Montessori At Home is Natural 

Carrying over Montessori principles from our classroom environments into your home could not be more natural -- the original Montessori space was called the “Casa dei Bambini” after all! In the class we try to create as much as possible a special child-centric home-like environment, with child-sized furniture and purposeful tools, for the child here….so what better place to allow for the child to practice their own work towards independence, concentration and purposeful activities than the REAL home? 

There is no need to panic about buying anything extra for in-home Montessori. Many of these activities you can put together with things scavenged from your cupboards, closets, or recycling bins. It’s about keeping things clear & simple, getting a little creative, and being forgiving with yourself. 

We know many of you will be busy during the week working at home. Luckily, we also use the language “work” to describe the child’s purposeful activities. With just a little set up, and conversation around the expectations and structure, you and your child can work parallel to one another, just as children and teachers do here at school. 

Self-Regulation 

Let’s start with some basics about the space. There are simple things to do to help your child manage their body and feelings during the long days inside.

Is your child feeling…. 

Thirsty or Hungry: 

Do you have a low sink or one with a stool for your child to access water for drinking or water-based projects on their own? Can your child independently access a range of healthy snack choices when they are hungry? Perhaps set up something for your child to serve you snacks while you work, to include each other in the process. 

Food Prep:  Your child can prepare and serve themselves (and you!) little healthy snacks throughout the day. Long stemmed veggies are easy to chop with child friendly chopping tools. Four - five year olds are quite capable of peeling and using sharp tools with the right reminders and lessons about safety (always peel away from the body!).

Child-friendly prep veggies/fruits: clementines, carrots, celery, cucumbers, bananas, apples, snap peas

1. Washing: A bowl of water, scrub brush, towel.

2. Peeling or slicing: A cutting board. Peeler. Child-friendly slicing tool. Sponge for cleaning.

3. Serving: small plates and napkins. Toothpicks are fun!   

How to make a paper chefs hat:

https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/chef-party-chef-hat 

Sleepy or Anxious: 

Is there a cozy, peaceful area with lamplight or natural light to rest and look at books? Consider a string of christmas lights, a wind chime, and a basket with few sensory objects like feathers, bean-bag objects, an hourglass, magnifying glass, or bundle of sage/lavender.

Link for setting up a Peace Corner / Peace Ed: https://livingmontessorinow.com/montessori-monday-how-to-prepare-a-peace-corner/ 

Wiggly or Restless: 

Is there safe outdoor access and/or an area for large motor movements inside? This can include heavy objects of various sizes to lift and sort, a yoga mat, balancing objects, a small trampoline, exercise ball, etc? 

Ideas: 

-An old laundry detergent container with sand, beans or rice, sealing the lid for a weight. 

-Take movement breaks for jumping jacks or jump rope with your child. 

- Make a meandering line or labyrinth with tape on the floor for your child to walk on with a spoon and various objects like a cotton ball, shell or marble. 

- Have a clearly defined space on a rug or taped-off square for dancing to music. Freeze when the music stops!

- Make a balance beam with 2 x 4’s and blocks.

Link for Indoor Large Motor Coordination and Engagement:

https://whatmomslove.com/kids/active-indoor-games-activities-for-kids-to-burn-energy/ 

Other Principles for Setting up for Child’s Independence 

Clean-up: 

Is each activity something the child can set up and clean up independently? Do you have a basket with rags for wiping wet spills and a hand broom & dustpan for dry spills? 

Independent Choices:

Setting up clear, independent, accessible work areas and choices is the key to contributing to your child’s feeling of dignity, control and calm. In addition to activities, if a child can have independent choices to self regulate when tired, hungry, or restless, they are less likely to spiral into moods or fits. 

Limits and Rotating:

Are choices clearly defined and limited (not the whole store of toys in a massive pile!)? Consider storing away things that don’t fit in the space you’ve set aside and rotating the choices every 2-3 days to create re-engagement and interest. 

    Classroom → Home

Independent Sets: 

In the classroom, most activities are very clearly defined, often all the needed things on a single tray or basket a child can carry to a table or rug. At home, you can do this too! 

Specific Works

Transfering / Kitchen tools: 

For 2-3 year olds, we have many tranderfing choices for children to practice a single fine motor skill. What tools do you have in your kitchen? Hunt around for interesting tongs, whisks, spoons, scoops, basters, eye droppers, chopsticks, etc. You can use pom-poms, beans, water, cotton balls, etc. Make the water interesting with a little food coloring or a dash of glitter. Use those ice trays!! 


Sorting:

Mix of 2 or more of something for your child to sort. Get the same number of bowls or jars as different kinds. Examples: varieties of beans, beads, buttons, flower seeds, coins

Extension: learn the names of different kinds of grains, beans, or other classification of objects by making labels for the child. 

Open & Close:

Find everything that opens and closes! There are so many different WAYS things open and close, and your child is fascinated. Twist, pop, zip, slide, squeeze….create a basket of these containers for your child to explore. Maybe you have an old picnic basket you can set up with some cloth napkins and various dishes, utensils and open/close objects for free exploration. 

Laundry Folding 

Set up the clean laundry on a floor rug for your child to sort and fold. You could give an example of how to ball socks and fold a shirt. 

Window / Mirror Washing (or, the outside of your fridge, oven, etc!)

1. plastic bucket, box, or tray

2. spray bottle with water (optional: a little white vinegar)

3. cloth

4. squeegee 

5. “drop cloth” (towel to catch spills) 

General Washing

(of objects in the house and things used by the child)

1. tub or lg pot of warm soapy water 

2. scrub-brush/sponge 

3. tub or lg pot of cool rinse water 

4. large towel for objects to stack for air drying or small dish towel for hand drying 

5. a water smock or large tee shirt to put over clothes, always useful!

Various General Cleaning:

1. Broom + dustpan

2. Swiffer or mop

3. Small smooth cloth for dusting houseplant leaves 

4. “feather” duster for shelves and ledges

5. Spray bottle and cloth for wiping surfaces

6. carpet sweeper

Flower Arranging: 

Freshen up the house by bringing flowers and other cut plants into the house. In our classrooms, we have a tray set up with: 

1. a pitcher for water (funnel optional, added interest!)

2. small vases or jars 

3. scissors 

4. a sponge or cloth to wipe spills 

5. if you have coasters or doilies, that can be an extra interest for placement

Your child can sprinkle each small arrangement around the house. 

---> Meal times: Flower arrangements can also carry over into your child being “in charge of” creating beautiful centerpieces for meal set-up. Can your child add their creative flare with small paintings or folded paper to the center of the table? 

Polishing: 

Want to set up shoe polishing or wood polishing? 

1. An old basket, box or tray 

2. Non-toxic polish or simple olive oil 

3. Eye dropper or small container for polish/oil

4. An old rag cut into small squares 

5. Q-tips 

6. An old toothbrush (if shoe polishing). 

Set up an old beach towel or placemat for a work space and set out a couple of your dry wooden objects or old leather shoes that need polishing...then let your child find the next ones on their own from what they notice in the house. 

Tracing Letters:

1. Cookie sheet

2. Flour

3. Lower case letters written on paper for your child to look

Nature & Outdoor Engagement! 

*Consider having your child keep connected and feeling positive by leaving presents on neighbor’s porches, such as flower arrangements, painted rocks, and well-wishing cards. 

Painted Rocks! 

Gather a bunch of rocks. Let your child wash and dry them at the sink and arrange them ready for paint at a painting station. Add googly eyes, paper wings, or paper eyes after. Want to involve your child in spreading a little cheer? Maybe leave them as gifts on your neighbors’ doorsteps or place them around a public park!

Egg Planters: Have some grass or other seeds stashed away?

https://www.kiwico.com/diy/Science-Projects-for-Kids/3/project/Eggheads/528 

I Spy….

1. Can you find things that start with the sound “__”?

2. Can you find the alphabet letter shapes in Nature? https://www.kiwico.com/diy/Science-Projects-for-Kids/3/project/Natures-Alphabet/2054 

3. Leaf Form Scavenger Hunt: Find leaf shapes that match all those in the Montessori Leaf Cabinet *see pic of leaf chart!

4. General Scavenger Hunt: Make a list of things to find around the block or in your yard

Texture Rubbings:

Get big crayons and paper and take rubbings of tree bark, rocks, sidewalks, etc. 

Sidewalk Chalk 

Play “Add-on”. Make a hopscotch or maze!

Obstacle course:

Use those old tires and buckets and anything!

Sound Game Outside:

Sit or lay down very still for 20-30 seconds and see if you can identifying all the sounds you hear. 

*Leaf Forms (In our Classrooms)