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PURE MONTESSORI.
FREEDOM WITH NO COMPROMISE.
Here in Babylodge® we took a clear, firm stand: embracing Maria Montessori’s education method in a pure, complete way. This is why our floor beds feature:
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a bed base which is really close to the ground;
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no railings, barriers or any other constriction elements;
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free access from all four sides.
Thanks to these characteristics, our toddler beds are suitable for all kids from very early:
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from crawling (usually between 7 and 9 months) or from birth (with a cot reducer like Babylodge® GIRO)
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and up to about 6 years of age. But this is not all, because Babylodge® beds are also “evolutionary” beds, meaning that they can grow over time together with the child up to 10-11 years of age. The extension is assured by the Babylodge® PIÙ extension kit, especially made to lengthen the beds.
✍🏻 IPSE DIXIT ↓ Read abstract
from The secret of childhood, Maria Montessori, 1934.
“The beds prepared for children once they are able to run about are something quite special. […] A child’s cot is a cruel prison prepared for this creature that is fighting for psychic existence. […] It is an iron cage on high supports, into which he is lowered unwillingly, so that the grown-up can handle the child without stooping, and so that he can leave the child alone, sure, that though he may cry, he cannot hurt himself.
[…] One of the first ways of helping the psychological development of the child is a reform of his bed and of the custom of constraining him to unnaturally long sleep. The child should have the right to sleep when he is sleepy, to wake when he has slept enough, and to get up as soon as he likes. We therefore advise — and many families have taken our advice — that the old child’s cot should be done away with, and that in its place a very low bed should be made, which the child can enter or leave when he likes.
[…] The result is that children go to bed of themselves, and say good night gay, and in the morning get up without waking anyone.”
By becoming accessible in a free way, at any time and in any way, the bed turns into something nice, and so do the bed-related activities. The “imprisonment” feeling fades away in favor of a sense of freedom and independence. Then, without any constriction elements, going to bed becomes a joyful moment.
Additionally, moms and dads can comfortably manage their kids when falling asleep, just by sitting or lying down next to their baby, stroking him/her, telling a story or whispering a lullaby. Therefore, the lack of barriers ensures continuity of contact, particularly important with the very little ones.
Lastly, Babylodge® floor beds becomes the favorite place also for playing, to be customized as you like according to the child’s age and preferences. By combining textiles, cushions and accessories, mixing colors, objects and materials, they turn into a unique, personal place, the perfect corner to invent extraordinary stories. With just one limit: imagination.
✍🏻 IPSE DIXIT ↓ Read abstract
from Grammar of fantasy, Gianni Rodari, 1973.
“By using stories and those fantastic methods that produce them, we help children to enter reality through the window instead of through the door. It is more fun. Therefore, it is more useful”.
SIMPLICITY
AS CHOICE AND METHOD.
Handmade one by one by experienced artisans and cared in each minor detail, Babylodge® toddler beds are made of natural, certified, first selection, solid beech wood. Extremely robust and steady thanks to the inherent strength of raw materials and to the designed-on-purpose junctions, in terms of design ARIA and NUVOLA are inspired respectively to the archetypes of a little house and a teepee, as a kid would draw them.
Their essential, minimalistic aesthetic is the result of thorough engineering choices – crossbars and poles with constant section, wire junctions, invisible grafts without studs – meant to obtain clean, linear objects, able to go beyond trends and to fit in any furnishing style.
At the aim to reach this balance between structural robustness and visual lightness, we draw inspiration from the so called “reductive” design by Bruno Munari who, not by chance, devoted many projects to the development of kids’ creativity along his career as artist and designer.
✍🏻 IPSE DIXIT ↓ Read abstract
from Verbale scritto, Bruno Munari, 1992.
“To complicate is easy, to simplify is difficult. To complicate you just have to add, whatever you want: colours, shapes, actions, decorations, characters, places full of things. Everyone is able to complicate. Few are able to simplify.
[…] Removing rather than adding means to recognise the essence of things and commuinicate them in their essentiality.
[…]Simplification is a sign of intelligence; an old Chinese proverb says: ‘What cannot be said in few words cannot be said in many either’.”
Consistently with Munari’s closeness to the world of nature, our floor beds are available in the 100% natural variant only, without any additional chemical treatments such as paints, varnishes or other coating. This for three main reasons:
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because we feel important to make our kids aware of the beauty of natural materials, since very young and through all senses;
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because raw material is so fine and worthy at it is that any additional ingredient would just alterate quality
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because it is a choice of social responsibility, that cares about current and future generations.
VERSATILITY
AND SUSTAINABILITY.
Babylodge® floor beds are objects designed to last over time. Their usage sustainability comes from:
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quality of raw materials and accuracy of handcrafted manufacturing (for further details, visit our Material and Manufacturing page)
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usage versatility, meant as capability of evolve over time and adapt to new needs
