TODDLER CLASS

Welcome!

“Imagination does not become great until human beings, given the courage and the strength, use it to create.”
― Maria Montessori

 MONTESSORI AT HOME

To get the most advantage of Montessori At-Home, you may set up your house similar to a Montessori school. There are designated areas in a classroom. In your home, you can designate an area for reading, doing Montessori work, and playing. This can be set up in a living room, creating a triad so the child can move from one area throughout the day. 

Reading Corner - This is for quiet reading time, when your child wants to take a rest (just wait and see). Put a chair in an area with a basket or box of a few selected books that you can alternate per week. If you don't have a small child's chair, you can use a mat or a blanket to lay on the floor. Add a few pillows, a basket or box of a few chosen books. 

Work Area- As you gather materials for your child to work at home, have a small shelf your child can easily access. Put a small plant, a wooden figurine and a small picture frame. These items can be used for polishing work. All you need is a small box lid with 2-3 cotton balls. Box lids or shallow boxes are great for separating items if you don't have small trays. Do not clutter the work shelf. Put about 3-5 activities at a time and replace weekly. Have a box lid with your child's pencil or crayons for work time. 

Play area - This this used for creativity. where you can designate a small table and 2 boxes you can use as a shelf. One box to put your child's art supplies (crayons, coloring books, no paints), and the other box for a few selected toys. After using the things, remind your child to return the items in their own homes. Cleaning up will be fun when you sing the "clean up time song". (Clean up time, clean up time. Everybody clean up, clean up time.) Song is sang to Frere Jacques melody. 

For eating and cleaning, use the table your child uses for eating (dining table) and set an area in the kitchen where your child can access a small dustpan and brush and a cleaning cloth. 

Wait and see. Be patient. Once you create these areas, you will notice that your child will navigate with ease, doing the activities you have set out for him or her. This is satisfies the child's sensitive period for order. You do not have to put on the tv or ipad. As with younger children, we try to limit screen time . Use that at the end of the day.