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Start With What You Have: Practical Life for Montessori Homeschoolers
Practical Life is so much more than pouring and food prep. It's foundational — laying the groundwork for all the learning to come. It supports independence and helps children learn to follow a logical sequence of action. No matter what age you begin implementing Montessori at home, Practical Life is the place to start.
I was not a Montessori child, and by the time my parents discovered it, I was already too old for Primary. But when I look back, I realize how many opportunities
Essentials of Practical Life
Practical Life is essential to the development and work of the child. This area is considered to be the most important area in the primary environment though the value of Practical Life extends far into and beyond the elementary years.
Practical Life allows the child to become more aware of himself through his actions in his care of himself and care of the environment. The work in Practical Life also lays a solid foundation for work in Language and Math.
Prepared Environments: Home Edition
As you get started or continue along your Montessori journey, considering how you prepare your space to meet the needs of your child is a huge piece of the Montessori puzzle.
In Montessori training, we can see the interconnected relationship between the child, the prepared adult and the prepared learning environment by using a triangle (as illustrated).
Practical Tips for Preparing Practical Life at Home
Practical Life can be easy to implement using what you have available at home.
There are some specific characteristics of Practical Life materials to keep in mind.
The materials should be:
Familiar and adaptable
Promote beauty and simplicity
Appropriately proportioned physically and psychologically
Arranged in an organized way
Realistic and functional
Not gender specific
How to Montessori Your Home: Toddler Edition
Welcome! Come on in... I'm Zach and this is my home. I was born in my parents' bedroom upstairs and have spent my entire life - a whopping 16 months - living here. I love what my parents have done with the place and I want to share my favorite spots with you.
Exploring the Sensitive Periods
What are the Sensitive Periods?
The Sensitive Periods are times in which the child has crucial, sensitive and critical periods of growth that encompasses both physiological and psychological growth and they occur from birth to age six. In The Secret of Childhood, Dr. Montessori writes:
Building Skills in the Kitchen: Benefits of Baking at Home
Baking is a fantastic Practical Life activity that can be enjoyed by children from the toddler stage through upper elementary and beyond. It helps children develop important skills such as independence, concentration, coordination, and the ability to follow a logical sequence of action. As they work through the baking process, children also build stamina and strengthen the muscles they’ll need for writing, especially when mixing ingredients.
Letter From Your Baby
Dear caregiver,
I know you have the best intentions. When you take me to the park and "walk" me by the arms, sit me on the teeter-totter, or send me down the slide, you're doing it because you want me to have fun.
Seeing the World Through Play: Exploring Schemas
Have you ever noticed how children of similar ages tend to play in the same ways? This behavior is called a schema. Even though schemas are not a part of Montessori training, they mesh well with Montessori theory and principles. Schemas naturally emerge during the child’s development and connect to Montessori’s Sensitive Periods and Absorbent Mind.