The Funsquare kids Play Couch is built around a priority for great quality products that are safe and multi-FUNtional, designed with kids play in mind. It’s a wonderful open-ended play product, with limitless build possibilities. Is it a fort, a cubby, a tent, or even a high-powered vehicle? The answer is, it can be all of those and more.
But the real question is: does it fit into the strict Montessori Method of child instruction?
The simple answer is that it’s not designed for Montessori, but it has some powerful uses within any Montessori home or classroom, with similar qualities to other Montessori products. It means it can be easily used to fit alongside the Montessori Method and will have a variety of benefits for your little one no matter what!
We’ve taken a deep dive into all things Montessori + Funsquare to make your decision making process all the easier!
What is the Montessori Method?
According to Montessori Australia, Montessori is an approach to supporting the full development of the human being.
It offers a broad vision of education as an “aid to life”, used in 22,000 schools worldwide, with a longer track record of success than any other educational system in the world.
It helps to inspire children towards a lifelong love of learning, by following their natural developmental trajectory. It raises children who are confident, responsible and independent learners who trust in their abilities.
The idea of a Montessori classroom is to provide a specially crafted learning environment where children can respond to their natural tendency. The Montessori classroom encourages their innate passion for learning, giving them opportunities to engage in spontaneous, purposeful activities with the guidance of a trained adult.
The five principles of the Montessori Method include: respect for the child, the absorbent mind, sensitive periods, the prepared environment and auto education. And a Montessori toy is one that stimulates learning by encouraging kids to experiment - something they can hold and touch, as learning to manipulate objects is key in developing fine motor skills.
What is the Funsquare kids Play Couch?
The Funsquare Play Couch is Australia’s first fully customisable Aussie made kids play couch. These multifunctional, modular sets are perfect for relaxing and playing, designed and made especially for kids - meaning they’re low to the ground and include soft, thick bases.
They’re beautifully crafted with long-lasting materials, so you can ensure your play couch set looks great and actually lasts for years to come.
It’s loved by hundreds of Aussie parents, and for good reason too.
This Play Couch is the perfect blend of safe, versatile, secure, smart, stylish, comfortable, easy-to-clean, water resistant, and did we mention it comes with a Happiness Guarantee?
It’s so good, it’s even been approved as an NDIS-friendly furniture set that you can access through participant funding!
The Funsquare kids Play Couch in the Montessori Method
So, is the Funsquare kids Play Couch Montessori? While it wasn’t designed for this purpose, it definitely fits the bill for Montessori style play.
It encourages them to engage in independent, spontaneous and purposeful activities, offering limitless play potential and complete control over configuration - they won’t even need to ask Mum or Dad for help to carry the pieces around (we’ve made sure they’re lightweight and gentle enough for that!).
It offers respect for the child’s well-being, safety, and skin, with all materials carefully tested to pass the highest quality standards.
Their absorbent minds can learn and develop through this open-ended experience, developing early cognitive skills, promoting creativity, improving motor functions and providing sensory experience.
And they can also enjoy snuggling up in comfort during their sensitive periods, ideal for swapping from a high-powered vehicle into a soft cubby perfect for reading or relaxing.
It ticks off all the boxes associated with the Montessori’s Method of play, stimulating learning by encouraging kids to experiment on something they can hold, touch, and manipulate - all on their own!
Is it a couch, a fort, a toy, a cubby, a bed, or a high-powered vehicle? It’s all of that and more! Plus, it’s a really useful tool for encouraging independent play and will keep them entertained for hours (and days!) on end!
“We were finally able to save up enough to get our 2 babies (2.5y GDD & ASD toddler & 6m infant) a play couch, we use it a lot of the day, everyday. We mainly use it in the couch feature or as a little den for our toddler so she’s shut off from the noises and lights she struggles with. So very happy. I wish we purchased one sooner!”
- Abigail
“Our 9 month old is obsessed with climbing all over her new funsquare. In just a couple of weeks her confidence has grown so much. We have loved having some of our friends' older kids come around and watch the pure joy on their faces as they come up with new arrangements, it’s so good to see the longevity in this piece. An amazing investment in our eyes!”
- Jessica
The Funsquare kids Play Couch may not be specifically designed for Montessori, but it is a multi-FUNctional, open-ended, beneficial play and furniture product that’s perfect for your child’s development. These play couches are safe, secure, soft, comfortable, easy-to-clean, and check off all the boxes of what you need for your children.
If you’re considering investing in one of the best playroom additions, learn more here. Or, explore our full range of play products today.
