diameter for my peace area.)
• Rose in a Montessori Services Small Glass Decanter
• Small Square Bamboo Mat (only 9 3/8″ square but perfect for a small space)

On the peace shelf next to the mat, I added some seashells in a Montessori Services bamboo potato basket to go with the book.

I added the rose to introduce the concept of the peace rose.

From the Montessori Services Online Catalog about the labyrinth:

Tracing the labyrinth path is an ancient meditation form often described as a path to wisdom and peace. Cradle the labyrinth in one hand and run a fingertip along the grooved path with the other. 

Because labyrinths are right-brain activity enhancers, tracing a labyrinth path is calming for adults and children. They are commonly used as a tool for personal reflection, psychological and spiritual transformation, and comfort.

A labyrinth, unlike a maze, has only one path. It is unicursal — the way in is the way out. Labyrinths crafted from a variety of materials can be found in many sizes and shapes. Versions are used by schools, churches, hospitals, and businesses to calm the mind, revitalize the spirit, enhance problem solving, build community, and aid in stress reduction and healing.

Lovely for a quiet corner, the small size will appeal to young children, who may place it on a table or other flat surface to trace. Made of pewter-plated metal; 4″ dia. Includes drawstring bag, color may vary. Ages 4 and up.

I also reviewed a bamboo placemat (standard-size table mat). This is lovely and would be great for a larger peace area, snacks, nature materials, mat rolling, or a variety of other activities.

Using Chopsticks Activity

From the Montessori Services Online Catalog:

Add an Asian touch to transferring activities! After becoming proficient using chopsticks to transfer pom poms, children may want to try more challenging items, such as dried beans or pasta. Eventually, they can try use chopsticks at a meal.

Set includes:

• 2 Lotus Dishes (G246)
• Medium-Size Tray (T250)
• Children’s Bamboo Chopsticks (G268)
• Peace Crane Porcelain Chopstick Rest (C272)
• Pom Poms

This is a gorgeous way to introduce chopsticks once children are comfortable with tools such as the Montessori Services quick sticks. The activity can be purchased separately or together. When purchased as a set, it takes only a few minutes to prepare.

More Impressions of the Montessori Services Peace Activities and Resources … from Zoey and Me

Zoey was immediately drawn to the labyrinth when she saw the peace materials on our shelf. We both love it for its small size. It’s a beautiful material that would be great at home, in the classroom, or on the road. And it isn’t just for children. It’s perfect for a meditative activity for many ages … even adults.

I added a basket of seashells of various sizes so that Zoey could experiment to see which ones sounded like the ocean. Then she listened to a seashell while I read the page in When I Make Silence that says:

“When I make silence

I breathe deeply.

I imagine my breath is like

an ocean’s wave gently

rolling in, then out.”

Such a simple activity, but Zoey loved it. She really enjoyed the book. (She also loves A Little Peace and has requested it a number of times.)

Zoey was also immediately drawn to the peace crane porcelain chopstick rest. She absolutely loves the look and feel of it.

Using a chopsticks takes a lot of coordination and practice. I had never learned how to hold chopsticks properly, so I used a YouTube video to teach myself! Then I showed Zoey the technique. She did amazingly well for her age and first experience transferring objects with chopsticks. With the peace crane porcelain chopstick rest, it’s a beautiful activity to add to a peace area.

As always, I love these Montessori Services products! They’re fabulous materials for both homes and schools.

How to Prepare a Montessori Peace Tray

“How to Prepare a Montessori Peace Tray” has a number of Montessori Services peace materials, too.

You’ll find many more Montessori-inspired peace education activities here.

Montessori Services Reviews

For a list of my previous Montessori Services review posts, see my Montessori Services Reviews.

Montessori Services $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway! The giveaway is closed.

I’m excited to host this giveaway of a $50 gift certificate from Montessori Services, one of my very favorite Montessori suppliers for home or school! If you’re from the U.S. or Canada, this is a great time to have fun checking out the amazing online catalog at Montessori Services.

Now for the Giveaway:

What You Will Win: 1 lucky winner in the U.S. or Canada will win a $50 Montessori Services Gift Certificate!

Who is Eligible:

This giveaway is open to anyone 18 and older in the U.S. and Canada. The first entry is mandatory. You must leave a blog post comment telling why you want to win the $50 Montessori Services gift certificate (and be sure to click the green “ENTER” on the Rafflecopter form to let me know you left your blog post comment and to open up the optional entries)!

After you’ve completed your mandatory entry, there are lots of optional entries. You have many chances to win! (Note: For the extra entries, you may count ways of following that you already do. For example, if you previously followed Living Montessori Now on Twitter, you may still count that for your follow Living Montessori Now on Twitter entry!)

It’s easy to enter giveaways with Rafflecopter! Just follow the directions to enter.If you still have questions about the Rafflecopter form, here’s a video with quick directions for entering through Rafflecopter. (Note: If you have problems with the Rafflecopter form, you can sign up on the Rafflecopter form at the Living Montessori Now Facebook page. Just be sure to leave your blog comment here! Both Rafflecopter forms are the same, so it doesn’t matter which one you sign up on.)

You must complete the Mandatory Entry to qualify for any additional entries. The giveaway closes 9:00pm PST on Wednesday, June 26. Best of luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

UPDATE:

It’s Wednesday night, July 26 (July 27 EST). I really appreciated all your comments and the 1,303 entries! A winner has been selected using Random.org through Rafflecopter! The winner of the $50 Gift Certificate for Montessori Services is Rebekah JG! I’m so happy for Rebekah! (Note: Rebekah, you have 48 hours to respond to my email, or a new winner will be chosen.) The comment for Rebekah’s mandatory entry (why she wanted to win the gift certificate) said: “Peace is such an important concept in our family’s faith, and I love the peace corner at my 5 year old’s Montessori school. I’d love to create something like that at home.”

Congratulations to Rebekah, thanks to everyone who entered, and very special thanks to Montessori Services! Be sure to check out Montessori Services for awesome products for the new school year at home or in the classroom!

Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!

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