The child goes through sensitive periods during which he instinctively moves towards activities favorable to his good psychic development.
The role of the adult is to identify these periods and to suggest appropriate activities (without ever imposing them). The child is naturally attracted to knowledge, he wants to learn.
Moreover, autonomy is one of the fundamental pillars of Montessori education. The role of the adult is then to accompany the child on his learning path to “ teach him to do it alone ”.
The activities proposed below do not require any particular investment since they involve everyday objects. Maria Montessori advocated the use of real objects rather than toys and substitutes.
- Open and close boxes (2 years and up) :
Equipment: boxes with various opening systems (screw, clip, fold down, etc.).
- Place the different boxes on a tray;
- Show the first box to the child then open it. Take out an object previously placed inside;
- Put this box to the left of the table;
- Take another box and invite the child to do the same;
- At the end of the activity, the child puts the boxes back on the board.
Qualities developed: observation - independence - comparison - development of the small muscles of the hand.
- Handling clothes pegs (2.5 years and over) :
Material: 5 clothes pegs in a basket and a rigid cardboard box.
- Show the child how to handle a clothes peg using the thumb and index finger, then place it on the edge of the card;
- Then it's up to the child to try to align the pliers on the card;
- When the gesture is well integrated, you suggest that the child group the pliers by color.
Qualities developed: independence – concentration – coordination – refining the movement of the muscles of the hand.
- Sharpen a pencil (3 years and up) :
Materials: pencils (paper or colours) and a pencil sharpener.
- Show the child how to sharpen the pencil and stop in time so as not to break it;
- Let the child practice on the other pencils until he masters the gesture.
Qualities developed: concentration - precision - manipulation - mastery of gestures - coordination - refining the movement of the muscles of the hand.
- Prepare the salad (3 years and over) :
Equipment: a whole salad, a salad spinner and a salad bowl.
- Show the child how to cut the base of the salad then let him do it;
- Teach him to sort the leaves;
- Invite him to wash the lettuce, then put it in the wringer and wring it out;
- Then, offer him to put the prepared salad in the salad bowl.
Qualities developed: application - follow steps - mastery of gestures - independence
- Separating the yolks from the whites (3 years and over) :
Materials: eggs, three bowls and a sponge.
- Introduce the activity to the child and explain to him that a first bowl will collect the egg yolk, the second will receive the white and the third the shells;
- Demonstrate how to gently break and open an egg;
-Pour the egg white into one bowl, the yolk into another and then the shells into the last. Then it's the child's turn to try.
Qualities developed: manipulation – mastery of gestures – coordination – control – organization – self-esteem.
Sources:
- 100 Montessori activities at home, FIRST Editions, Céline Santini withVENDLA Kachel.