I had to go through some trial and error before I learned how to set up my child’s nursery the Montessori way. You can learn from my mistakes and save yourself some time and money by creating a Montessori nursery that will transition effortlessly into a toddler bedroom – because they grow up so fast!
If you were wondering what exactly a Montessori nursery is, I will start by saying it does not at all resemble a traditional nursery.
A Montessori nursery is a space specifically designed to meet the physical, developmental, and emotional needs of a newborn. The room consists of a floor bed, movement area, feeding area, and changing area. The room is furnished and decorated minimally to induce a sense of calm and to create a safe environment where a baby can explore, learn and grow.
When you are done reading this article you will know exactly what a Montessori nursery is and how to set it up. I will touch on the benefits of setting it up this way from the start and show you a few tips and tricks to help you along the way. This article contains everything you need to know to get started!
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How To Set Up A Montessori Nursery
1. Plan a functional design
When you start preparing your home for the arrival of your newborn, the most natural place to start is their nursery. Start by thinking about what they will need and how they will use the room. To do this, you need to understand what a baby requires to meet all their needs. They have physical needs, developmental needs as well as emotional needs. We will use each of these as a guide to help us set up their space appropriately.
We can think of their basic needs as our points of reference:
- A place to sleep
- A place to eat
- A place for self-care
- A place for movement
Not all of these areas have to be in the nursery and you don’t even have to set up a separate nursery if you don’t have extra space. The main goal of setting up your nursery following the Montessori approach is to create a space where your child can succeed. It will be a place where they can become self-sufficient and cultivate sustained attention through deep involvement. It will help them learn to enjoy time on their own and to feel valued and respected.
Eventually, you will adapt your entire home to include our children and their needs and they will be included in our everyday activities. But we have to start somewhere and since your baby won’t need to use the kitchen yet, we will start with their bedroom.
The overall design of the room should be simple, calm, and cozy. Look for a muted color scheme and go for natural materials and elements when shopping for your nursery. Less is more and is better for your baby.
How will this transition into toddlerhood?
Your baby’s needs will slowly go through slight transitions that will affect the way you set up their nursery/bedroom. Two transitions will be necessary during infancy and 1 transition to accommodate toddlerhood. The general look and feel of your nursery doesn’t need to change but you can add more personalised touches once you start to notice what they are interested in.
It is still a sleep space, so keep it calm and muted.
Transition 1 – after 5 months
The first transition will be removing the mobiles from the movement area and installing a bar on the wall over the mirror. At this stage, you can also introduce a weaning table and chair. At this stage you can provide some age appropriate activities to display on their shelves. If you are wondering how many activities and how to choose – please read my article How Many Montessori Activities Should You Display On Your Shelf?
Transition 2 – after 9 months
Add a basket with balls to their nursery and adjust the activities displayed on their shelves. Focus on activities that encourage movement.
Transition 3 – after 12 months
When your baby starts walking, you can provide places for them to practice independence. Start in the bathroom with a low table and mirror where they can practice brushing their hair and teeth and wiping their faces (self-care station). You can also give them access to their own clothes by placing a few items in their wardrobes (I’m referring to the Montessori toddler wardrobes that I discuss in step 3)
2. Set up a floor bed
What you will need:
- A mattress (toddler size or larger – 6 inches/15 cm thick)
- A fitted cotton sheet
- Waterproof mattress protector
- A soft rug
The first step in setting up your nursery will be to create the appropriate sleeping areas. The Montessori approach is to use a simple floor bed. This can be a toddler/single mattress on the floor. Whether you decide to purchase a bed frame or just have it on the floor depends on you and your budget, but it is definitely easier and cheaper than buying and installing a crib.
Your newborn doesn’t have to sleep in the floor bed from the first day either. You will probably want them close to you at night but you can still place them on the floor bed for naps so they can get used to space. You can place your baby directly on the floor bed or inside their Moses basket.
See my Best Montessori Baby Essentials and read about my favorite nesting cushion – the most versatile bed for newborns to 6 months old. This can be used on its own or inside the Cestina/Moses basket.
The idea behind the Montessori floor bed is that it offers a child greater independence because they can get in and out by themselves – even as babies. The bed also offers them more of a view of their environment which is not encumbered by bars. A bed on the floor is also safe, versatile and a viable option for everyone.
Providing your child with a safe place to rest, that they can access independently, conveys a sense of trust and respect for our child. This also helps to form positive attitudes around sleep.
Your options for a floor bed are to place a mattress directly on your floor (totally fine) or to buy a floor bed like this one from Sprout furniture which transitions into a toddler bed when flipped around. You can find so many options at different price points on Etsy and there are a few great DIY plans on Pinterest.
Do what you can afford – don’t allow a tight budget to deter you from offering your child this amazing opportunity.
How will this transition into toddlerhood?
You don’t need to make any changes to your floor bed to accommodate your toddler. I suggest starting off with a twin mattress instead of a toddler mattress. It’s easier to lie down on a twin mattress next to your baby for a feeding and later to cuddle with your toddler to read stories before bedtime. The only thing to add would be the bedding.
3. Create an area for self-care
What you will need:
- A bath (I recommend this one by Stokke
– I’ve been using it since my son’s birth two years ago) - A soft towel, washcloths and toiletries (hooks and baskets are the best for storing these items)
- A wardrobe (something to store clothes in)
- A changing mat (If I could choose again – I would get this one from IKEA)
This is where you will bathe, dress, and change baby. The bathing and changing should ideally be done in the bathroom, because we want to show them from the start that this is the area where we go to the toilet and clean ourselves. Keep in mind that you don’t need a changing table to fit in the bathroom. A simple changing mat is all you need.
When it comes to wardrobes, you don’t need anything special at the beginning but I would suggest investing in a toddler wardrobe from the start. You can store all baby’s clothes in there and it is easy to access when you have your hands full (try opening a chest of drawers when you are holding a baby).
A changing table is simply unnecessary. All you need is an inexpensive changing mat/cushion with a couple of waterproof covers that you can use on the floor or your floor bed. This is the safest option by far. A basket or tote with handles (like this one from Amazon) filled with nappy changing essentials can be kept close by. I also found that a simple trolley like this one came in very handy and easily transitioned into being our arts and crafts storage.
How will this transition into toddlerhood?
- The changing mat will still be used up until your child is out of nappies – which can stretch into toddlerhood.
- The nappy tote is very handy for carrying toys outside along with other necessities like a bottle of water, hat, sunscreen, and your own things like your phone and keys, etc. The tote is also a handy car organizer to keep all the water bottles, toys, snacks, and books corralled.
- The wardrobe will be useful until at least 5 to 6 years old. After which, you could use it for another child or repurpose it as a bookshelf or other storage unit.
- The trolley is an incredibly versatile item and can be used in the bathroom, kitchen or like we are doing – to use as a mobile arts and crafts area.
4. Set up a movement area
What you will need
- A soft rug or quilt
- An activity gym (I like The Play Gym by Lovevery because it’s everything you need all in one)
- A mirror hung horizontally
- *A rail to pul up on
- Montessori mobiles
- *A mobile hanger
* Optional
The movement area does not have to be in your baby’s nursery. It is actually more practical to have it in your family room where you spend most of your time. A movement area is simply a comfortable mat on the floor where your baby can be placed on their backs to give them ample opportunity to move their bodies.
The movement area is also a great place to hang your Montessori mobiles. You can use this activity gym from Monti Kids (part of their Level 1 subscription box) or this one by Lovevery which includes a mat. You could also just hang it from the ceiling. If you want more information on the benefits as well as how and when to use these brilliant mobiles – please go read this article I wrote dedicated to Montessori mobiles.
Choose a nice sunny spot near a window and place a foam mat or thick cotton blanket there for your baby to lie down on. A yoga mat underneath a quilt would suffice.
You can also set up a movement area in your baby’s nursery. Choose an area that is separate from the bed. You can install a mirror next to the mat where your baby can look at their body moving as well as see the reflection of the rest of the room. This is also a good place to install a pull-up bar. You can use a sturdy towel rail with a mirror installed on the wall.
How will this transition into toddlerhood?
- The movement mat will continue to be used to play on and will be used for the next baby or gifted to a friend. The same goes for the activity gym.
- The mirror can be turned vertically and placed near your child’s dressing area. It is recommended to have a full length mirror in your toddler’s bedroom/bathroom so they can see themselves from head to toe.
- The mobiles can continue to be enjoyed anywhere in the home.
5. Reserve a place for play
What you will need:
- A low, sturdy shelf.
- Baskets to house blocks or musical instruments
- Front-facing book shelf or basket for books
Once your baby becomes a bit more mobile (after 5 months), you can add a low shelf to their space where you can display a couple of age-appropriate toys and activities. Choose a sturdy, low shelf like this one from Sprout furniture.
If you need more information or guidance with regards to selecting a shelf and setting it up – look no further than this comprehensive article I wrote on the subject – How To Pick The Perfect Montessori Shelf.
It is important to incorporate books and reading into your child’s daily life – this can start as early as birth. You don’t have to get a front-facing book shelf from the start – (you will eventually want to get one for your playroom/livingroom/bedroom) but you should make the books accessible to your child and it’s best if you present the books facing forward.
How does this transition into toddlerhood?
- The shelf can later be used as a bench to use by the entrance to keep shoes and put on shoes. It can also be used as a bedside table for your toddler to keep a bottle of water and a night light.
- The book shelf will be used for many years to come.
6. Set yourself up with a place to feed your baby
- A comfortable armchair with ottoman
- A round table or stool to keep your breastfeeding necessities close
Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, your baby will be in your arms for long periods which means you have to make sure you have a comfortable place to sit or lie down. At the beginning – you will feed your newborn almost anywhere and everywhere because they won’t be feeding routinely yet. Once you have found a bit more of a rhythm, you might enjoy having a comfortable place to sit in the sleeping area.
Make sure to include a low table next to your chair to keep your waterbottle and snacks within reach!
7. Ensure the room is safe
It is crucial to ensure the utmost safety when considering a Montessori nursery. The safety of the baby’s room is number one and it’s best to get it done right from the start. Don’t wait until they are crawling. Make it the last step of your setup process and that way you can rest assured that you are fully prepared.
- Cover all electical outlets
- Hide and tape any exposed wires. Better yet – stick to battery operated night lights and white noise machines.
- Secure wardrobes and shelves to the wall with a bracket to avoid furniture falling on top of the baby.
- Remove any blind cords. Stick to curtains with a blockout backing to be safe.
- Steer clear of furniture with drawers, if possible. Otherwise, secure the drawers with a child lock.
- Make sure not to use poisonous plants in the room.
- Install a baby gate if you can’t (or don’t want to) close the door or if the room is on the second storey.
- Make sure your windows are safeguarded if they are low enough to climb through.
- Put non-slip pads under rugs that are placed on a tile floor (especially in the bathroom)
- Install a spaceheater on the top half of the wall or hidden behind the wardrobe, if you need extra warmth. Space heaters are among the safest to use and can be left on for extented periods of time.
- Make sure your bed complies with the SIDS guidelines
If you found this article helpful, you might want to read these as well…
How To Raise A Montessori Baby?