At Learn And Play® Montessori School, our philosophy reflects the Montessori approach, which emphasizes hands-on learning and fostering independence. It’s important for students to extend their learning beyond the classroom, and engaging in Montessori-inspired activities at home can be incredibly beneficial. Homemade activities are a wonderful way to keep children engaged during weekends or school breaks, especially during the holiday season. Here are three simple, Montessori-inspired activities you can create at home to keep your child’s learning journey active and enjoyable.
Sandpaper Letters – Language
Sandpaper letters are a popular Montessori activity that not only teaches children how to write letters but also familiarizes them with the sounds of the alphabet. Although sandpaper letters are typically square boards, this activity is easy to make at home out of construction paper and sandpaper. Outline the letter shape on sandpaper, cut it out, and glue it to a square construction sheet. Now, your little one can practice tracing and saying the alphabet at home.
Tong Transfer – Practical Life
Many of our Montessori practical life activities get our students familiarized and comfortable with completing daily tasks, including kitchen preparation or cleaning up. The Montessori tong transfer activity develops fine motor skills and is an exercise that will be able to reflect its benefits when the time comes to teach your little one how to hold a pencil and write. For this activity, tongs, two bowls, and items for transfer are needed. The child will use the tongs to transfer material from one bowl to the other using hand-eye coordination while emphasizing precision.
Cards and Counters – Math
The Montessori cards and counters activity teaches children various mathematical concepts. They begin to understand the concept of odd and even numbers, the quantity of a number, and the symbol for numbers zero through ten. At LAPMS we get creative with our cards, and you can too! Using construction paper, cut ten cards labeled one to ten and decorate them however you’d like. For counters, use construction paper to cut out circles—or get creative with old buttons, cotton balls, or anything else you can find! During the activity, the students will be placing the appropriate number of counters beneath each numeral card.
Emphasizing Learning at Home
Reinforcing the Montessori methodology at home can help you and your child solidify their learning experience. Reinforcement is crucial for ensuring the full benefit of this child-centered form of education out of the classroom. At Learn And Play® Montessori School, we try to encourage parents and guardians to promote an environment at home that incorporates the elements of Montessori learning, catering to a child’s natural inclination towards independence, curiosity and hands-on exploration. Things as simple as storing toys and work materials at the level of the child and making learning and activity materials accessible at your home or apartment can encourage children to take ownership of their surroundings. Connecting everyday chores to learning is another opportunity. Cooking, gardening, sorting objects; Getting to learn basic math and science skills over time while doing chores can help children acquire a profound sense of accomplishment.
Parents reinforce and extend the learning their child does in a Montessori classroom by providing opportunities to explore and learn in the home. Another important thing to do at home is its focus on manners and discipline, both of which are vital in Montessori teaching. We strongly encourage positive discipline at our schools, encouraging kids to treat each other and their teachers with respect. Encouraging kids to practice (please and thank you), (patience), and (respecting others) helps build empathy and social cohesion. It helps when parents model respectful behavior with one another, thus reinforcing the “good manners” they want to establish in their children. These “home lessons” on grace and courtesy support the Montessori curriculum we use at our programs, helping children to develop healthy habits at the earliest age. Such reinforcement creates a growth environment for the child, both personally and throughout their studies, into smart, cultured, disciplined, and good-hearted citizen.
