If you’re expecting your first baby or just venturing into the world of Montessori mobiles, the Munari mobile is likely the first place you’ll start. Then you’ll move on to the Octahedron, Gobbi, and Dancers. Lets dig into each and where to buy (or how to make!) the best ones!
I’m very passionate about the Montessori philosophy and it all starts in infancy.
While Montessori is one of the best philosophies for kids, in my opinion, it can seem out of reach for families living on a tight budget.
Montessori Mobile Age Progression
There are 4 mobiles in the Montessori series of mobiles.
- Munari mobiles from 3 to 6 weeks
- Octahedron mobiles from 5 to 8 weeks
- Gobbi Mobile from 7 to 10 weeks
- Dancers Mobile from 8 to 13 weeks
When do Babies See Color?
Babies can’t really distinguish between colors until they’re 3 or 4 months old.
This is why the Munari Mobile is in black and white. It offers the most contrast for babies developing eyes.
Munari Mobiles
Benefits of Munari Mobiles
Named after artist Bruno Munari, the purpose of the Munari mobile is to help babies learn to focus their attention on a specific object.
They’re sometimes referred to as Bruno Munari mobiles.
The high contrast images are very interesting to even the youngest babies.
Munari mobiles improve focus and concentration in young babies. In Montessori circles, it is believed that the Munari is the first exposure to mathematics.
Munari Mobiles
Munari mobiles re the first in the series of Montessori mobiles for babies.
To use a Munari mobile properly, it should be hung about 10-12 inches from your baby's face and offered to them only when they're awake and alert.
A Munari is always black and white to offer babies the greatest contrast of color.
These stark contrasts are very interesting to babies at this young age.
You'll notice that most toys and even books made for the youngest babies are consist of mainly black and white, sometimes red.
This inexpensive Munari mobile is perfect for babies 3 to 6 weeks of age.
It has awesome reviews on Amazon and you simply can't beat the price.
I honestly don't think you could even create a DIY Munari mobile this cheap!
If you're looking for a black and white mobile for babies that also rotates, this one is a great option.
While not strictly Montessori, it has the best qualities of a Munari with modern elements like music.
If you're willing to spend a little more upfront, you can get all 4 Montessori baby mobiles at once and work your way through them as your baby grows.
This set includes the Munari, Octahedron mobile, the Gobbi mobile, and the Dancers mobile.
If you're pretty committed to the Montessori lifestyle, this is the option I'd pick.
This one is slightly more expensive than others on this list, but the seller has over 6000 sales.
When I'm looking to purchase on Etsy or Amazon, I always check the reviews and ratings first - like most buyers do I'm sure.
I'm much more comfortable buying from someone when they have tons of positive reviews that list fast shipping and excellent customer service!
Worth the extra few dollars in my opinion.
This extremely affordable option is handmade in a smoke-free home - which is very important to me.
If you want a handmade item that offers fast shipping, I recommend this one.
It comes with everything you need including a metal ring to hang the mobile from.
Okay, if you're the type to DIY things to save money, you absolutely need to check this kit out.
You can't do it on your own for less than this and this seller has an average 5 star review on Etsy.
This is the perfect combination of DIY and have it done for you. You get the benefit of an extremely cheap price point, but without having to get all of the materials yourself.
If we have another baby, this is the one I'm buying.
Another affordable 5 star option.
Most Munari mobiles come with a glass ball that is meant to reflect light.
This one replaces the glass ball with a plastic one to avoid breakage risks in shipping.
This one also replaces the glass ball with a sturdier plastic one.
This seller has over 1000 5-star reviews.
Materials:
- Cardstock Black and White
- Plastic Transparent Ball
- White Yarn
- Acrylic Dowel
If you'd like to purchase the entire set of Montessori Mobiles, this seller offers the Octahedron, Gobbi, and Dancers in a set with your Munari purchase for an additional charge. In my experience, it's obviously much cheaper to purchase them all together rather than sourcing them separately.
I love that you get to pick the color of your Gobbi balls!
Have you used Munari mobiles with your babies? Did you continue through the entire set of Montessori mobiles? Let me know in the comments!