Customer Reviews

The Joyful Child: for Birth to Three Years (Michael Olaf's Essential Montessori Series)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(3)

 

 

This publication, updated annually, can be ordered at the publisher's website www.michaelolaf.net. The text is also available free at that site. It is a lifesaver for parents who may know about the value of natural childbirth and breastfeeding but want to learn everything else in order to help the infant and young child develop to his or her full potential, and be happy!

I have not yet read this book, but wanted to offer this information.

You can obtain this book through the Michael Olaf Montessori home page. A quote from that page: "The book describes an overview of the philosophy and practice of the Montessori Method for zero to three and a catalog of suggested books and materials for creating exceptional environments for infants, toddlers, and young children at home, and in the preschool and daycare setting."

Softcover, black and white, 8.5" x 11", 61 pages.

Joyful Child - Softcover, black and white, 8.5" x 11", 61 pages

The Joyful Child is a gift from the heart to all parents, grandparents, and people involved with young children. The author, Susan Stephenson , has gently and clearly distilled the essential wisdom offered to us by Dr. Maria Montessori. In beautifully illustrated pages, the most important tenets of how to provide a useful and simple environment in which a child can live and grow in harmony with her inner stirrings to be a fully human being are clearly explained. Susan shows how to do the very things we most wish to do - provide a safe, loving, purpose-filled environment with invitations to discovery, opportunities and time for reflection and connection to family and the world. She invites us to open our eyes and observe, to open our hearts and connect, and set our beloved ones on a path to joyful discovery. To top it off, she offers wonderful toys, books and tools for the growing child.
This is the place where I knew I could find wonderful additions for my Montessori environment during my 32 years of teaching. Now, the Joyful Child (birth to three), and its companion Child of the World (three to twelve years old) are the first gifts I give to families expecting a child. It is also the place I rely on for gifts for my grandchildren and resources to have ready when they come for a visit.

The Joyful Child has been welcomed in Montessori training centers worldwide as an overview of basic Montessori principles for the child from birth to three, and is used to help students prepare for examinations.

There are also wonderful additional resources to be found at the website: http://www.michaelolaf.net

Cathryn Kasper, AMI/USA School Consultant

Susan Stephenson's Joyful child catalogue is the best handbook, and the only one parents really need to understand how their young child develops and learns. The materials offered are well chosen for their natural simplicity and most of all for their very real function,and assist the child in his/her development. The information given for each stage of development is practical and realistic; the suggested materials to encourage and support these stages are well chosen.

I highly recommend The Joyful Child as a congratulatory gift on announcement of a pregnancy or as a new baby gift.There is no better time to positively influence the minds who will be guiding the minds of our next generation!
CarolAnn McKinley M.Ed.Dip.Tch. (New Zealand Early Childhood Educator)

No one should complain that "The Joyful Child is a catalogue! There are many books on Montessori, but it is the fact that this is an overview of Montessori for parents COMBINED with ideas for products, and many pictures, that makes this so valuable. The ideas outlines have been tested all over the world for 100 years, and are presented in short sections for the sake of very busy parents of young children who don't have that much time to read. "The Joyful Child" has been translated into several languages just because it contains all the most important ideas, and ideas for things to have in the home.

So, you can use this book solely for the wonderfully informative text, as a source for excellent quality toys, books and furniture, or for ideas of things to make at home (measurements are often provided for those who prefer to make thier own).

This book provides a clear introduction to Montessori and has gathered together for purchase an excellent array of materials to implement Montessori philosophy in the home and classroom. A great resource for the Montessori parent or teacher.

This book is incredible. I have seen infants and toddlers, my own and others, become happy and fulfilled from following the advice within these pages. I wish I had known about it earlier.

I can't believe this is considered a "paperback"!!! This is not a book - it is a catalogue with very little actual information about infant/child development. You would be way better off doing some research about the Montessori method online and skipping this purchase.

This is a catalog for a store selling Montessori products. It gives an overview of Montessori principles on each page and advertises products for sale on each page.

This unique catalog gives parents succinct Montessori philosophy about child development and explains, as it shows, the environment children need to reach their highest potential. AND, this wonderful and groundbreaking tool is also a resource for finding the best tools and toys to create that environment. No plastic noisy gadgets here! If you embrace the Montessori philosphy (which 100 years later has been proven) that purposeful movement builds intelligence, this is a wonderful way to learn to support a child's natural drives to move, concentrate, speak and become independent.