Parents often wonder how to introduce the principles of the Montessori method at home. If your child is attending Montessori Preschool, maybe it might be a good idea to apply the same principles at home, but how to do it? Where to get information? Should I buy Montessorian materials and place them on shelves? Should I allow the child to play freely with toys that do not have much to do with Montessori materials?
There are many questions, and there is also no clear answer. However, there is a golden mean that you should strive for at the beginning of your adventure with the Montessori method.
In the beginning, let’s create a prepared environment for your child. Try to observe all the activities that the child performs during the day, one by one. Try to ask yourself the following questions:
• Whether the child has free access to his clothes both: outdoor clothes and everyday clothes?
• Can the child pour the water on his/her own?
• Is it possible for the child to prepare a simple meal or snack on his/her own?
• Is the bathroom adapted to the child’s height (not a separate toilet or a low washbasin, but, for example, a small step)?
• Does the child know where his/her toys are and where they should be placed?
• Does the child take an active part in housework?
• Does the child have responsibilities (age appropriate)?
If the answer to most of these questions is “Yes!”, your child’s home environment has great potential.
TIP: If you want to check if the surroundings are well prepared, sit on the floor and try to perform activities at the child’s height.
Preparing an environment conducive to the child’s independence is the first step to introducing the Montessori method at home.
Good luck!
