Three Ways to Bring the Montessori Learning Experience to Your Home

The good news is that you can let your young one experience Montessori learning as early as possible and within the comforts of home. Here are three practical tips that will help you Montessorify your house.

Prepare a Child-Friendly Environment

Look around your place. Can your toddler safely access the kitchen sink or the bathroom? Are their toys and learning materials within their reach?

If your answer is a resounding “no!”, don’t worry. We understand, really. The last thing we want is to go home from a long day at work, only to find the sink clogged with crayons and shower gel spilled all over the floor. Good grief, we wouldn’t fancy that either!

Montessori teachers, however, will just look you straight in the eyes and tell you that everything is normal. For them, little kids make a mess because their surroundings are not child-friendly.

That is why you have to tailor your house to meet the needs of your child. Place kitchen stools near sinks and counters to make them accessible (remember, toddlers have very tiny legs). Organize their toys on shelves that they can easily reach. 

Most importantly, you have to expect that your little one will make a mess! For this, always have a stack of clean-up rugs or a mini-broom they can use for when they spill things. 

Stock Up on Toys that Stimulate the Senses

Avoid screen time. As much as possible ( I know, it is very tempting!)

Kids between 1 to 5 years old are brimming with pure organic energy that should be channeled into creativity. It’s no surprise that a lot of toddlers are singers and dancers holding concerts at two in the morning when everyone is fast asleep.

Now, what happens when you let Little Lukas spend hours staring blankly in front of an iPad? Simple. He does not get to fully use his youthful energy.

For this reason, Montessori schools are full of toys that also double as learning materials. These tools stimulate different senses - touch, sight, hearing - to teach kids valuable lessons.

There are different stores where you can get Montessori-inspired toys for your child. As a toddler plays with these toys, they get to fire up their senses and develop a love for learning. 

Do Activities That Encourage Independence

Most babies act like they are the boss of the household - trying to do even the tasks that are too big for them. All we can say is: let them be.

When we allow our toddlers to lead the way, say in cleaning up the table after dinner, they become more independent. And they enjoy it! So allow them to throw their own garbage or water the plants in the garden all they want.

Our role as parents is to keep an eye on our kids and make sure they don’t burn our house down (God forbid!). But otherwise, we just need to let them discover and learn and play independently. That is the essence of Montessori education. 

Sources
Ledendecker, M. (2019, December 23). Seven Little Ways to Create a Montessori Home Environment. The Montessori School of the Berkshires. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.berkshiremontessori.org/msb-blog/7ways-montessori-home-environment

Li, P. (2022, June 28). Montessori Home - How To Set Up Easily. Parenting For Brain. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.parentingforbrain.com/montessori-home/

Pavlovec, K. (2021, January 22). 7 Tips for Incorporating Montessori Into Your Home. Rocket City Mom. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.rocketcitymom.com/7-tips-incorporating-montessori-at-home