MoMontessori mobiles are different than the traditional mobiles you purchase from the stores. They’re created to promote development at a young age and they are the first materials that a baby will use in a Montessori home. We got a lovely set for Magali from The Prepared Environment and it was so interesting watching Magali’s response to them. There is a set of 6 mobiles all together and there is a sequence to introducing them to your baby. These mobiles although lovely are meant for visual sense only and not for grasping. You’ll be amazed at how well your little one focuses on these mobiles at different stages and when they can see a bit better, their tracking skills are developed. We used the following mobiles from birth to 3 months –

• Black and White photos – birth – 2 weeks

• Munari – 2 to 6 weeks
  • This is the first mobile from the visual series. The images and globe is hung at different lengths and painted in high contrast black and white colours. Since your baby can still only see black and white, the images will keep their attention and the single plastic globe reflects light allowing baby to stare it for hours.

• Octahedrom – 5 to 8 weeks
  • This is the second mobile in the visual series. It has three octahedron shapes in primary colours and is made from shiny craft paper. Now that baby can see colour, the lightweight of this mobile allows it to move effortlessly through the air and that catches Magali’s attention almost immediately. She can happily stare at it for a while and sometimes, I’ll also do a diaper change while she’s under it.

• Gobbi – 7 to 10 weeks
  • When I began researching infant Montessori materials, I gravitated to this mobile immediately. This beautiful mobile is made from a single colour sphere in varying shades, hung at a 45 degree angle, with the darkest colour hung the lowest to the lightest colour in the highest position. You can get this mobile in a variety of different colours and I chose the monochromatic option. The Gobbi helps babies work on visual identification skills. – (note: the image I have below of the Gobbi has the darkest ball tangled, that one should be hung at the lowest position)

• Dancers – 8 weeks to 3 months
  • This mobile introduces four human figures moving in the air. The figures are made from holographic paper making them shine and sparkle in the light. This is a great mobile for tracking because the figures move up and down depending on the breeze.