Montessori At Home! Review & Two-Part Giveaway!

~This giveaway is now closed!~

Have you heard of Montessori At Home!, the wonderfully resourceful book written by John Bowman? Yes? Then you know just what a treat one of you will be receiving!

For those that aren't familiar with the book, allow me to quote the author's website:

"Montessori At Home! shows you how to easily and inexpensively create over 200 brain building experiences for your preschooler. These Montessori activities are not complicated and require no special training for parents to do at home. We show you everything you need to know to give your child the benefits of these early learning experiences."

John was kind enough to offer me a free copy of his book to review and while the above quote is absolutely true, there's so much more to this fantastic how-to guide. (View sample pages)

Inside of this book you'll find:

::An extensive list of which Montessori materials work well at home as well as a comparative price list.
::Detailed activity guides complete with what age the activity is geared toward, the materials needed, the goal(s) of the activity, how to present it, and potential extensions.
::An informative, yet concise history of Montessori.
::Lots of links and shopping recommendations.

::Over 30 printable activity sheets including the Hundreds Board, Numeral Cards, and Land/Water Forms!

I was delighted to find several activities in Montessori At Home! that we had yet to try - here are just a few I've added to our shelves since reviewing the book:

100 Penny Layout with the Hundreds Board

Pipe Building. The book suggests using real piping materials, which I think is a really fun idea! We happened to have this marble run on hand and used it instead.

Tees & Marbles

Magnetic vs. Non-Magnetic

Fun stuff, right? Montessori At Home! is an excellent in home guide for those wanting to incorporate the Montessori method into their child's learning experience. It's perfect for teachers, parents, grandparents, and anyone with a passion for Montessori!

Now for the giveaway:

John offers Montessori At Home! in two formats: CD and e-book. His paperback version, titled Help Your Preschooler Build A Better Brain, is a bit more condensed though it too is a fantastic resource.

You can try your hand at winning a FREE copy of the CD and the book by entering this giveaway! Open to anyone, anywhere!!

~Please note: the CD and paperback copy of the book is available only to those in the US.
All other locations will receive a downloadable e-book.~

AND because I'm feeling very "mother hen" right now (thanks, pregnancy hormones!), I'm throwing in a little something, too!

~Please note: this portion of the giveaway is only available if the winner is located in the US.
(Sorry - international shipping is just too expensive!)~

I'm such a believer in providing Montessori activities at home that I really want one of your kiddos to benefit from something my son has enjoyed time and again. I'll be gifting the winner ONE of the following:

~photo source~

This juicing kit (from Montessori N' Such) - it comes with everything you see minus the oranges. :)

~OR~

~photo source~

This set of Sandpaper Numerals (from Kid Advance) - a must have in any classroom.

The winner can chose which of the above materials they'd like to receive.

Here's how you can enter to win:
Mandatory entry:
1. Leave a comment on this post.

Extra entries:
2. Like Counting Coconuts on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
3. Follow Counting Coconuts and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
5. After today come back and leave me one comment per day on this post until the end of the giveaway.

A couple of notes:
:: All comments are moderated - they will NOT appear immediately after you post them.
:: Do not leave your entry comments on the Counting Coconuts Facebook page - they will not be included.
:: Regarding separate comments - each entry will be counted as a chance to win. If you put all of your entry requirements into just ONE comment, you'll only have ONE chance to win.

This giveaway ends at 9pm (Atlantic Time) on Friday, July 29th. The winner will be announced the following day.

~Good luck, everyone!~