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…
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 post contains affiliate links** 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…
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…
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…
What is a “work rug?” Montessori classrooms use work rugs, also called mats, to define space. They support a child’s desire for order. Before choosing a floor activity, children retrieve a “work rug” or “mat” and lay it across the floor. Then they may choose…
What is the Prepared Environment? You may have heard Montessorians talk about the prepared environment. But what exactly is the prepared environment and how do you do it at home? (Jump to just that section) The prepared environment means everything in the space is ready…
It’s hard for me to choose a favorite quote from Maria Montessori, though this is certainly up there. I have seen a lot of posts lately on the topic of respecting children – and not everyone agrees with it. I see the point they make…
Picture this… Your child wakes up in the morning and gets herself out of bed. She walks into the kitchen and finds a piece of bread. She puts it in the toaster. When the toast pops, she uses the toast tongs to put it on…
It’s impressive. Parents and observers often marvel at the level of independence of children in Montessori classrooms, noticing how little direction children seem to need as the accomplish their tasks. These comments are often followed up with, “My child would never do this at home!”…
