Last updated on October 22nd, 2024 at 05:59 pm
Montessori at home could be being aware of your child’s passions and engaged in your interactions with them.
Many years ago I worked in a Montessori setting. It was a kindergarten and the children were aged 0 to 6. I still remember children working independently in a prepared environment. From then on I decided that when I have my own child I will keep things with her age and abilities in mind.
Fast forward to now, Amon has a home where she can choose her work freely and work on it whenever, however long she wants in her own time.
From the start, we tried to keep things at her eye level from books to toys, to mirrors and clothes that she needed at her age.
Toys and books were at her eye level, a stool was provided to stand on to be able to reach the sink or the hob, and she was involved in daily tasks like cooking, washing, and tidying up.
She had the freedom to choose the games she wanted to play, and books she wanted to read, do activities that she decided to do under supervision, choose the clothes that she wanted to wear and do most daily activities like adults do.
New to Montessori
Have you gone through Instagram or blogs of moms and seen shelfies?
I admit I did. I still do. Their homes were immaculate and mine was and is still not.
Our house is tidy enough that we can find what we need and things are in their places (most of the time). It is not like a rubbish dump however, I still imagine a house with nice shelfies.
Anyway, those did not work for us. And all I ended up doing was have a house that had materials small and within reach of a young child.
Aside from consciously thinking about how to help Amon from the beginning to foster independence, and encourage her to learn and practise the skills she needed (during the Sensitive periods), I did not fill the house with Montessori materials that were on sale.
The reasons are, the practical life materials were available at home and it does not cost anything to follow and keep in mind the Montessori philosophy to practise at home.
Helpful Montessori Info
Information about Montessori philosophy, and the method of education are available online.
The American Montessori Society and Association Montessori Internationale are my go-to sites to refresh my memory.
Moms who blog about their journeys following the method are helpful too.
If you are thinking about the method I found the following blogs particularly good reads.
Montessori at home practical life activities
First, the materials needed for 0-3 were more on the practical side. This meant that the kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathrooms were arranged so she could reach the needed equipment and materials. In the kitchen, the cutleries, cutting boards, glasses, cups, plates and saucepans were within her reach.
Care of the environment
As for cleaning materials, the hoover’s handle was shortened so it was not too long for her to move, cloths were available, small pan and brush were available in the shop anyway so we had those.
Activities in the kitchen
Since Amon liked helping in the kitchen, Amon started to cook and bake early. We made stir fries, curries, soups, Filipino snacks, and baked goodies. This also meant that she helped clean up afterwards which is a good thing to learn and it made life in the kitchen better.
Living room setup
In the sitting room, she set up her corner for books and games which I occasionally put on rotation whenever she lost interest in some. We had a tv all along which she turned on occasionally but I noticed it was only when she was tired.
Looking for more practical tips that are inspired by the Montessori method?
Care of self
Amon’s clothes were put in small and low drawers so she could use them without needing any help. She dressed herself independently from around 2 and a half-ish which on occasion took ages. There were times though that I offered help I must admit especially when we needed to go somewhere and were late. Whenever help was not welcome she let us know.
Our bathroom had a stool for her to reach the sink, see herself in the mirror, for her to use the loo.
Do you keep books in the bathroom?
We had to have books in the bathroom for some reason.
She used and still uses the bathroom as a hangout place at times.
One thing to remember about books is to rotate them and keep the numbers low. Having only 3 to 5 books in a basket gave a number to choose from.
Trips to the library were also a must at this age. Twice a month visit to the library to take out and return books that Amon was interested in was part of our bimonthly schedule.
0-6 years Montessori at home
Do you involve your kids in activities and household work at home?
When did you start involving them in doing household tasks?
Do you agree that our kids are part of the home?
Going back to the shelfies, it is important for moms like me and you to not confuse the materials with the method. The Montessori method is a child-focused approach that could be adopted at home from birth.
If we have furniture, and kitchen utensils in the house fit for their age and ability which they could use then they could exercise their freedom, practise and participate in their own home.
There is no need for extra furniture or toys. Most of their toys or materials are the materials that they use daily which would already be in your house.
Montessori at Home
Montessori at home for 0 to 6 years age children work. If you give age-appropriate chores, the freedom to choose their clothes, to show how to put shoes on, tie laces, clean up, and cook, these activities give children confidence and encourage them to follow their desire of what and when to learn essential skills.
A prepared adult observes and guides children in a prepared environment, the home, to foster their innate ability to learn what they need in their own time.
The Montessori method does not mean having all the fancy equipment. If we have age-appropriate activities at home to use that would be great to start with.
This can be done without the Montessori, when Montessori doesn’t mean the equipment but the method itself, that they described.
Having gone back to school recently, we keep in mind a few things that involve the Montessori way of going back to school.
Why not choose with your kids something to cook for lunch or after-school snacks?
Browse for easy recipes for a dinner idea while you wait for your child to finish the school day.
Then have them help to prepare them.
Looking for ideas or inspiration? Browse more recipes here or head to Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for updates on life in the countryside and beyond.
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