Tag: Montessori

Montessori Services & For Small Hands – Review

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One of my absolute favorite home Montessori businesses is Montessori Services. As a Montessori teacher, there were so many supplies we would purchase through Montessori Services or For Small Hands to use in our classrooms. While Montessori Services specializes in items for Montessori classrooms, For Small Hands caters to supplies and toys for the home.

Cooking

For Small Hands offers everything you need to help your child be an independent chef at home! In the cooking section, tools are organized into preparing food, baking, serving, snack and lunch, and books. Within each section, you will find items appropriate for different age groups, from toddler to elementary.

Some of my favorites are this wavy chopper, bamboo cutting board, juice pitcher, and sturdy juice glasses. If I were to only buy four items from For Small Hands, these would be it! The chopper and cutting board are perfectly sized “for small hands” and are the perfect intro to basic chopping and food prep.

For snack and meal times, I find the juice pitcher and juice glasses to be essential items. These items are made of glass, which does mean they are breakable. However, I have found the glass to be very sturdy and both the pitcher and glasses have survived small tumbles! Additionally, I prefer glass and ceramic (breakable) over metal and plastic because children really do learn to be more careful.

food preparation
Photo by Daria Obymaha on Pexels.com

Cleaning

While I will not get into the many benefits of children doing chores in this post, will give you a link to find exactly what you need to help your child do a little housework! For Small Hands has a great section for cleaning tools for your child. While there are many options, I will highlight my three favorite cleaning tools my own children use:

A traditional corn broom. I prefer corn brooms over other types of brooms, so this looks most similar to our adult sized broom. These brooms can be used indoors or out, so they are great when my kids need to sweep the porch as well!

A compact brush and dustpan. I love this brush and dustpan set! The handle fits nicely in a child’s hands and it is just the right size for sweeping up small messes. Additionally, I have found the handle on the size of the brush is easier for children to use than the handle on top of the brush (such as this: Whisk broom and dust pan).

Finally, a window washing kit. I don’t know about your children, but mine love to wash windows! Sometimes I think their hand prints are intentional, just so they can wash the windows again. This set comes with everything your child needs to make windows sparkling clean: a spray bottle, cleaning cloths, a squeegee, and a handy caddy to carry it all in. Properly used, your child will not need any more than water in the squirt bottle to clean windows!

Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA on Pexels.com

Toys!

Of course, children have toys. While I try to limit the amount of toys that enter our home and be intentional with what toys we do have, it can be hard to prevent a doting relative from generously giving children toys. I try to be proactive and let family members know how much I appreciate their kindness, and then steer them in a direction everyone can be happy with.

For Small Hands has many, many toys and activities to choose from! Everything offered has some kind of educational benefit, is a quality item, and sure to be enjoyed by your child. There are simple stacking and sorting activities for toddlers, constructing activities for elementary students, gross motor activities for children of all ages, and everything in between.

As a bonus, I have found that grandparents have been impressed with the options for toys and games available at For Small Hands, as they offer activities that are both lots of fun and educational.

Final Notes

I have only great things to say about this company. The selection of items is wonderful; it seems no matter what home Montessori items I need I can find it here! They have great items for practical life activities, books, arts and crafts, and games. While they don’t supply many traditional Montessori materials, they do have support materials, such as phonetic objects. Customer service has also been great. Luckily I have only had one issue, and they reached out immediately to keep me updated and make sure I was satisfied.

What about you? What has been your favorite find (or finds!) at For Small Hands?

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.

Children, Schedules, and Routines – Oh my!

Routine. Schedule. We often use these words interchangeably. In many cases, they can be used interchangeably. It’s easy to find posts on different people’s suggested routines and schedules. As a stay-at-home mom, I love having a schedule to follow. It keeps me on my toes. For my kids, routines save the day. Or night.

What’s the Difference?

Simply put, schedules tell you when you do things and routines are how you do things. A schedule will look like a list of things you do attached to a time. Wake up at 6:00, out the door by 8, lunch at 12, home at 6, dinner at 7.

A routine tells us in what order we do things and often fills in blanks within a schedule. First you do this, then you do that. When you wake up, put your slippers on, brush your teeth, pull your hair back, and grab a cup of coffee, and browse news articles. A routine may not seem like a big deal, and you may not even think about it while it’s happening. Sometimes we never even think about it, such as when you brush your teeth: grab the toothbrush, then the toothpaste. Wet the brush and and add the toothpaste. You may not even be thinking about each of these things while you do it.

What do children need?

In my own experiences as a caregiver, teacher, and parent, I have to say routines rule the day. Young children, especially, crave consistency (sensitive period for order!) and predictability. While creating a routine and sticking to it may be difficult, once the routine is established, it makes things run like clockwork. Suddenly you’ll find your child automatically hanging her jacket up when she comes in and getting ready for bed with almost no prompting. Everyone feels happier and more relaxed.

Schedules can be useful, but I have found it often causes stress for parents. The biggest reason? Children do not understand how time passes yet, let alone how to tell time. Some parents have chosen, or been encouraged, to keep a rigid schedule for their children. On the one hand, this will create a routine and make life predictable for the child. On the other, life often does not follow our set schedules. Maybe your child sleeps in and throws the time off the schedule. Or maybe you have decided snack is at 9:30, but your child is not hungry at that time today.

In my experience, schedules work best when used as guidelines to help adults keep on track. For example, we start school at 9. This gives my kids plenty of time to eat, get dressed, and play before school. But sometimes we start around 8:30 and other times we start at 9:30.

Creating a Routine at Home

The best routines are the simple ones. An easy morning routine is wake up, diaper/potty, breakfast, clothes, brush teeth. At bedtime, we normally have dinner, clean up, shower, brush teeth, get jammies on, and read in bed. Most nights, there is very little argument about what needs to happen.

I also like to look at the whole day. Again, I don’t have a set time most of these things happen, but generally this is our day:

  • Breakfast
  • Get ready for the day
  • Free play, indoor or outdoor
  • School time
  • Lunch
  • Outdoor play
  • Reading or TV
  • Indoor play
  • Dinner
  • Bed

Once you have decided what you feel will work best for you and your family, you have to be diligent in making it happen. Do you want your child to hang his coat up as soon as he walks in the door? Every time he comes in, be there and remind him. Be kind and firm. Model doing the same. If he starts to leave his coat on the floor, let him know.

And sometimes, life gets in the way. You have a few kids, one kid left their coat on the floor while you were helping someone else, the dog is begging for attention, and something has just spilled on the floor. If it is my toddler’s coat on the floor, I often just hang it up for them. For a toddler, the moment has passed and their attention is elsewhere. If it is my older daughter’s coat on the floor, I have her come back and hang it up.

What routines or schedules have helped your family?

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?

You’re Wrong! How to Kindly Handle Learning Mistakes

Photo by George Becker on Pexels.com

Imagine you are outside with your child, admiring the beautiful flowers blooming in a garden. As you and your child come to some pretty red roses, she excitedly says, “Look! A purple flower!”

But… these are not purple flowers. There aren’t even any purple flowers nearby, that you can see. These flowers are definitely red. You have two choices. You can kindly correct your little one or you can keep it in your mind for later.

The Montessori Philosophy

In a Montessori classroom, we try to avoid correcting the child and telling them they are wrong. Maria Montessori understood children are still learning and are doing their best. Just like adults, they do not always know the right answer. When children show us they are still working on mastering a topic, we try to remember that observation. This may mean they need a refresher lesson.

In the case of the red/purple roses, I might say, “Aren’t those flowers pretty? Do you like them?” and engage her in conversation. I may try to work in color naming to the conversation. Perhaps I will notice a different red flower and point it out, saying something like, “Wow, I love this red flower! Do you see the red flower?” At home, I would probably spend more time naming colors and doing activities with colors.

This is true for most any mistake or misunderstanding. If a child is adding 2 + 2 and gets 5, I let it be. As the child continues to practice addition equations, I will try to note why he might have gotten 5. Did he simply miscount? Did he grab the wrong number of beads? I will also look for an emerging pattern. If he goes through a set of addition equations and they are all incorrect, I will make a note to go over the lesson again with the child. If there is only one mistake, I may assume it was a simple mistake and more practice is needed.

Another thing to consider is that the child may not actually be wrong! Sometimes other people are seeing things in a different way than us and it gives them a different answer. Maybe they yell, “Blue jay!” excitedly while you see a robin hopping across the yard. What you don’t immediately notice is the blue jay sitting in the branch over the swing set. Or the purple flower hiding below the red roses.

A beautiful red rose, with lovely purple flowers behind!
Photo by BENE GARDEN on Pexels.com

But shouldn’t children know when they’re incorrect?

As an adult looking to teach children – whether it is your own child or a classroom of children – we often feel pressure to correct them. If we don’t tell them the red flower is actually red, and not purple, will they believe red is called purple? Will the wrong answer become embedded in their little brains?

In all likelihood, no. When we instantly correct a child, they will have a harder time truly learning it. In many cases, we will still be spending more time giving exposure and lessons to the proper terminology and methods. Additionally, think about how many times a day a child might make a mistake as they are learning. It may be many times a day as they are learning a new skill. When children frequently hear about their mistakes, it can become discouraging. If every time they try their addition work, you point out the incorrect equations, eventually they will be resistant to addition. They may feel like they can’t do it at all.

Further, immediately correcting a child will often mean disrupting concentration. One of the goals in a Montessori environment is to encourage children to have good concentration. We allow them to do their work (and play!) independently and become absorbed in it. Stepping in to correct them interrupts and makes it more difficult for them to learn deep concentration.

Montessori Materials and the Control of Error

Most Montessori materials have a built in “control of error.” This means there is a built in function that will let the child realize independently if he has made a mistake. Puzzles fit together in a particular way, sorting materials have an equal number of items per category, counting materials have exactly the right number of objects, and so on.

If a child is counting objects to match to numbers and gets to the number 10 but has eleven objects, something has the wrong number of items. A child may be able to figure this out on her own or she may choose to ask for help. Regardless, the child will feel better than if she were told (again) she was wrong.

Here, she is spelling words with the moveable alphabet. When she got to “blot” she made “dlot.” When she flipped over that card, she immediately saw the error and corrected it. And laughed about it!

When We Do Step In

The times we step in and immediately correct a child is typically limited to two occastions.

1: They are not being safe.
2: They are using something improperly

Of course we want our children to be safe and if you feel your child is being unsafe, then it is absolutely fine to step in and correct your child. In these situations, I try to keep things calm and kind. For example, my daughter had pulled a tall stool into the middle of the room and climbed on top. I could see she was not well balanced and could get hurt if she fell. I approached her so I could catch her if needed and said, “Wow, you are up high! This is not a safe place to be up high. You can get down yourself or I will help you.” When she got down, I invited her to climb in a more appropriate location.

In a Montessori classroom, many guides to not allow children to explore materials unless they have had a lesson on how to use it. The philosophy behind this is wanting to be sure the child understands for what the material is used. This way, a child does not have an incorrect usage in mind already which can take away from later understanding and meaning.

At home, many activities we have are more open ended materials so there are not certain “right” ways to use the materials. For me, unless there is a Montessori material being used, I leave it up to our own house rules. If I think a material or toy might break, I will step in. If it is something that could lead to someone getting hurt, I will step in. But I generally try to let them explore with their creativity.

How do you handle mistakes at home? Do you find yourself correcting more often than you like?

Numbers and Counting! Where to Start?

Many toddlers can proudly count to ten, fifteen, twenty, or more. Adults are often so excited and proud of their little ones counting higher and higher. The excitement is often shared by the youngster, happily rattling off numbers whenever someone requests it.

Don’t get me wrong, rote counting is an important skill. It is a necessary step in learning more advanced math concepts. Counting to a high number may sound impressive coming from a young child’s mouth. However, rote counting does not teach children what numbers mean.

Beginning Steps

Exposure to number and counting is still the first step. In Montessori environments, adults do not explicitly teach this, however. It is worked into everyday activities. Perhaps your toddler is stacking some blocks and excitedly shows you. A great response might be, “Wow! 1, 2, 3, 4… You stacked four blocks!” Or perhaps you and your toddler decide to start hopping outside. Count the hops! Or maybe count the cups of flour she’s pouring into the bowl. There are countless (pun, sorry!) opportunities to introduce counting to toddlers.

The first milestone I look for is the child counting from one to five. I will still count higher than this, usually up to ten at this point. Once a child has started counting to five, I begin to be more intentional with math.

One to One Correspondence

After a child is confidently counting to five or higher, I start inviting her to count objects with me. To start, I keep the number to five or less. The goal is to develop one to one correspondence; that is, understanding that each object in the group is counted one time and corresponds to the number. I try to keep these activities organic for toddlers, just as when I am first introducing rote counting. Often, toddlers are excited to count along with others.

When first beginning, I expect children to count objects twice, miss objects, or say the wrong number sometimes. That’s ok! They are still learning. Generally, in Montessori, we avoid pointing out to the child the is wrong. It can be demoralizing to a child, especially if he has been working hard to do something and the adult’s response is about how he did it wrong. Instead, I observe and make note of the errors. Do we need to practice more rote counting? Or do the objects need to be better lined up to see each one in order? The error is a clue to me how to help the child as we move forward.

All By Myself!

Anyone with experience with toddlers has likely experienced a toddler announcing they want to do something, “All by myself!” Counting independently is no different. Eventually children start noticing number themselves and will happily count objects. One of the first things my younger daughter started counting independently was the dots on her step stool. It was a great thing to do while potty training. Sometimes it feels less enjoyable, like the time we had to count every single bush on the way into the doctor’s office.

Counting 1 – 5. Matching pom poms to the corresponding colors, which also match the Montessori bead bars.

At this point, she can confidently count 5 objects and she is working on counting up to ten objects. That is as high as her rote counting goes. I will count to higher numbers with her, but when she counts independently past 11, numbers start getting silly. And that’s ok!

Primary Goal

The primary goal of early math experiences in a Montessori environment is to give children a concrete understanding of number. I want to know that young children I am working with understand what they are doing. When we talk about the number five, I want them to know there are five objects.

Like the other areas of the Montessori classroom, the materials and activities focus on helping children develop understanding of what they are working with before moving onto more complicated topics.

Written Numbers

Written number recognition will come later. Some parents like to teach children this early. There is nothing wrong with this. A toddler who has learned what each numeral is will certainly enjoy finding them in the world, such as noticing the house has a number “8” on it. The problem Montessorians find is that there is no understanding tied to the number recognition; the child often has memorized what each number looks like and can recite it back.

Montessori guides typically introduce numerals later. Once a child is confidently rote counting, we look to see that she has also mastered one to one correspondence. At this point, when we introduce the numerals, there will be understanding tied to the number.

When did your child begin counting? I’d love to hear how your family chose to incorporate counting and number understanding with your children!

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:

This Space is Mine! Definition of Space with Work Rugs

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 their activity and set it up on the rug. Their materials are expected to stay on the rug, which helps keep the materials orderly and makes clean up a little easier – all the pieces are in one place!

Additionally, children have a sense of ownership of the materials they are using. Other children are taught to respect their classmates’ rugs and only touch when invited or after asking.

A LEGO city built on the “work” rug

Introducing Rugs at Home

We first introduced rugs in our home when our first was a little over a year. At that age, I did not expect my daughter to use it on her own. It starts with modeling. When she got a new toy, I’d always show it to her on the rug. Eventually a little sister came along, and our first was also modeling how to use a work rug.

Using a work rug does not come naturally to a toddler. They are far more impulsive than older children and when they choose an activity without first getting a mat to work on. Still, every time I engage a toddler in an activity, I let them know I am getting a rug fist.

As they grow out of the toddler stage, I begin reminding children to get a rug before using a material. “Oh, I see you want to play with this! Let’s get a mat first!” is an easy reminder.

Now that my oldest is school aged, she appreciates using a mat under her activities, whether for homeschool work or for play. She reminds her sister that it is “her space,” and keeps all her materials and toys together. When she is cleaning up, it is easy for both of us because we know she usually only needs to put away whatever is on her rug. Then, she carefully rolls it up. Her favorite part is making sure it can stand on it’s own. It is a sign she has rolled the rug well.

Perfect!

Benefits of a Rug

My kids love that when the have to clean up, they know exactly which toys and materials they are responsible for. But one of their favorite things is “saving” their toys for later.

Since the rugs have become almost sacred, they feel confident leaving a toy or material on a work rug while they run off to do another task, such as have a meal or use the bathroom. Or perhaps it is the end of the day and they’re really not quite done setting up the dolls. The children have faith that their sibling or classmate will leave their materials alone in their absence. When the child returns to work or play, their things will be waiting there for them.

As a parent, I appreciate having a limited number of rugs available. We have a total of 4 rugs for 2 children. Half are for school and half are for play. When one of my children is done with one toy, putting it away is not always top of their priorities. But with a limited number of rugs, it becomes necessary. Rather than reminding them to put their things away, it just happens. There is no room on the rug for a second activity, so away it goes.

My kids and I love having work rugs in our home. It’s one of the first things I recommend to parents struggling with with order (or siblings!) and toys. Have you implemented rugs in your home?

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