What are the reasons for using Montessori education at home?
1.Our absolute main goal is to support the child’s mental and physical development. First we are aware of what the child’s needs are, and then we prepare the space for them, so that they can follow their natural path of development with everything in their environment is available to them to use to meet each developmental need.
2. Understanding the child also makes parenting them more peaceful and more joyous because it takes away our struggles and frustration of every-day tasks like getting dressed, going off to sleep, etc
3. At home, you are often able to allow your child to have more control over their learning than they have at school. When children have more control over their learning, they are able to face challenges, grow their creativity, and become more resilient. They have to be self-aware, resourceful, and confident in their capabilities in order to solve their own problems.
4. Finally, Montessori is an education for life and gives children a love for learning so that they can succeed in every other area of their life.
Parts of the Montessori 0-3 Environment
When we talk about the home environment from 0-3, we are looking at 4 general zones of the child’s space. They are the sleep, care, food, and movement areas. In this blogpost, we are going to focus mostly on the movement area because that’s usually what people think about when we talk about Montessori and the other areas can be different for every family.
The toddler (5m-walking) play area includes…
| · low, light-weight table and chairs | provides a comfortable place where the child can focus on their work |
| · cleaning supplies | teaches responsibility and allows child to do practical life work |
| · toddler shelf with 6-10 materials | organises the toddler’s materials for most success |
| · easel | provides a comfortable place for artistic expression |
| · access to water source | allows the toddler basic access to drinking water and water for practical life (just a small amount) |
| · plant with watering can | teaches how to care for nature |
| · 3-8 books on a low Montessori bookshelf or basket | child can grow a love for reading |
| · wall art hung at eye level | beautifies the space + gives visual information |
| · reading lounge | gives the child a comfortable place to enjoy their books |
The baby (5m-walking) play area includes…
| · larger movement mat or regular carpet | allows Baby to move freely, easily, and safely |
| · mirror on the wall with pull-up bar | provides motivations and opportunities to stand |
| · low shelf with 6-8 materials | organises Baby’s materials for maximum success |
| · push wagon | allows Baby to walk independently and practice balance |
| · tactile mobiles | trains the grasp and supports concentration |
| · plant with small watering pitcher | teaches how to care for nature |
| · 3 books on a low Montessori bookshelf or basket | child can grow a love for reading |
| · wall art hung near to floor | beautifies the space + gives visual information |
| · place to climb | stairs, a Pikler triangle, or bridge offer a defined climbing area |
The newborn (0-5m) play area includes…
| · firm movement mat | allows Baby to move freely, easily, and safely |
| · low horizontal mirror | gives visual feedback on movements; allows Baby to see more of the environment |
| · low shelf with 3-6 materials or books | provides motivation to crawl |
| · visual mobiles | gives gentle stimulation and supports visual development Montikids $60 off code: MONTESSORIMOTHER60 |
| · plant | shares an appreciation for life and nature |
| · wall art hung near to floor | beautifies the space + gives visual information |
I hope you found this helpful and interesting! I will go more into detail about materials and other zones of the environment in separate blogposts.
