Montessori Sleep Learning and Bedroom Setup

Promotes independence, self-control, and healthy sleeping habits

The Montessori approach to sleeping shows respect to children, gives them freedom of movement, and offers them opportunities to learn self-soothing and self-regulation of sleep. The purpose is to promote independence, self-control, self-decision, and healthy sleeping habits.

Montessori Approaches to Sleep

Montessori sleep learning follows the same philosophy of the Montessori method of education, that is to “help me do it myself”. Have faith in your child that they will find their natural rhythms and form sleep regulation, and eventually be able to fall into sleep by themselves. The role of parents is to create a suitable environment and to serve as a guide to your child through the learning-to-sleep process.

The essential elements of Montessori sleep learning include a floor bed, a low shelf with toys and books, and a fixed bedtime routine. A floor bed allows the child to visually explore their surroundings without obstructions from bars that a commonly used crib has. It also gives the child the freedom to get on the bed by themselves when they feel sleepy, and get off the bed and scoot around to get their toys and books when they wake up, without waiting in a crib or even crying for parents to get them out.

A low shelf gives the child easy and immediate access to toys and books of their own choices. Letting your child play with quiet toys or read a book, dimming the light, and a good-night kiss, all lead to a soothing and relaxing environment for sleeping and send signals to your child that it is bedtime.

Babies thrive on routines. Fixed and predictable routines help your child anticipate what comes next and learns to fall asleep by themselves naturally.

It’s okay to let the child cry a little bit and let them figure out how to put themselves back into sleep. The key for parents is to keep calm and observe, try to understand the reason behind the crying, and respond accordingly.

Since the child has the freedom to move around, it is extremely important to fully babyproof the bedroom, and make sure the baby can’t open the door and leave the bedroom at night. A baby monitor is a good option if the baby sleeps in a separate room.

Montessori Bedroom Essentials

Floor Bed

A firm mattress directly placed on the floor, or on a low bed frame.

A child may not associate the bed as a place to sleep at the beginning. Consistency is the key. Always move your child to the floor bed for sleeping, and verbally affirm your child that the bed is where they sleep. It is the “freedom within limits”. Parents might find it easier to introduce the floor bed before the baby starts to crawl. So the baby gets the concept of staying on the bed during sleeping hours before they become mobile.

The floor bed can be placed in the corner or in the center of a bedroom. When placing it in the corner with sides against the walls, please make sure that there is sufficient friction between the mattress and the floor, so the bed doesn’t get pushed around, and your child wouldn’t accidentally fall into the gap between the mattress and the wall.

If your baby is a very active sleeper and you are concerned that the baby will roll off the bed, you can consider either placing a rug next to the edge of the bed, or using a bigger mattress, or choosing a floor bed frame with a half-opening side (an entry point at the foot of the bed for infants to climb off and on; at the head, the side is higher to help prevent rolling).

Low Shelf

A 1-tier or 2-tier sturdy shelf with toys and books accessible to the child.

Please make sure that the shelf is very sturdy, or secure it with furniture wall straps, so the shelf won’t tip over when the baby is pulling up or even climbing on it. All the toys on the shelf must be child-safe.

Wall Art

Artwork prints, and/or realistic pictures at eye level where your baby can clearly see them.

Please make sure the low-hanging arts are child-safe. If you choose to frame the pictures, please make sure the frame is securely fastened to the wall, and there are no sharp edges or corners.

Pull-up Bar and Mirror

A bar or rod securely affixed to the wall with which the baby practices pulling up, standing, and eventually walking. A mirror behind the bar is an interesting addition to the pull-up activity, because the baby sees their reflections and the surroundings in the mirror every time they pull themselves up to stand.

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