If you aren’t familiar with the teachings of Montessori, it’s a system of education that is geared toward children that use natural methods for teaching. Instead of focusing on stricter teaching methods, it seeks to develop natural interests and activities. This can not only help you as a homeschool mom but also help you as a mom in general! If you are looking for a few simple tips to practice Montessori at home, you’ll want to stick around!
Create a nature table for the different seasons
Create a table that changes with the seasons! You can fill different baskets and bins with materials from nature that your children can use to rearrange or even do some creative play! These are also great ways to inspire them to come up with new ways to use the items around them.
Emphasize life skills
This is an excellent approach for children of any age. This is also a great way to teach them skills that will be useful long after they’ve left home! Have your child help with cooking dinner, clean up, or even organizing their toys. Find a place where they shine, and let them explore a little in the process!
Allow them to discover on their own time
To practice Montessori at home, you’ll want to provide them with the ability to discover things on their own. Some ideas are looking things up at the library, asking questions openly, doing a science experiment, etc. These will teach your child not only to question their curiosity, but find productive ways to learn without having to be taught them.
The goal is to focus on inner motivation
It might feel like your kids will never learn anything if they are in charge of teaching themselves. This is why the goal is to focus on inner motivation instead of just letting them do whatever they want. You may need to provide guidelines for things such as clean up or chores, but allow them the freedom to explore their interests. Provide them with opportunities to learn music, art, or something else they’re interested in, but let them decide what to do.
Keep things accessible
You want to make sure that they can get to learning and activities needed to learn whenever they want. While it’s important to set boundaries for playing and rooms where this should be allowed, it’s essential that they don’t have to ask you every time they need something. For smaller children such as babies or toddlers, you may need to provide stricter guidelines to avoid large messes. Giving your child the freedom to choose what and when they learn will make a huge difference!
Observe rather than teach, unless you have to
When you can, let your children make mistakes! It’s vital that your role be more of an observer than a teacher in this case. If they may do something that gets them hurt, step in. If not, then sometimes it might be better to use that opportunity as a learning experience for them.
John & Savannah went to a Montessori elementary school when we lived in Florida and we loved it! It allowed them to learn at their own pace without feeling any sort of pressure around it.
For more information on Montessori, check out the resources linked below!
- Carrots are Orange DIY Montessori Activities
- Carrots are Orange Sponging
- Montessori for Families
- Montessori for the Home
No matter what age your kids are, these activities are sure to help you create a fun and Montessori-friendly environment in your own home.
Looking for other fun activities to do with your kids? Check out a few below!
