Montessori encourages a focus and development of all the senses. The Montessori classroom has shelves full of works devoted to smell, sight, sound, touch, and even taste. The sense my children, and most likely yours as well, are lacking the most is listening! We live in a very visual society and active listening without distraction is not always encouraged. I was very inspired by the Three Oaks Blog’s take on listening with a “listening nook”!
Three Oaks Blog’s fabulous listening nook in her home! Check out the entry about how they utilize their nook.
I thought this was such a fabulous idea, but I didn’t not have the space in our home to create a whole nook. I could, however, create a mobile listening station that would serve the same purpose!
Our listening station. Small footprint, big impact.
What’s included in the station?
-A cheap CD player.
-Child headphones. Ours have volume locks which was very important to me.
-CDs. Music and Stories. *I can’t wait to check-out more music and books on CD from the library to add to our diversity without adding to out budget or clutter!*
My son using the listening station this past weekend.
This has been a great success in our home. My children love it and I like that it is a quiet independent activity. I think it will be a great way for them to listen to seasonal music of all kinds and books well above their reading levels. Oh the possibilities!
Whining is Closed 
I really like this idea for our home as well! How are your children doing with this being a one-at-a-time activity?
They are overall pretty good about letting one person listen while the other plays something else until they can switch. My oldest has a harder time if the little one is using it and she wants to also. It takes some reminding that it is independent and no you can’t put your head next to his rad and listen too. I do recommend I though! It has been really fun
Great idea!