Supporting your baby’s education in the first few years of life can be a confusing adventure. It may seem as though the learning process should begin at school. However, it turns out there is much to gain by giving your child a head start.
Experts believe that children who begin learning early on have better social skills. It is also suggested these children have increased attention spans. [1]
The brain grows most rapidly during the first three years of life. It is therefore important to stimulate your child to learn and explore. This is something that you can do at home through creative play.
Play is a fantastic way to inspire a child to be inventive and imaginative. It is also a natural way to encourage the development of those fine and gross motor skills.
Still, it can be challenging to know what the best way to encourage your child’s development is. That’s why trusting the experts can help put your mind at ease.
Monti Kids is a toy delivery subscription service that provides educational toys for your child. These are delivered every three months, and the toys are tailor-made to suit your child’s developmental stage from birth to 3 years of age.
The service also equips you with the knowledge you need to get the most out of the toys during playtime.
By delivering Montessori toys to your home, Monti Kids gives you the tools to support your child’s development.
What Are Montessori Toys?
Montessori toys are simple toys made from natural materials. They are crafted under the principles of Montessori education.
These toys are designed to encourage children to experiment with touch and movement. They also serve to inspire learning through critical thinking.
The Montessori method was first formulated by Dr Maria Montessori. It is structured around a hands-on approach to self-directed learning and collaborative interactions. [2]
Are Montessori Toys Better?
Montessori toys are better in that they inspire a full understanding of how something works. They also encourage your child to figure this function out by themselves. This is a great way to boost their sense of independence and confidence.
Montessori toys are deliberately simple in appearance, to not overwhelm a child with overly bright colors or loud noises.
The toys always react in the same way to certain actions. This design helps children to learn consistency and consequence.
There is no one way to interact with each toy, and this prompts creativity and imagination to unfold.
The Montessori method advocates using a small selection of toys. This helps to avoid overstimulation from too much choice. It also helps your child to hone their concentration skills and attention span.
What Is Monti Kids?
Monti Kids is a subscription service that delivers toy packages to your home.
With a new delivery every three months, you will receive a selection of Montessori toys. They will all be a match to your child’s current developmental stage.
The package also comes with instructions on how best to introduce the toys into playtime. Plus, it includes tips on how to maximize learning.
Subscribers to the service have access to a library of educational resources. They also gain access to the Monti Kids community. This is a great place to connect with other parents and child development experts.
Each three-month package costs $297 and contains a selection of up to 10 Montessori toys. This includes the support education that you get access to with the membership.
All toys are designed by educators to be a match to your child’s current age and ability. This means your child is always able to understand the item, but also that they are challenged to think.
New toy packages are delivered to your home every three months. You have the option to delay or speed this up however you prefer to.
Monti Kids Pros and Cons
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Pros |
Cons |
All toys are made from natural materials and free from toxins | The subscription cost can be too expensive for some parents |
Toys designed to stimulate and challenge your child at each age | |
Ongoing support from child development experts | |
Educational resources for parents | |
Access to a supportive community | |
A new package delivered every three months automatically |
Monti Kids packages: Monti Kids
Additional points
At $297 every three months, the cost of this subscription is the main downside to this service. Monti Kids justify the price by the quality of the materials used for their toys.
They also provide a range of supplemental educational material as part of the service, as well as community support with educators. These resources are additionally valuable.
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Monti Kids packages: Monti Kids
What Is Montessori?
This method of education was first introduced by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s. Dr. Montessori advocated for child-led approaches to learning. She believed that children learn best when they have more choice and independence.
The Montessori method promotes the idea of children developing in their own time. This means they don’t need to be taught the same things at the same pace. The method allows for a more individual approach to the learning process.
The core concept of the method is to nurture the unique strengths and abilities of each child. Montessori teachers encourage their students to gain a deeper understanding of the world. This is achieved by encouraging them to explore their own environment.
In a Montessori classroom, children of different ages will learn in groups. The teacher will move between these groups instead of teaching from the front of the room. Children can choose between different activities, and traditional grading systems do not exist.
Within this method of teaching, all aspects of a child’s development are considered. This includes intellectual, physical, and social progression, as well as emotional growth.
Research into the Montessori method shows that children who learn in this way score better on academic assessments. Studies also show that a Montessori education has a positive impact on creativity. [3]
Dr. Montessori developed international training courses to spread her progressive vision for education.
There are now approximately 20,000 Montessori schools across the globe. [4]
Monti Kids packages: Monti Kids
Monti Kids Review
The story behind Monti Kids
Monti Kids was founded by Zahra Kassam, an internationally certified Montessori teacher. Kassam holds a Masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and is also a mom to two young boys.
Despite her academic background, Kassam says she wasn’t prepared for how tough keeping up with her son’s early development would be.
With 85% of the brain formed by the age of three, but formal education not beginning until pre-school, Kassam worried about how best to fill this gap.
After speaking to other parents, she realised there wasn’t a simple solution. She then set about creating one.
Through Monti Kids, Kassam aims to enhance the learning process during the very first few years of life.
As well as supporting children to learn in creative ways, Monti Kids also provides resources and ongoing guidance to parents.
This helps them to make best use of the toys provided. This also helps parents to guide their children’s learning in additional ways.
What age range is Monti Kids for?
Monti Kids is structured in eight different levels that depend on the age of your child.
These levels begin at birth and progress up to 36 months. The subscription service is designed to progress with your child as they age.
The video instructions will help you to guide your child through the learning stages with the toys they receive.
What materials are the toys made from?
95% of Monti Kids toys are made from sustainably sourced wood. All products use non-toxic paints, stains, and finishes.
The other 5% of materials are also premium quality. They are chosen for their function and sensory experience.
Benefits of Monti Kids
Promote learning through play – All of the toys from Monti Kids are purpose-built with education in mind. These items are created to support language development, executive functioning, and brain growth.
Cultivate creativity – The toys are shown to hold your child’s attention. This helps them to fully immerse themselves in the play experience. This can boost creativity and imagination.
Foster independence – Montessori toys are all crafted to encourage independence. Your child will work independently to explore and understand each item.
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How to sign up for Monti Kids
To get started with Monti Kids, simply head to the website and choose which level to subscribe to. The package choice will depend on your child’s age.
Access to Parent Learning Centre
As soon as you sign up, you will gain access to the Parent Learning Centre. This is where you can check out the instructional videos, research, and helpful tips. From here you can start connecting with other parents. You can also start learning yourself from the experts.
Toy Deliveries Arrive Every Three Months
Your package will arrive in the post, with free delivery offered within the US. Monti Kids delivers to more than 50 other countries outside of the US. Shipping and customs fees will be calculated at the checkout for non-US deliveries.
A new box will then arrive every three months, unless you choose to speed up or slow down the subscription.
Adjust Your Deliveries Through Your Online Account
You can pause or cancel your subscription at any time through your online account.
An email reminder will be sent to you seven days before your next box is due to ship. This gives you time to make any updates to your subscription if necessary.
Weekly Emails for Each Learning Program
You will receive weekly emails to guide you through a three month learning program. This program will match the contents of your package. Additionally, you can access a library of on-demand videos lessons on how to best use the toys. These videos will also explain the theory behind the Montessori method.
Access to the Private Monti Kids Community
All subscribers will be granted membership to the private Monti Kids community. You can also request personal coaching from a certified Montessori teacher if required.
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Monti Kids Reviews
Customers who reviewed Monti Kids on Facebook rated the service as 4.4 out of 5 stars on average.
Many parents reported being very satisfied with the high quality of the toys. A large number say they are impressed with the materials used.
The instructional videos are also commented on as being informative and helpful. Many parents feel as though they learn a lot from these videos. They believe that this better informs their child’s learning process.
The customer service is also highly praised. Parents state they have received prompt and helpful replies to problems.
Some parents reported being unhappy with the price of the subscription service. The high cost makes the service inaccessible to many families. Some suggested they could source similar toys elsewhere for much less, however these were not subscribers to the service.
Reviewers who were customers of Monti Kids were generally in agreement that the toys were high quality and very valuable to their child’s development.
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Monti Kids packages: Monti Kids
Is Monti Kids Worth The Cost?
The majority of parents who reviewed Monti Kids reported that it was worth the cost and benefitted their child’s learning and development. Both the quality of the toys, their design, and the educational support were all valuable resources.
Although the expense was a factor, many found that the price matched the product quality and service. Subscribers felt that they were provided with the tools they needed to progress their child’s development.
The resources and ongoing support from qualified professionals added further value to the service.
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Monti Kids FAQs
Is the Montessori method effective?
The Montessori method is widely regarded as being an effective method of education that supports children’s independence.
What are the benefits of Montessori toys?
The main advantage of Montessori toys is that they are purpose-built with your child’s developmental needs in mind.
This means that playtime is engaging and entertaining for the child, as well as being educational.
Another great benefit to Montessori toys is that they are free from toxins and made from natural materials. This helps to keep your little ones safe.
What is the Monti Kids refund policy?
You can return your package if you are unhappy with it. This must be done within 90 days of the date you first subscribed. A $20 fee will be deducted from your refund for shipping and restocking.
You can also request an exchange if you are unhappy with the quality of a product that you have received. Again, the $20 fee will be applied.
If your product is damaged when it arrives, then a replacement will be delivered to you at no extra cost.
Why are Montessori toys so expensive?
Montessori toys are built with sustainably sourced premium materials. They are expertly crafted by hand in small batches to ensure consistent high quality.
These toys are long-lasting and durable, so your children could enjoy them for many years to come.
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