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Creating a Montessori Environment at Home

Creating a Montessori environment at home is simple. With thoughtful planning and the recommended materials, you can create a nurturing space that helps your child reach their full potential. Montessori setup will help ensure your little one has the right tools to explore and discover the world around him. Offer the best opportunities while your child is young. Parents can facilitate children to gain the maximum of this particular phase of a sensitive period. Other characteristics of sensitive periods may include mimicking, intense concentration, compulsive or obsessive behaviors, and reputation. Here’s to creating Montessori environment at home.

Developmental Factors 

According to Montessori, here are some factors that need focus during different sensitive periods occurring from their birth through the age of six:

  1. Movement
  2. Mathematics
  3. Emotional and behavior control
  4. Order
  5. Vocabulary building
  6. Refinement of the senses
  7. Letter shapes and sounds
  8. Music
  9. Language (Reading, Writing, Speaking)

The main aim of the Montessori Method is to make a child an independent learner. Let us explore how this aspect can benefit your child.

How do you promote independence in a child:

Ensure that everything they need is at their height and accessible to them. Here are some items you can place throughout your home to create a Montessori environment for your child.

  • Floor beds encourage independence. 
  • Clothing racks close to their height let them choose what to wear. You can put 2 or 3 options out for them to choose from, so they feel like they have made their own choice. 
  • A self-care station where they can brush their teeth, wash their hands, dry their hands, and brush their hair introduces hygiene.  
  • Allow them a safe space where they can mess up when learning how to do things for themselves. 
  • A learning tower or stool in the kitchen is a great place where they can safely help you wash vegetables, cut a banana with a butter knife or butter bread, and watch you use the appliances. Be sure to store all electronics out of reach when you leave the room.

Foster Independence

An unconscious mind is constantly learning. Let your child try things on their own, even if they fail. Buttoning their shirt, tying shoelaces, folding clothes, putting on socks, or opening their bag of chips is how they foster independence. Often as parents, we feel we have to help them. However, we are doing them a disservice if we don’t allow them to become independent. Be there to guide, encourage, and help your child as needed.

How to Prepare a Montessori-inspired Home Setup

Montessori-inspired teaching, mixed with affordable techniques, ensures your child gets the best opportunities at home while not breaking the bank. Let us explore how you can transform the main areas of your home into a Montessori-based station to help your child get groomed in the Montessori way!

Kitchen and Montessori Set up

A Montessori kitchen is a great functional space for the children to experiment with real-life activities like preparing food or cleaning. Activities like washing hands, pouring water, preparing food, and cutting vegetables become available with first-hand experience through the Montessori kitchen. It enables the children to learn about kitchen activities, encourages independence, and teaches table manners and dining with grace, etiquette, and politeness. Instead of having items out of reach, keep safe kitchen items at child height so they can easily access them for independent learning activities. Keep kitchenware for pretend play and healthy snacks accessible.

Bathroom and Montessori

Prepare the bathroom area so your toddler can practice self-care tasks like brushing their teeth and washing their hands independently. Have a designated child-sized toothbrush holder, cup, and washcloth where your child can reach them easily. Consider setting up a potty-training seat and a stool for them to use and provide a small step stool for washing their hands in the sink. 

Montessori Toys Station

Play-based activities are great tools to help your child learn essential cognitive skills while having fun. Fill your home with Montessori toys! These items encourage them to explore, problem-solve and practice their motor skills. Ensure the toys you choose are age appropriate and have no small pieces that could pose a choking hazard. These help children develop their physical and cognitive skills in a fun way. Many of these toys have simple designs that encourage exploration and discovery. Some toys have multi-faceted functions that allow for more complex activities. Montessori toys include wooden blocks, counting rods, puzzles, and musical instruments.

Their Best Shot!

By providing your child with the best learning and age-appropriate environment, you can help them grow. Your child will learn to flourish in an atmosphere guided by Montessori Method to become an independent learner and a successful human being later. Regardless of their daycare, these methods are great for the home environment.

Sources-https://katanabana.com/blogs/montessori-learning/a-montessori-bathroom-setup-care-of-self-activities-and-more

Montessori Kitchen – Creating Compassionate Kids

Curriculum Scope and Sequence | Montessori Private Academy