Mother Stories
Esther Choi Takes The New Lovevery Montessori Playshelf For A Test-Drive
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
Photography by Lani Ohye
Sep 14, 2021
There’s a whole lot to love about today’s mama, SoCal-based Esther Choi. Not only is she dedicated to connecting with other mothers by sharing her tips and tricks to raising four children consciously (via her IG feed @theOneiadore), she also does it all in the most fabulous, kid-friendly outfits, to boot! Clearly a fan of doing it all (and looking great doing it), Esther and her kiddos (Iseul, 5 months, Frankie, 3, Colette, 5, and Theodore, 8) were the perfect candidates to take Lovevery’s latest product for a test-drive.
The brand-new Lovevery Montessori Playshelf is a 2-in-1 wonder that includes a beautiful kid-height shelf that’ll look fantastic in any room, plus it includes hidden storage and trays to make toy rotation (a classic Montessori technique) simple. Easy to assemble (thanks to its “intelligent instructions” from BILT), the Playshelf is crafted from 100% FSC-certified Baltic birchwood and includes nontoxic finishes and soft-close technology to protect tiny fingers.
A tried-and-true fan of open-ended play and toy rotation, Esther recently invited us into her kids’ play space to show us how they’ve been enjoying their new Playshelf, as well as Lovevery’s Play Kits for babies and toddlers and the colorful and versatile Block Set for the whole family. Check it out, all while you get to know this inspiring, devoted mother!
This post is brought to you by Mother + Lovevery.
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A first look at the new Montessori Playshelf by Lovevery, which displays toys beautifully, has a "hidden" compartment in the back to store extra toys, and encourages the concept of "toy rotation," beloved by Montessori-inspired parents and educators.
As the folks at Lovevery explain, fewer is better when it comes to toys in your toddler’s playroom. One study they point to compared how children played when offered 4 vs. 16 toys in a room. Toddlers who were offered 4 toys engaged more meaningfully with each, playing in a deeper way and spending more time exploring than toddlers who had 16 available toys.
On average, the parents of the toddlers in the study had 90 different toys at home. Montessori has a more minimalist approach, encouraging fewer objects neatly arranged on low shelves with space between each. You don’t have to get rid of any toys, you just put some away and bring others out—though this can provide an opportunity to do a little purging and donating. Rotating the toys you do have keeps them fresh and interesting for your toddler (and big kids, too!).
The Montessori Playshelf, $400, Lovevery.
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"Toy rotation has always been a big factor in my house, as I've learned early on that too much of a good thing isn't always good. Too many toys offered all at once makes it overwhelming for kids to choose from, let alone focus on playing with each toy deeply to truly appreciate the experience of learning through play. I've made the mistake of putting all their toys in their 'play room,' thinking that they will be able to utilize all their toys best this way, but it ended up becoming more of a 'storage room' for their toys instead. Most of the toys that were not easily visible to grab were collecting dust and just taking up valuable space."
"Once I created storage space for their toys outside of their playroom and rotating different toys each week, I noticed how their old toys were new again, and each child would get excited to fully engage with the new set of toys I would pull out each week. This also applies to our big collection of books as well."
"My kids rarely ask for new toys now that this toy rotation is in full effect. This also relates to having too many clothes in our closets and saying we have 'nothing to wear.' Most times, it's best to have a few items to rotate from to find outfits easily each day, and this way you can avoid purchasing more items and reuse what is already in your closet."
The Montessori Playshelf, $400, Lovevery.
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"When we were living in our smaller home, toy rotation was harder to do because of the lack of storage space. The Lovevery Montessori Playshelf would have been a dream come true had I had the opportunity to purchase one in that home."
"Now that I have 4 kids, we have so many toys to store and rotate, that it works so perfectly in our current playroom as well. The storage space in the back that 'hides' toys easily is definitely my most favorite aspect of this shelf. It's deep enough to store a lot of toys, and the trays it comes with help to keep smaller items separated and not lost in the bigger toys."
"The shelf itself is so beautifully crafted with high quality wood/material, it is definitely a premium piece of furniture that will fit into any home needing a shelf with built-in storage space (not limited to just toys)."
The Montessori Playshelf, $400, Lovevery.
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Esther's third child, Frankie, who is 3, is at an ideal age to enjoy the Montessori Playshelf by Lovevery.
The height of the shelf is toddler-height, so she can help herself to whichever toy is calling her name (in this case, the colorful Block Set by Lovevery).
The Montessori Playshelf, $400, Lovevery.
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"Each child has their own individuality and learns at different paces, fast and slow. I observe what they gravitate towards, and do my best to provide manipulative toys to enhance their learning experiences."
"Sometimes we go to the store and I let them pick out a toy of their own choice (these days are called 'buying days' and 'looking days' are when we just observe the store and make wish lists for future purchases). Most times they choose wisely because they’ve experienced short-lived toys and buyers remorse early on. I’m also keen on the size of the toy, as our home can become claustrophobic real quick if we're not careful. As much as my home is child-friendly, my husband and I need to have space to enjoy it for ourselves as well."
The Magic Tissue Box from The Sensor Play Kit (ages 5-6 months), $80, Lovevery.
The Montessori Playshelf, with 2 included wooden trays, $400, Lovevery.
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"This modular playhouse is one of my favorites from The Observer Play Kit (ages 37-39 months). I love it because it can be reconfigured in so many different ways," says Esther.
The Observer Play Kit, $120, Lovevery.
The Montessori Playshelf, $400, Lovevery.
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"I am very pleased with the
Lovevery Play Kits and the attention to detail for each curated box. When my son was born in 2013, I had to make my own wise decisions on how to create the selection of toys to purchase. There were many hits and a ton of misses, which just became more useless 'stuff' to store."
"Lovevery takes the guess work out of the equation and makes it so much more stress-free in the process of choosing toys to purchase for our younger children. I strongly believe if I had these Play Kits available since my firstborn, I would’ve had less short-lived toys, and great quality play toys starting from the newborn stage."
"I absolutely love these Kits, as they are not only made with great quality materials, but the open-ended structure of each toy makes play time truly endless. I am a big fan of creativity and finding joy within ourselves we never knew existed. These toys provide these experiences for my kids, and the myriad ways each item can be played with is very impressive."
The Play Kits, $80 to $120 per kit, Lovevery.
The Montessori Playshelf, $400, Lovevery.
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"Play time usually consists of 4 different types of engagement in our home, unless all the kids decide to play together, especially when outside."
"My 8-year-old son enjoys reading and playing with action figures, while my 3- and 5-year-old girls do a lot of role playing with their dolls and wearing costumes. My 5-month-old enjoys watching her siblings play, and is mainly working on tummy time and tasting everything she can grab a hold of."
"Blocks and Legos are universally enjoyed by all the kids, and they like to build together. When they get to play outside, they all enjoy either bike riding or scootering around the front or backyard."
The Montessori Playshelf, $400, Lovevery.
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"I’ve been secretly wanting The Magic Tissue Box (which comes in The Senser Play Kit, for months 5-6) for years now," says Esther. "That’s the one item that caught my eye when I first found out about Lovevery, and I really wanted to just buy that item for my daughter Frankie when she was sitting up on her own."
"I actually gave her a real tissue box to pull out all the tissues from and she was having the time of her life. I, on the other hand, was wondering how long it would take to put it all back into the box. When I saw the Magic Tissue Box, I thought it was such a brilliant substitute for my baby’s favorite 'toy' at the moment. This toy and each of the colorful items in The Senser Kit really catches baby Iseul's eye and I look forward to her playing with every item as she grows."
The Senser Play Kit, $80, Lovevery.
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"The Observer Play Kit (for ages 37, 38, and 39 months) was by far my husband’s favorite. He was so impressed with the Weather Board and we've both enjoyed watching Frankie playing with it," says Esther. "She would change the weather and show exaggerated emotions (would shiver at the snow clouds and would wipe her forehead if sunny) depending on where the arrow pointed.
"And the Wooden Emotion Dolls are a great alternative to pictures we usually see to help our children with naming their feelings. Frankie immediately started mimicking the faces on the dolls and naming each expression!"
The Observer Play Kit, $120, Lovevery.
The Montessori Playshelf, $400, Lovevery.
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Frankie matching her Wooden Emotion Doll and doing her best angry face.
The Observer Play Kit, $120, Lovevery.
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"My kids are now 8, 5, 3, and almost 5 months. My 8-year-old is most into reading books, Minecraft, and catching Pokémon. My 5-year-old enjoys ballet and gymnastics, watching TV shows like DC Superhero Girls, and movies (she loves Over The Moon and Zootopia). My 3-year-old loves to role play with her toys and dolls, and also enjoys watching Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and singing all the songs. And my baby loves to reach for toys that make noise, especially crinkle fabrics and books. We only have screen-time during weekends and we do Friday night movie night for the whole family to enjoy together."
Frankie uses hand puppets from The Storyteller Play Kit (for ages 40, 41, and 42 months).
The Storyteller Play Kit, $120, Lovevery.
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Esther slips Lovevery's Play Socks from The Senser Play Kit onto baby Iseul.
The playful footwear is used to build leg strength and body control in babies, starting at 5-6 months.
The Senser Play Kit, $80, Lovevery.
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"I am a strong believer in learning through play. Everyday we learn something new in our lives, and when it comes to learning through play, I feel it should be the most fun and enjoyable. Open-ended toys keep frustration at bay, especially for little ones. And I enjoy watching them become creative and imaginative."
The Senser Play Kit, $80, Lovevery.
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"My husband and I got married young, and had no intentions of having children early on in our marriage. We were both focused on working hard and enjoyed our husband and wife alone time together; 6 years to be exact. When we both felt ready to have a family, I got pregnant with my firstborn Theodore. I became a SAHM and focused on being mentally prepared to have more children because I didn't want to have only one child due to my own experience as an only child."
The Senser Play Kit, $80, Lovevery.
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"Thinking that having kids back-to-back was the 'perfect' age gap, I focused so much on conceiving again even before Theo turned 1. It was easy getting pregnant the first time, little did I know the second time around would be one of the hardest moments of my motherhood journey. No one told me about how difficult it can be to conceive while breastfeeding, and I never knew how common miscarriages happen."
"I got pregnant again when Theo was 1 1/2 years old, which ended in a miscarriage early on. I was broken and devastated, and needed to find a way to release my pain while being present with my toddler. I needed to be busy to keep my mind off of my pain, and even considered going back to work."
Esther's colorful beaded bracelets spell out each of her four children's names.
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"That was when I decided to start my Instagram feed @the0neiadore, with pictures of food and recipes I would make for my family. I was a recovering perfectionist, and wanted to focus on perfecting my IG posts instead of trying to perfect my personal life at home. It was my place of release and healing, and soon enough I got pregnant with my rainbow baby, Colette."
"At this point, we thought we could take a break from having more babies and focus on the two little ones we had, but God's plans were different from ours. Right after Colette's 1st birthday, we decided to return our large SUV for a smaller Jeep, as it was the perfect size for our family of four. I will never forget that evening after bringing our new car home thinking I had gotten food poisoning from the restaurant we ate at near the dealership. It wasn't food poisoning; we were expecting our 3rd little one, Frankie."
Esther and Iseul play with the Framed Mirror from The Charmer Play Kit (for ages 3-4 months).
The Charmer Play Kit, $80, Lovevery.
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"Fast forward to when Frankie turned 2 and we went into lockdown from the pandemic and I was treading water with 3 little kids at home, trying to keep it as normal and fun for my children, homeschooling for the first time ever."
"I didn't feel right one morning in the summer of 2020 after celebrating my quarantine birthday, and took a pregnancy test. We were expecting our little Iseul, and our whole family was the happiest amidst the hardships of the pandemic and couldn't wait to meet our new baby. Now that she is here, we've never felt more complete as a family and my motherhood journey feels so full."
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"I am Korean American, born and raised in Southern California. Growing up I was an only child for the first 9 years of my life. My mother had a difficult time conceiving her 2nd, and almost a decade later my sister was born. 4 years after, by the grace of God, my mom gave birth to my youngest sister who is 13 years apart from me."
"I wished to have siblings closer to my age growing up, and admired families with many kids in their household. Due to the big age gap between my sisters and I, they always felt they had two moms in the house. I helped my mom with diaper duties and babysitting often."
"I grew up in a quiet suburban neighborhood with my mom and dad and two younger sisters. During middle school and high school, financial hardship took a toll on my parents and I had to work early on at the age of 15. I wanted to be a good role model to my sisters and not be an extra burden to my parents."
"I put myself through college while working full-time and never thought I would find the time to have a family of my own. This is the perfect example of the quote, 'When we make plans, God laughs.'"
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"Being an only child had its ups and downs. My parents both immigrated to America from South Korea and were working a lot. I dreaded coming home from school because I was alone most of the time with an older nanny. So my play time consisted of watching endless amounts of TV and playing alone."
"I do remember having to be extra creative to have imaginary play, and riding my bike around my neighborhood was a daily activity. Because I was the only player, I didn’t have anyone to bicker with or follow certain rules. Without these restrictions, my play time was pretty fluid and stress-free. I feel these childhood moments of aloneness got my creative juices flowing into adulthood."
The Montessori Playshelf, $400, Lovevery.
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Board books featuring a diverse range of families and modern photography are a hallmark of Lovevery's Play Kits for both babies and toddlers.
The Montessori Playshelf, $400, Lovevery.
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"I know how difficult it is to be alone and being bored, but I also realized how invaluable those moments are in learning about ourselves. Our capabilities are truly endless, and I try to help my children understand that it’s perfectly fine to be bored. Because I’ve been there and know there’s a silver lining in boredom, I usually don’t have much of a reaction when they whine and complain about it. Most times they get creative and find the most out of their alone time."
"I also try to incorporate more play and limit any screen-time to only on weekends. I wasn’t much of a reader growing up due to spending a lot of time watching TV. I learned to love reading as an adult, and wished I spent more time reading children’s novels as a kid. When I hear my son Theo laugh while reading, it brings me so much joy that he can experience those feelings from just reading. I also try to have my kids play outside as much as possible to stay active and get their energy out through movement."
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"I'm most excited to no longer be pregnant and enjoy each of my children without a big belly in the way. I've been pregnant and/or breastfeeding for the past 10 years. I'm enjoying the last few months left of breastfeeding my baby, and seeing my kids grow without morning sickness has been amazing."
The Observer Play Kit, $120, Lovevery.
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"I'm most nervous about keeping my children out of harm's way because I am outnumbered, especially when I have all 4 alone. COVID and anti-Asian hate crimes have been paralyzing at times when we are out of the house, and while inside the house, I have to make sure the kids are playing safely with each other and especially around baby Iseul."
"As a woman of faith, I've found rest and peace in leaving all of the anxiety to God and prayer because I can't keep my children in a bubble. Even if I tried to keep them safe all the time, I can't do it alone. So having faith and trusting spiritually frees me from all the nervousness that can get out of hand in motherhood. It's a daily practice."
The Observer Play Kit, $120, Lovevery.
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"Pandemic parenting has been a blessing in disguise. When schools closed back in March 2020, most parents went into panic mode, including myself. After a couple months of adjusting, it was amazing to see how we are all adaptable and resilient to change and discomfort. We got used to being home, and I can't believe how much we all enjoy being at home most of the time."
"I feel this time spent together was so invaluable, as I was able to teach my children important matters like practicing anti-racism, learning empathy and compassion, and thinking of others' feelings and being kind."
"My older two kids just started school last week, and we no longer take for granted seeing people and making friends. But now that we've been in lockdown before, I know we can pull through just fine if another stay-at-home mandate happens again, because we've been there and we survived. This week will be the first week all three kids will be in school, and I'm looking forward to having baby Iseul alone for the first time."
The Storyteller Play Kit, $120, Lovevery.
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"As much as I love every item in each Lovevery Play Kit, as a mom, I truly appreciate the ringed guide books that come with each Kit. They detail ways to use each toy, and the additional tabs help us see where our child is in their developmental stage currently," says Esther.
"Plus, the guides list additional activities we can try, which has been really exciting. I had such a difficult time trying to find more activities to do with my kids during quarantine and homeschooling, I feel these little booklets would’ve been so helpful to provide inspiration."
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"My daughter loves to help around the house, and this mop is the perfect size and item for her to use," says Esther of the Squeeze & Spray Mop included in The Storyteller Play Kit (ages 40-42 months)
"My other highlight of this Kit is the Puppet Theater and Fort Covers. I’ve purchased fort sets for my kids, but none are this easy to build, let alone come with their own covers. The connectors and brilliantly made clips (soft and easy to open for little hands) make it so fun for my kids to build. This is the first fort set my 3- and 5- year-old can build without the help of an adult."
The Storyteller Play Kit, $120, Lovevery.
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"I probably love The Block Set more than the kids," says Esther. "The vibrant colors and attention to detail, shapes, and sizes helps even my youngest to build without frustration."
"The magnets in a few pieces to hold up together is definitely appealing as it is really able to be functional. It is not like traditional block sets where you just build, but you can actually create a wagon or a house on wheels that can be played with in conjunction to other toys."
"I’ve purchased many blocks and magnetic blocks as well, but this set is the only product that has the beauty of both worlds built into one. Did I mention how much I love the colors and quality?"
The Block Set, $90, Lovevery.
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"I have a BA in business marketing and worked in fashion for over 10 years before having children. I first started as a merchandising manager in a fashion retail store, and then began working for my husband’s company in the fashion district. I designed and worked as a production manager where we would manufacture women’s clothing for retail stores."
"Once I became a SAHM, I started freelancing as a stylist and taught a few cooking classes for moms with little ones. Currently I’m busy with my four children, but I’ve taken on the role as my church’s praise team leader since 2017 and haven’t stopped since. I’m unsure of where my future career lies, but excited to find out as my life has never been going according to my own plans."
The Block Set, $90, Lovevery.
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"The best advice for another mother who is about to have her 3rd or 4th would be to really go with the flow. Don’t be rigid, and pick your battles as you need every ounce of your energy to not be wasted on unimportant matters."
"If your baby skips a nap, go with the flow. I remember being so stressed when my firstborn would skip a nap and wasting energy on negative thoughts on how his sleep is going to be so poor at nighttime. I believe our energy is so strong as mothers, that if it’s negative energy being generated and released out of you, it will bring an uneasy vibe inside your home that will affect the whole family."
"Of course, we can’t always be positive, but choosing wisely where to put our energy really affects those surrounding you, especially our children. When I feel like I’m about to lose my cool, I try to remember my emotional reactivity is what they will imitate."
The Block Set, $90, Lovevery.
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"My IG first began with just food and recipes to help moms in the kitchen for inspiration. A few close friends encouraged me to share styling tips to help moms not only in the kitchen, but also bring inspiration in our closets. My feed took a complete detour when I fell deep into the BLM movement, and my whole life changed. Diversity, inclusivity, and anti-racism practices became one of the most important teachings in my home. I learned true empathy, self-love, self-care, and educating myself about the importance of Black history got me to realize how my privileges as a Korean American comes from our community and solidarity with our Black brothers and sisters. I was humbled, and wanted to do all I could to stop history from repeating itself with racism by using my platform (as little as it may be) as my voice to help others see the importance of the BLM movement."
"I began teaching my family at home, as it begins with us as parents. No more rhetoric, but more action was my motive. I diversified the toys in our home, I taught my children to see color and know we are all equal and beautiful in our own ways. We learned about Black trailblazers and looked at our spending power and how it can go towards Black-owned businesses. It was a life-changing moment for me, and I wanted to share my experience with other moms on how we can teach our children to not only be just kind, but to be anti-racist and learn true self-love and empathy for others."
The Block Set, $90, Lovevery.
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"When I became pregnant with my 4th, I wanted to be even more open with my life and decided to share personal thoughts on parenting and be relatable to other moms who might be going through the same incidents. Being vulnerable and raw with all things parenting not only helps others to know they are not alone, but also is truly healing for me as well."
"My goal with my feed is to be relatable to other women and mothers, to be a part of a village that helps each other out in parenting because our children are our future, and a future filled with good people starts with us."
The Block Set, $90, Lovevery.
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For more on Esther and her beautiful family, please follow her on Instagram @theOneiadore.
To experience Lovevery's brand-new Montessori Playshelf and Play Kits for yourself, head over to Lovevery.com.
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