Category: Home Activities

Learning with Games

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There are so many ways families choose to homeschool their children. Often, parents settle on a mixture of things that work best for their family. Today, I’m going to talk about a method I don’t hear much of, though I believe it is worth it: Game schooling!

What is “game schooling”?

Exactly what it sounds like! Learning through playing games, typically board game style games. Many of us are familiar with the classic board games and may even have a regular family game night! Games are loads of fun and there is a game for everyone out there. Some games incorporate a lot of reading, others require different types of math skills. Other games explore different science, nature, or cultural themes. When families decide to incorporate games into their child’s homeschool experience, they consider the educational topics they want to cover and find games that help children practice these skills. Below, I have compiled a collection of games I use, as well as games recommended to me. Jump to Math games, Language Arts Games, or Science games!

Math Games

A classic game from my own childhood, and that my own kids enjoy, is The Allowance Game. Players move around the board, collecting allowance, spending money, saving money, and maybe even owning a lemonade stand. Players learn how much coins are worth, how to add money, and how to make change.

To help kids learn their fractions, Fracto is a fun and easy game. With multiple ways to play, your kids are more likely to want to keep playing– and keep practicing their fractions!

So, we have not actually played this game, but it has been on my wishlist for a while now! Target is a game where players need to reach their target by using addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. With so many options, it is a suitable game for multiple age groups.

Another favorite math game: Tiny Polka Dot. This game has been great because it is not one single game. There are over a dozen games to play for kids ranging from three to eight+. All the games use the included number cards, some of which have numerals and others which use dots and blocks.

Finally, recommended to me by another family, is Real World Math: Unexpected Events. This is a math game for older kids that helps them practice their math skills applied to personal finances, similar to the real world.

Language Arts Games

One of my favorite games growing up- and that I’ve shared with my kids- was Boggle, Jr. This is a fun way to practice letter matching and spelling. Boggle, Jr has a set of cards with words on the bottom. Depending on the child’s ability, they can either match the word or practice spelling the word with the letter cubes. For older kids, Boggle can be a lot of fun, too! Boggle is a simple word search game that can be played independently or with a partner.

Learning parts of speech has been described as boring to many people I’ve spoken with over the years. How do you make parts of speech fun? With Silly Sentences! Kids love making silly sentences with this game. Children use color coded puzzle pieces to build sentences as silly (or tame) as they please.

There are so many games where reading is an important part of the game, but one of our favorites is Apples to Apples, Junior edition. Designed with kids 9 and up in mind, children practice reading, make comparisons, and build their vocabulary. We have a lot of laughs playing both the “junior” and the “classic” editions of the game.

Of course, no language arts game would be complete without mentioning the classic game, Scrabble. If you are unfamiliar, this is a fun crossword style game where players build words to earn points. Children can practice spelling, learn new vocabulary, and practice using a dictionary.

Science Games

I’m sure many of you have built a marble run before, but maybe not one like this! Gravitrax is like no other marble run I’ve seen. Like others, gravity is a big component of this marble run. But with this, children also get to experiment with things like magnetism. Plus, there are some really interesting expansion sets you can get – such as a trampoline! The link below will bring you to a smaller starter set, but there are larger ones as well as many expansion sets to explore!

Are your kids interested in engineering? Or maybe you want a fun way to teach simple machines to your kids. This kit is a lot of fun because it comes with materials and instructions to build simple machines (things such as inclined plane, levers, screws, etc). After your child builds a simple machine, he/she can play with them to see how they work!

A final option is the Botley 2.0 Robot. My oldest is interested in robotics and this little robot was a fun way to let her explore robotics and coding. Botley comes with a booklet that explains how the programming works, has suggested activities, and your child set up his/her own programs. I think this is a great first step into learning how programming works.

Geography

Ticket to Ride is a family favorite; I actually got it as a gift for my husband and we all fell in love with it! We have the original version, in which players seek to build train routes across the US and some Canadian cities. There are other versions that take place in other areas of the world.

Have you ever heard of Continent Race? While we haven’t played this yet, it was a game recommended to me by followers. This is a game designed to teach children world geography and flags. My favorite part though, is that this game was designed by a six-year-old!

What games would you add?

This is just a handful of games that exist. What are your favorite games? Let me know in the comments!

What Do Children Need for Cooking?

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I have tried so many different cooking tools with children over the years. There are some I have come to love. Others… not so much. Here you’ll find a collection of my favorite kitchen tools and utensils for children.

Shelving

If your kitchen has the space for it, I highly recommend a dedicated shelf or cart for your child! A small kitchen island can be a great tool for children, as it can contain all of their own kitchen tools as well as provide their own space to work. I prefer open shelving for children, over closed cabinets, because it helps children see what they need better. This 20″ x 40″ island is counter height, so a child will still need a stool to reach, but it would make a fantastic kitchen are that can grow with your children.

A smaller alternative is a metal, rolling cart. Most of these have enough room for everything a child will need to cook with, plus they can be wheeled wherever it’s needed- or tucked out of the way as necessary.

A Tower

One of the most important things when letting children help in the kitchen is making sure they can easily reach things. Ideally, children should be working at a counter that is their height. In most Montessori schools, you will find a food prep station at just the right height for the children in the room. Of course, this is not often a reasonable alteration families can do in their home. Instead, step stools and “learning towers” can be a big help for our littlest helpers.

My favorite is the IKEA Bekvam (not affiliate). I used this as-is with my children. I was a little nervous at first since it is a little higher than I was comfortable, but my children have exhibited great care and now that my oldest is almost 7, it’s just a handy step stool for her. Additionally, I’m never far from my kids when they use this. Still, there are some great tutorials for turning the BEKVAM step stool into a learning tower! (If there is no IKEA in your area, here is an Amazon link)

I have used the Little Partners Kids Learning Tower in other family’s homes and I highly recommend it. It is sturdy, has four sides for safety, and has an adjustable height. I love the size; it is larger than some others, so it may not fit in every kitchen, but it can be helpful for a young chef.

Food Prep Tools

A top held wavy chopper is my favorite chopping tool. Because the handle is on the top, I don’t worry about children accidentally grabbing a sharp blade instead of a handle.

A cutting board is essential for food prep! This small cutting board is non-slip and comes in a variety of colors. It is just the right size for most of my kids’ food prep activities. I also love that it is dishwasher safe! If you are looking for a more natural alternative, such as a bamboo cutting board, I recommend this. It is a good size and looks beautiful.

Liquid measuring cups are another essential kitchen tool. I use the Pyrex set of 3 measuring cups for both myself and my children! My only complaint is that eventually, the ink washes off in the dishwasher. However, they are sturdy and easy for the children to handle! I like having a variety of sizes to better accommodate our needs as well as so different liquids don’t get mixed.

Finally, mixing bowls, measuring spoons, and measuring cups are essential. I prefer to use metal for these kitchen tools. Metal bowls are more lightweight compared to stone or glass bowls. This makes them easier for young children to handle, especially once they are filled with delicious food! Metal measuring cups and spoons, I have found, hold up best to use long term. I found this set on Amazon that offers all this and a little extra! You will also get a whisk, spatula, spreader, and lids.

Cookbooks

A cook book is a must have tool for any aspiring chef! Our favorite cook book is The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs: 100+ Recipes that You’ll Love to Cook and Eat . We got this when my younger daughter was 3 and while she can’t read the recipes herself yet, the images are enticing and she loves picking foods out. The recipes are kid-tested and not too complicated.

Things You Already Have

Of course, many families use things they already have for their children! There is absolutely no need to buy the contents of a second kitchen just for your children. The most important thing is not to have “all the things,” but to make sure things are accessible to your child/children. When everything a child might need is in one spot, it is easier for him or her to find exactly what they need. If children have their own set of cooking tools, they will know where to find them without rummaging through all the other cabinets and drawers. Having their own set can also make food prep more enticing and give them a sense of pride and ownership- making them more likely to want to properly clean and take care of their tools!

In my own home, I have one space for all the children’s belongings. Other things we use, such as our mixing bowls, are shared by the family. While they eventually have learned where we keep everything, it was a little more difficult for them.

Birds

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As spring is coming ever so slowly, we’re seeing more and more birds around, much to the delight of my toddler. For Christmas, she got a bird feeder and diligently feeds the birds. I keep an eye on it to make sure it’s filled, but most of the time she’s ready to refill it as soon as it gets low!

Supporting this interest in our homeschool room, we have a few shelves of bird activities. Some are old, some are new, and all are loved. From top to bottom, left to right, we have:

My toddler’s favorite activities is matching the bird figures to the cards. Normally, when I do matching activities for toddler and primary aged children, I prefer to make the images match the objects. So when I do a Safari LTD TOOB, I take photos (or find them pre-made) of the TOOB objects. In this case, I used photos of the birds. I went this route because many of the birds we have seen and will continue to see, so there is more real life experience. She can hold a figurine of a Blue Jay, look at a photo, and see them in the yard.

Sibley Flashcards and Matching

We have enjoyed going through the many cards in the flash card box set. The birds are divided into three sets: Western US, Eastern US, and Common to all. Since my children are younger and there are SO many cards, I pulled out the cards for birds we don’t have. Sometimes my children will sit quietly and look at the pictures, which are beautiful and drawings. Sometimes we use them as a resource, either wondering more information about a bird or for identifying new birds we see.

Personally, my favorite is the memory game. My toddler uses this material as a matching activity, which is great. My older daughter likes playing Memory. The cards are thick cardboard with the name and image of the bird. The images match the fact file cards, which is great for when we come across a bird we haven’t actually seen before.

Sibley Memory Game and Sibley Fact Cards

Last, but not least!

Of course, I included the Montessori Parts of a Bird puzzle in the mini bird unit. We have a complete set of parts of animal puzzles, which my kids love. A favorite is the horse puzzle, so this was a good opportunity to remind them about the bird puzzle! Now that it is sitting displayed on the shelf, it is definitely getting more use.

Bird Egg Tonging

The final activity I added to the shelf was bird egg sorting. The eggs are wooden eggs I had. I don’t remember where I got them, but I’m sure you could find them in a craft store. I painted them with acrylic paints, and my daughter loved splattering the black paint to make them look speckled! The little nests, from Amazon, each hold four eggs nicely. The tongs are a bit tricky for my toddler, but it’s great practice for my older daughter.

Side Note: Illustrations versus Photos

Sometimes I see parents questioning whether or not a material is “Montessori” because it uses illustrations rather than photos. This comes from the idea that we want to always show children what is real rather than pretend images. It is an excellent point, but sometimes misguided. In my classroom and in my home, I strive for realistic representation when learning about something. When choosing a book or material, rather than limiting myself to photos, I want to see that images are accurate and beautiful. Sometimes this means photos and sometimes it means illustrations. So, you’ll see we have a mixture of both on our shelves currently.

Your kids cooked THAT?! Helping Kids Learn to Cook

My kids often impress friends and family with their cooking abilities. My two year old (nearly) independently makes frozen waffles and scrambled eggs in the morning. Meanwhile, my 5 year old is learning to follow a recipe and has made meatloaf, pancakes, and a few slow cooker meals. Both children have helped with a variety of cooking and baking activities.

My youngest, after recently turning 2, learning how to make lasagna

Why so young?

Food prep is an integral part of a Montessori classroom. Most classrooms have some sort of food prep available daily for children. Sometimes it’s something simple, such as an apple slicing station. Sometimes it’s a large group effort, such as a large recipe where everyone contributes something.

One of the benefits of giving children opportunities to prepare their own food is that they become more willing to eat the foods they have made. In fact, when parents tell us their child is a picky eater, this is one of our first suggestions! Another benefit is a child’s self esteem. A few months ago, my oldest daughter asked for meatloaf for dinner. I had not been planning on making that, though we had all the ingredients. So I suggested she make it herself. The look on her face when she showed the family her meatloaf was priceless. She happily told her dad that she made dinner and asked me send pictures of her with her meatloaf to her grandparents.

Meatloaf!

Also, children who practice cooking skills at a young age gain confidence in the kitchen. I do not expect my children to leave our home as master chefs, but I hope they can make simple, delicious meals for themselves, friends, and families. I’ve met a number of people who found themselves on their own and realized they had no idea how to cook. Eating out and pre-made meals became expensive. If that is how my children eat as adults, I would rather know it is their choice rather than them struggling to figure it out on their own.

Finally, it often becomes an enjoyable activity for my kids and I to work on together.

How did we do it?

Like most things in a Montessori classroom, we start simple and build. As infants and young toddlers, my children were often in the kitchen with me when I was cooking. They were observing what I was doing and even got to sneak some tastes. As their motor skills grew, they started standing on their stepstool next to me. I would offer them spoons and whisks and they would happily stir.

Then we introduced a crinkle chopper, a nylon knife, and a small cutting board. Bananas and strawberries are very easy first chopping foods. Making guacamole is an easy- and delicious- snack for toddlers to make. As their abilities grew, we started adding tougher foods to chop. Cucumbers, then apples, then carrots. Pretty soon, they can make a whole tossed salad!

When baking, I started with measuring ingredients and letting my children pour them into the mixing bowl. Turning our stand mixer on is also a favorite with my kids. When they are ready, they start measuring the ingredients themselves, carefully scooping and leveling with a butter knife. Now that my older daughter is learning to read and knows simple fractions, she is able to figure out exactly how much of everything she needs.

Making cookies!

When it comes to cooking in a pan, I like to start with scrambling eggs. My toddler will happily crack an egg into a bowl, pour a little milk, add salt and pepper, and mix it all up. She pours the mixture into the pan and scrambles everything. She only needs help with getting the eggs out of the pan. Another easy food prep is browning ground beef, which uses similar skills to making scrambled eggs. My kids have helped make beef chili and taco meat.

Tacos for dinner!

Safety and the Adult’s Role

Of course, safety is a concern. Before children begin using a stove, they need to understand the pan is hot. We only use cast iron skillets at home, so a potholder or handle cover is necessary to handle a hot pan. Anything coming from the oven is also hot. I often show how hot the pans are by inviting my children to hold their hands, briefly, near the hot pan so they can feel the heat.

I give them the tools they need to be safe and handle things beyond their capabilities, such as putting things in and out of the oven. At this point, my kids just aren’t large enough to safely reach into an oven. Small burns are inevitable, even I have been known to burn myself now and then. A little first aid (cold water, maybe some ointment, and hugs) and the children will learn to be a little more careful.

Chopping foods can also be a safety concern. My favorite first tools are top handled crinkle choppers and nylon knives. We practice holding the food in a safe place, away from the blades. We also look at the parts of the knife or chopper, noticing which part looks sharp and which place is safe for holding.

As my children become more independent with food prep, I am often close by keeping an eye on things. I do my best not intervene unless necessary or asked. I find it is helpful if I am working on my own cooking task alongside my children. While I am prepping some chicken, perhaps one of them is cutting vegetables for a salad.

As they practice more, the more independent they can be with things. For most snacks, I know my kids can get what they want easily and safely. The foods and tools they need are within reach. Spreading peanut butter on crackers or bread is a quick and easy favorite in our house.

What do your children like to cook? How comfortable are you in letting them cook? Let me know in the comments!

Montessori Toys – Wooden or Not?

Wooden materials are very common in Montessori classrooms, along with glass, metal, and other “real” materials. As often as possible, Montessori environments avoid the use of plastic. Of course, this is not always reasonable or possible, though we try.

Why not wooden?

Given the choice, I would purchase wooden options for toys and materials for play and homeschool. I outline why, below. But there are somethings I will not buy a wooden variety of and others I simply don’t.

When looking at which materials to purchase or create, I have a few things to consider. Firstly, what is the child to be learning from the material? Is there something to be lost, or gained, from going a non-traditional route? Next, I compare costs. There are a variety of companies making Montessori materials and many ideas for DIY materials. Can I easily make this material myself or is it time consuming? Do the supplies to make it cost almost as much as the material itself? Finally, how long will the material be used? When in a classroom, I know it will be used by many children over many years and a higher quality is best. At home, a material may only be used for a short time and maybe only with my children.

There are also things that I intentionally do not buy wooden versions of. Even in my classroom, I did not use wooden animals to learn about animals. If we were studying animals, such as animals of South America, I would have a collection of plastic, painted figures. They are often very realistic and give a good idea of what an animal looks like. I have used wooden animals, though they are displayed as art from a culture or as a polishing work. At home, LEGO blocks are a favorite. We have wooden blocks too, but the LEGOs have their own benefits.

Our homemade tray for the bead stair. Not as beautiful as a wooden tray, but it serves its purpose.

For math work, I bought a box of bead bars. I did not want paper and I did not want to do it myself, the cost was reasonable and I can use these bead bars for most anything we needed bead bars for. When it came time to display the bead stair for my youngest, I looked at buying a bead stair tray. It was far more expensive than I was willing to pay, but we needed something. Cue water, baking soda, and corn starch! I made a quick “clay” that has been serving us well. It’s not perfect but my kids’ attention is drawn to the beautiful beads and they easily complete the activity.

Fraction circles cut from felt, an easy and inexpensive DIY

A Final Consideration

Maria Montessori spent a lot of time developing specific materials to be used in the classroom. What she did not do was design toys to be used in free play at home. When looking at which toys to bring in, think about what your child may gain or learn from them, their longevity, and how interested your child may actually be in the toy. We have Barbie dolls at home. They’re used nearly every day for some very imaginative stories. They live in the wooden block houses my kids build and sometimes in cardboard boxes. And I’m OK with it. I don’t like “character” toys so you won’t find toys from popular TV shoes and movies in our home, but that’s just my own preference.

Why wooden, anyway?

Montessori environments aim to give children real experiences. The classroom is meant to feel like home, but at a child’s size. Tables, chairs, shelves, and sinks are low. They are given ceramic and glass cups and dishes- while some may break, they also learn the importance of being respectful of materials.

I love wooden toys and materials. Wood materials are beautiful. They draw children and adults alike to the shelves, eager to see, touch, and explore them. Whether it’s a wooden carving a child can polish or the classic “Pink Tower,” wood is an attractive material.

Additionally, wood material carries weight. When a child picks up the wood carving to polish it, he can feel the substance of the carving. It encourages him to treat it more carefully as he moves and turns it as he polishes it. When a child is building the pink tower, she begins with the smallest cube and carries each to her rug, one at a time. The smallest cube is tiny and nearly weightless. With each cube, the weight increases in correlation with the size. By the time she is lifting the tenth cube, the weight is far more substantial. As a sensorial material, this is incredibly important. Had the cubes been made of plastic, it would not have the same effect.

Further, wooden materials are more natural, giving yet another connection to the natural world for the child. Nature is an important part of Montessori philosophy, so it is only fitting to choose materials to encourage that connection. Being a natural material, it is kinder to the environment to use wooden materials over plastic. Not only do wooden materials typically last much longer than plastic materials, but they are biodegradable.

In Your Own Home

What works for my family? This is the question I ask frequently when buying things, whether for the household or for my children. When I see other people buying something I might not want in my house, that’s ok. We all have different priorities, tastes, and needs. You might love that print of Picasso in your home but I love the relatively unknown artist’s painting from a favorite vacation spot.

What considerations do you make when buying Montessori-aligned materials?

Help! My child goes to preschool… What do we do at home?

When parents enroll their children in school, whether it’s day care, preschool, or grade school, they often ask teachers: How can I support what my child is learning at home? Are there homework assignments? Activities I should have my child working on?

Montessori schools are different in that we rarely assign homework or ask families to work on things at home, though there seems to be growing support for this. Even in preschool, children are working on basic math skills, learning letter sounds, and learning simple biology.

Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

Play

Play is the number one thing I recommend to parents. Specifically, free play. I encourage families to find open ended toys to play with. Open ended toys support a child’s creativity, confidence, and they will even learn a thing or two! Children learn about many things when they play with open ended toys. For one, reactions and physics. Watch a child play with a rolling ball or build a tower. He is watching how the toy is interacting with the world, experimenting with gravity and balance.

Outdoor free play is also important. Soccer needs only a few people and a soccer ball. It may not be regulation, but is a great experience for children. Before playing, children will have to decide what the goals will be and where the boundaries of the “field” are. If there are enough players, they will have to figure out teams and positions. Children will need to agree on rules. After that is sorted out, healthy gross motor activity will commence!

Other activities are exploring outdoors, whether that is in your own backyard, the woods, or a park. Their imaginations can really go wild outside. The swing set is a pirate ship, that caterpillar is fascinating, and a collection of acorns is treasure.

Some of our favorites are:

  • Unit blocks
  • LEGO classic creator sets
  • Dolls – these are sometimes close ended, but children also explore social interactions and role play ideas in very creative ways.
  • Simple art supplies, such as: white paper, colored pencils, paint
  • Flashlights
  • Blankets
  • Balls

Read!

In addition to play, which is so important for children, I always recommend parents read with their children. Even infants love to be read to! They may not comprehend as much as an older child, but they enjoy the closeness and the sound of your voice.

Reading to children can be a wonderful bonding experience. Snuggling with or sitting near your child while you read a book not only is enjoyable, but is educational. It can help develop empathy and imagination. It can expand understanding and vocabulary. Plus, the more you read with your child, the more likely they are to enjoy reading themselves.

I also encourage parents to continue to read even after their child has learned to read independently. As children get older, finding a book above their reading level, but within their comprehension, is best. I have fond memories of my mom still reading to me through elementary school! By the time I elementary school ended, it was usually one once or twice a week. But we still have happy memories of the books she read.

Inclusion in Home Life

Primary Montessori classrooms have a dedicated “practical life” area. On the shelves children find pouring, scooping, and tonging activities. Children will practice polishing metal and shoes. They will learn to tie a bow, sew a button, and so many other useful skills. Setting up your own practical life area is not necessary. Instead, we encourage families to include their children in these everyday activities.

My toddler put together a whole lasagna with only a little help

When you’re making dinner, have your child slice the cucumbers for the salad or stir the pot. At breakfast time, let them scoop cereal for themselves and pour the milk. When you’re cleaning the house, give them a squirt bottle and a cloth, and invite them to clean the windows. Open the door and let them climb in the car themselves or fasten their own buckles (just make sure to make sure they are safely secured after!)

When children start doing these things for themselves, it will inevitably take longer. Also, it will probably not be done to your standards. The other day, my 2 year old chopped cucumbers for dinner. They were huge slices! But she was doing her best and it did not matter to me. What mattered was that she was proud of her work and was happy to eat the cucumbers.

She seasoned and stirred the green beans. They came out great and she contributed to dinner.

For more ideas on helping your child be more independent in your home, see my earlier post, here.

What You Don’t Need to Do

Don’t push the academics outside of school time. Young children are often very curious about the world and eager to learn. Parents absolutely can support this! With my toddlers, we spent a lot of time counting objects, noticing colors, and building vocabulary. Now that my oldest is in kindergarten, I may have her practice things she learns in school in real life. She is learning fractions, so when I was baking, I asked her to find the 1/2 teaspoon. Sometimes she asks what words say, so I have her sound it out. But we keep dedicated academic activities to school time.

This is not to say academics are bad at home, but we don’t need to stress about it.

Final Thoughts

Let kids be kids! Let them play, read with them, give them the time to have free play, and minimize structured activities. I believe there are benefits to structured extracurriculars, but follow your child’s interests and avoid over-scheduling. Including them in the household chores and tasks is great for skill building, confidence building, and independence.

Why should children do chores? And how to get there?

Children doing chores brings up a lot of feelings for parents. Some families expect children to do chores while other families do not wish to impose them on their kids. There are reasons parents have come to their decision and they often feel strongly about this topic, whatever they have decided.

In Montessori classrooms and homes, chores are an expectation. Maria Montessori saw benefits, described below, of children doing the work. Not only that- young children enjoyed it! Just think of how often your toddler “helpfully” puts all the mail in the trash or tries to sweep crumbs up, while really just making a larger mess.

We typically feel annoyed or frustrated and make the situation stop. Or maybe you don’t, but you are not sure where to start with teaching chores. Jump to see which chores will be appropriate for your children.

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Why Chores?

Maria Montessori found children are far more capable than society believed. Once a child has been shown how to do a job, they will practice it for a while. How long depends on the child, the difficulty of the job, and how often it is done.

Montessori classrooms handle classroom jobs in different ways, but typically they are responsible for cleaning the classroom. (Note: it is also cleaned by adults after the children leave!) Children are expected to dust, care for plants, sweep, vacuum, clean windows, and do anything else that needs to be done.

Studies have also found chores are beneficial for children. For one, it helps them feel like an important part of the family; a “we’re all in this together” mindset. It can also be a source of pride, knowing they “did it.” Chores are beneficial in raising self-sufficient, independent children.

Introducing Chores

Montessori classrooms teach children how to do many simple housekeeping chores. We introduce children to one job at a time and use child sized tools. Classrooms have small brooms, squirt bottles, and carpet sweepers. In my own home, I have also have a stick vacuum and a hand vacuum for our kids.

Everything a child needs to do each task should be easy to access. For example, we keep the broom and dust pan hanging in easy reach in the kitchen. A squirt bottle (just water for my kids) and some microfiber cloths are in a bin to clean windows.

My first daughter has been doing laundry since she was 4.5. Stickers on the machine and laundry pods help her to be successful.

The next thing to do is give the lesson. I start the lesson by getting the tool(s) we will need and doing some of the task. Secondly, I model cleaning up my supplies, which might include dumping the dust pan in the trash or putting the cloth in the laundry. Then we put our supplies away. Next, I will put the tools away. Finally, I will invite the child to do the task himself.

Practice Makes Perfect

Children often do not clean as well as we would like. I handle this in a few ways. If I am with the child and they are still engaged in the task, I will show her what she needs to do. For example, if a child is sweeping, I may point to some crumbs she may have missed.

It is more complicated if the child has decided the job is already finished. For young children or children who are just learning how to complete the task, I often just let it be. I will take care of it later, but never in front of the child! If the child sees me “fixing” their work, it feels demeaning and will make them wonder why they did it in the first place. If it is an older child or a child who has practiced the job often, I will call her back to do a better job, but kindly. “Susan, I noticed you have finished sweeping, but there are still crumbs in the corner. Please sweep them up, then we will come back to this.”

Which chores are right for my child?

The first chores I start with my children are those of personal responsibility. This means putting toys away, putting their dirty clothes in the basket, and cleaning up after themselves. Gradually I add more household responsibilities as is developmentally appropriate. If my children express an interest in something earlier though, I am happy to accomodate!

Here is a handy guide if you need some ideas for where to start:

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.

My daughter’s carefully rolled rug. She chooses to make it stand after she rolls it – every time – to make sure she rolled it well.

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.

Not everything is exactly on the rug, but my toddler got this set up completely independently.

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.

Montessori Activities: Open Ended or Close Ended?

I frequently see images and ideas for beautiful, open ended children’s activities. The captions will say how well the activity is aligned to Montessori.

It’s not.

For those unfamiliar with the terms, open ended activities and materials are those that do not have a set outcome or way to use them. Art supplies, building blocks, and pretend play are common examples of open ended activities. Close ended activities are those which have a set way to use them and have a particular outcome. A board game, puzzle, or activities with a set of rules that must be followed are close ended activities.

After much trial and error, Maria Montessori developed a collection of materials designed to educate children. The activities were each carefully designed to show the child one thing. The sandpaper letters give children a sensorial experience when learning letter sounds. Geometric solids allow children to explore three dimensional shapes. Pouring activities allow children to practice pouring.

Building the puzzle map of South America, learning the names and shapes of the countries.

Close ended materials are the easiest way to teach children a new skill. You want them to practice using tongs? Set up a tonging activities. Are you trying to teach colors to your child? The color tablets are a great choice. The moveable alphabet is perfect for letting children build words. None of these activities lend themselves to free play. There are other educational outcomes, such as fine motor development or concentration. However, each material is designed as a closed ended activity.

Some of the benefits of Montessori philosophy and materials include:

  • Freedom to make independent choices
  • Explore complex ideas in a concrete way
  • Supporting a child’s innate sense of order
  • Give a child a sense of purpose and accomplishment

Open Ended Activities

Open ended activities are also great for children! There are other education methods that have far more emphasis on free play and open ended materials. Waldorf and Reggio Emilia schools come to mind. Open ended play encourages children’s creativity and expression. When children build with blocks, they create amazing structures. Children painting a picture explore color, lines, and other elements of art.

One of the things I noticed when comparing the benefits of open-ended versus close-ended, is the overlap of benefits.

  • Children learn to express themselves in a variety of ways
  • Children can navigate emotions and new experiences
  • They have a sense of freedom and independence
  • Development of confidence is supported
  • Children explore concepts without realizing it: for example, exploring the rules of physics when playing with a ball.

My Own Conclusion

I believe children need both. Something I keep in mind is that Maria Montessori developed an educational methodology. In our home, where we are homeschooling, we have a mixture of open ended and close ended activities. In the playroom, close ended activities are things like puzzles and board games. Open ended activities are dolls and building blocks. There is also a mix with outdoor play. Children can often spend hours exploring and playing outdoors in free, open ended play. We also spend time gardening, exploring, and completing different tasks.

When I choose activities for homeschool, I typically choose close ended ones. Our goal is to teach specific skills and support our children’s thirst for knowledge and understanding. I cannot say my children are always excited about new lessons or choosing work. We certainly have our moments!

After school time though, it is not uncommon to find either of my children choosing school activities and practicing skills with their close ended activities.

Montessori Language Activities

The Very Beginning

Even before infant say their first words, they are learning to understand their language- or languages if you’re a bilingual family! Infants learn to understand spoken language, in addition to gestures and facial expressions. As they take in everything, parents and caregivers want to be able to do all we can to support our children’s language development.

Early Montessori Activities

In toddler and primary Montessori classrooms, one focus in the language are is building vocabulary. One activity might be a basket of toy vehicles, such as a train, car, plane, and a bike. The children are free to explore the objects and the adult will name the objects for the child.

The next step will be matching objects to objects. These activities have a few sets of identical objects. The child is shown how to match the objects and may be given the names of each object as well.

After the child has mastered matching objects, she will be introduced to matching object to pictures. The pictures would first be photos of the objects, then possibly the shadow of the object, then an outline of the object.

Finally, children may begin matching with 3 part cards. These cards have a set of control cards, which have an image with a label, such as a photo of a jaguar and the word “jaguar” written below. Then there are a set of photo cards and a set of label cards. The child can practice matching the photos and the label cards to the control card, even before he learns to read.

These activities not only are helping children gain an extensive vocabulary, but are also supporting the development of visual discrimination. This is a skill that will help the child with letter recognition when the time comes.

Sound Games

Before actual letters are introduced to children, we play sound games with them. This helps build phonemic awareness. Often this game is called I Spy. This is a very easy game to play at home with your toddler, too.

We start with a basket of objects, ideally an object that has each beginning sound in the alphabet. Examples might be an apple, ball, cat, die, elephant, and so forth. For a very young child, I would invite the child (or children) to choose an object. I would say, “Oh, you chose a cat,” emphasizing the beginning sound. Then I would say, “I Spy with my eye something in Susan’s hand that starts with a /c/.” The child would typically respond with an excited, “Cat!”

As they become more familiar with the concept, I will invited them to choose a few objects to line up, name the objects, and ask them to find the object that starts with one particular sound. Eventually we will move on to more object and practice hearing the ending and middle sounds in words.

Sandpaper Letters

Sandpaper letters are the main material used in a Montessori classroom to teach letters. These are only introduced after a child has strong phonemic awareness.

While different guides introduce the letters differently, a few things are always the same. Firstly, we only use lower case letters. Most letters a child will encounter will be lower case, so this will be the most useful. [Note: while we focus on lower case letters, letters that must be upper case will be properly capitalized.]

Secondly, we never use the letter’s name. Children will eventually need to know the letter’s name, but to learn to write and read, the sound the letter makes is most useful. Thirdly, the vowels will only be given short vowel sounds to start. Long vowels will come later with other lessons. Finally, all the consonants will be on a pink board; all vowels are on blue boards.

When giving the lesson, the teacher will silently trace the letter and give the sound it makes. The child is invited to repeat this and a three period lesson will be given.

The Next Steps

After letter sounds have been mastered, children will be introduced to the moveable alphabet. We use this material to let the child build words, starting with simple consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words. As they become more confident with this, we will introduce simple consonant blends.

Reading will come later. Children will often begin reading the words they build back to themselves and adults. Early reading activities are often more matching activities, matching simple CVC words to their pictures.

From there, children learn more ways to spell and write words, develop more fine motor skills for better penmanship, and begin reading books.

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