From Tummy Time to Toddlerhood: Montessori Milestones with the Rainbow Cork Playmat

If you’re a parent trying to keep up with your little one’s ever-changing needs, you’ve probably wondered more than once: “Is this normal?” or “Should they be doing that by now?”. Unfortunately, these doubts never truly go away and you just have to find the joy in watching your child grow at their own pace. 

However, if you’re following the Montessori approach at home; or even just dipping your toe into the philosophy; there are a few lovely milestones you can look out for to ease your worries about how your child’s abilities are developing. 

The Montessori method opposes rushing children or ticking boxes and focuses instead on helping your children nurture their natural curiosity, independence, and movement in a calm child-led way. And believe it or not, a simple thing like having a safe floor space (like a natural cork playmat) can make a big difference.

Let’s explore the Montessori milestones from those early newborn days right through to toddlerhood and how your setup at home can gently support your child at every crucial stage.

0-6 Months: The Foundations of Movement and Awareness

In the first few months, babies are absorbing everything around them. This falls under a time period between your child's birth and about three years of age that Dr Maria Montessori referred to as the “unconscious absorbent mind.” 

Up to the six month mark, this means that while your baby is not verbal they are still learning a lot; absorbing information and developing a knowledge of their environment without conscious effort or awareness.

At this age, milestones include:

• Lifting and turning their head during tummy time

• Reaching out and grabbing nearby objects

• Rolling from side to side

• Noticing familiar voices and faces

At this stage, where your baby is developing its strength, floor time becomes vital for their physical abilities and mental stimulation and, instead of keeping babies in swings or bouncers, Montessori encourages plenty of free movement on the floor. 

A rainbow cork playmat is ideal here; it’s soft enough to cushion those early wobbles, but firm enough to help babies push themselves up without sinking in.

You don’t need fancy toys either. A mirror placed at floor level, a few high-contrast cards, and a rattle or two are perfect companions during tummy time.

6-12 Months: Moving with Purpose

As your baby approaches the one-year mark, their movement becomes more intentional. They’re not just lying there soaking things up; they’re now reaching, crawling, and interacting more actively with their environment.

Milestones at this stage include:

• Sitting independently

• Crawling or shuffling

• Pulling up to stand

• Babbling and trying out early words

• Picking things up with thumb and finger

Montessori encourages safe, low furniture and lots of opportunities for exploration. That’s why a dedicated floor space matters; it subconsciously tells your child, “This is your world to explore.” and can allow them to feel more secure in their environment. 

A natural cork playmat makes the ideal base. It’s non-toxic, sustainable, and safe for bare skin and helps create a defined space for Montessori-style work or play, even in the middle of your living room.

12-18 Months: Hello, Independence

By the time your child is moving about more independently, they’re starting to assert a bit of independence. They start to showcase their personality and become both fun and hectic members of the household. 

Key Montessori-aligned milestones at this stage can include:

• Walking and climbing (usually at some point in this window)

• Using gestures or a few words to communicate

• Beginning to follow simple instructions

• Practising self-care (e.g. trying to feed themselves)

Montessori encourages giving toddlers the freedom to move and make choices within safe limits. 

Having an open play area, defined by something like the rainbow cork playmat, gives toddlers a sense of ownership over their environment. It’s their space to roll, climb, build towers, and knock them over again (and again and again…).

18-24 Months: Language, Play and Real-World Tasks

Now things start to get even more fun and messy. Around 18 to 24 months, your children will begin to mimic you and their siblings more, and form the foundations for their future learning abilities by exploring their environment with encouragement and wonder. 

They tend to love copying grown-up behaviours such as pouring, sweeping, feeding a baby doll, or “making tea”, for example; which is not only exceptionally adorable, but a key sign they are developing naturally. 

Developmental milestones at this stage include:

• Learning new words rapidly

• Playing pretend games

• Solving simple problems (like fitting shapes into holes)

• Beginning to play alongside other children

Montessori activities at this age might involve real objects scaled to child size; such as tiny jugs for pouring water, simple puzzles, or sorting games. 

2-3 Years: Confidence and Coordination

By the age of two or three, your child will be more physically confident and socially aware. They’ll likely be climbing everything in sight and asking a lot of questions as they move from the stage of the “unconscious absorbent mind” to the “conscious absorbent mind”. They will start to actively seek out learning experiences and engage with their environment with an increased purpose.

Milestones to look our for at this stage include:

• Dressing with a bit of help

• Expressing feelings in words

• Developing fine motor skills (drawing, threading beads)

• Becoming more consistent with routines, like potty training

Montessori homes and nurseries often have “work rugs” or mats to help define a child’s space during an activity. A rainbow cork playmat works in the same way; creating a familiar zone for learning, resting, or even lying down with a book that can support them for many more years to come.

A Final Thought: It’s Not About Perfection

Remember, Montessori isn’t a race or a rulebook. It’s about observing your child, offering the right tools, and letting them explore the world at their own pace.

Some days that might look like neatly stacking wooden blocks. Other days, it’ll look like them lying on the playmat poking their belly button for 20 minutes. And that’s okay.

If you're aiming to create a Montessori-friendly environment at home, a natural cork playmat is one of those deceptively simple tools that supports movement, independence, and exploration across all stages; from those wobbly tummy time beginnings to confident toddler adventures.