Defining Space – How Montessori Children Use Rugs

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One of the first things some adults notice in a Montessori classroom is the use of work rugs under a child’s activity. The mat is usually not too large; just big enough to contain all the materials a child will need for his activity.

Work rugs are an integral part of the Montessori classroom and one of the fist lessons a child receives. Rugs are typically stored rolled neatly. Showing a child where the rugs live is the first step. Next, the child practices unrolling it. After that, the child very carefully walks around the edge of the rug. We never walk on the work rug, it is only for work. Finally, the child rolls the rug bag up, very carefully, and returns it to its home.

Purpose of the Work Rug

Work rugs, or mats, define the child’s space. All of a child’s materials belong on the work rug. For extra large activities, children will add a second rug to their area. Work rugs keep the materials orderly, which appeals to a young child’s sense of order. Additionally, it appeals to adults looking to keep some semblance of order! 😉

The rug gives them a sense of ownership. The space is theirs and the materials are theirs. Other children may watch, but need permission to touch.

As a final step to an activity, work mats make cleaning much easier. Since all the materials are located on the work rug, the child need only focus on that one are when cleaning up. Suddenly, cleaning up feels more manageable. This is especially true when there is a bin or tray to return all the items to before returning to the shelf!

Additionally, work rugs limit the number of activities out at one time. Because the first activity is already on the rug, it is difficult for a second activity to come out. Ideally, there are enough rugs for each child to have one. This encourages children to clean up, without a reminder, before moving on to the next activity. An extra rug or two may be useful to accommodate extra large activities, but we try to avoid having too many rugs. This prevents children from getting a second rug for a second activity.

Work Rugs at Home

Work rugs can be used at home, too! We began introducing the rugs around the time my first was 18 months. When she was that young, I did not expect her to do this independently. I also did not interrupt activities to give her a work rug! Interrupting would have interfered with her developing concentration.

Instead, I would invite her to play with me, especially when I put out new activities. Excitedly, I invited her to play with me. “First, let’s get a work rug!” When she saw how happy I was with the rug, she was happy, too. She gladly helped me unroll the rug, we completed the activity, and she helped me roll the rug. The more often we did this together, the more ingrained it became.

As the second born child, our younger child has always seen work rugs being used with activities. At this point, at age 2, she is much better at using them than our first was at that age. Regardless, in toddlerhood I do not expect children to be independently consistent in using them.

As my first daughter has gotten older, she has developed an appreciation for the work rug, though she does not remember every single time. I asked her why she likes using work rugs, for both play and school, and this is what she told me:

• It’s easy for her to know what is her job to clean up
• She can show her sister whose activities are whose
• It keeps things organized so she doesn’t lose pieces
• She can move all her toys away from her sister easily by moving the rug
• We let her “save” activities if they are on a work rug

As a parent, I love how much it simplifies things. There are times when my children forget to use a work rug. It is amazing how quickly their clean, tidy space seems to explode. No one knows who was playing with what, where things came from, or where to start cleaning. I’m overwhelmed looking at everything and they’re overwhelmed with the task of cleaning up.

When they have their things on the work rug, there are a lot of times I don’t even need to remind them to clean up! When I do, it is in the context of something else. For example, “We have to leave soon. The toys will need to be cleaned up before then.”

Have you tried using work rugs in your home? How has it worked for you? Still on the fence? I’d love to hear your questions and comments!

Choosing a Work Rug

You have many options if you are looking to add work rugs to your child’s play environment! Some things to look for are:

• An appropriate size for your child to play on. Often 2′ x 3′ is a good size
• Something that is flexible, so it can be rolled or folded when not in use
• Something neutral or light colored and without distracting prints.

One rug that I have been happy with is the EOFEEL Montessori Work Rug. This rug is 31″ x 45″ and a good size and weight. My only complaint is that these rugs shrunk in the wash. I do like to wash the work rugs regularly to keep them clean and looking nice. Fortunately, they did not shrink so much to make them unusable. EOFEEL rugs also come in a smaller size, which is ideal for smaller activities or toddlers. At the time this was written, the larger EOFEEL rug was $25.44 and the smaller one was $10.43

The last rug I’ve used is this woven rag rug, which is about 2′ x 3′. Compared to the EOFEEL rugs, this is lighter weight and a little less sturdy, but for a cheaper price it seems well constructed. This has not noticeably shrunk in the wash, which I appreciate! At the time of writing this, the woven rag rug is $16.58 USD. The only thing I wish was different is that this rug is striped. It does not affect my children’s play when compared to a solid color mat, but I prefer the aesthetic of a solid colored rug.