Montessori teacher assisting a child with a practical life activity, pouring water with concentration.

Montessori Childcare: The Importance of a Prepared Environment

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The “prepared environment” is Maria Montessori’s concept that the environment can be designed to facilitate maximum independent learning and exploration by the child. In the prepared environment, there is a variety of activity as well as a great deal of movement. A Montessori teacher serves as the preparer and communicator of the environment to the child and is responsible for maintaining the atmosphere and order of the prepared environment. A prepared environment gives every child the freedom to fully develop their unique potential through developmentally appropriate sensorial materials. The materials range from simple to complex and from concrete to abstract, catering toward every child’s age and ability.

Montessori classrooms are designed to offer lessons, activities, and tools that match the developmental needs and interests of each individual child. It is important to note that not every child will be interested in every available lesson. This is why children are allowed to choose the lessons they gravitate toward naturally.

Many parents may find themselves wondering what sets Montessori childcare apart from your average daycare center or preschool. For starters, as soon as you walk into your traditional childcare center, you will notice that is most likely lively, loud, and messy. On the other end of the spectrum, as soon as you walk into a Montessori classroom, you will notice that it is peaceful, quiet, and orderly. You may ask yourself, why are the two childcare systems so different from one another. The difference lies in something that Dr. Maria Montessori calls the prepared environment.

What is the Prepared Environment?

In her book The Secret of Childhood, Dr. Montessori described the goal of the prepared environment as follows: “The first aim of the prepared environment is, as far as it is possible, to render the growing child independent of the adult.” The prepared environment, therefore, is one of the core components of the Montessori philosophy. According to Dr. Montessori, the learning environment, and everything that the child comes into contact with should foster independent learning and exploration.

Key components of the Prepared Environment

Freedom – One of the main goals of a Montessori prepared environment is freedom of choice. This is achieved through giving the child freedom to exploration, freedom of movement, freedom to interact socially, and freedom of interference from others.

We believe in giving our little ones enough independence to choose their daily activities. Meanwhile, we as mentors, will keep a close watch and correct them where ever needed. It improves the cognitive (the process of knowing, thinking, learning and judging) skill.

Structure and Order – The idea behind this principle is to reflect the structure and order of the universe, so that the child can internalize the order of his surroundings and is therefore able to begin making sense of the world around him.

Beauty – It is also important to make the environment inviting for learning. The atmosphere, therefore, should be prepared beautifully and simplistically, in such a way that evokes peace, tranquility and harmony. The learning environment should also be uncluttered and well-maintained.

Nature and Reality – Dr. Montessori believed that nature should be used to inspire children. That’s why Montessori teachers regularly take the children out into nature and use natural learning materials in the prepared environment. These materials include real wood, metal, bamboo, cotton, and glass, rather than synthetics or plastics. The materials should also be real and child-size, so the child is able to work with the materials on her own without frustration and without having to depend on adult for help with movement.

Social Environment – The prepared environment should support social development by encouraging freedom of interaction. Montessori classrooms foster the development of a sense of compassion and empathy for others, thus causing children to be more socially aware.

Intellectual Environment –  Once all of the above principles are met, Montessori educators will be able to reach children through the intellectual environment, which develops the whole personality of the child, as well her intellect.

The Prepared Environment at Silverline Montessori

Love of environment: Our childcare facilities are purposefully designed with the child’s independence in mind. Classrooms at Silverline Montessori are filled with learning materials that enhance the senses of our children. We encourage freedom of choice while still maintaining structure and order. Our caring environment is well-prepared and dedicated to academic excellence while nurturing each child’s mind, body, and spirit for success throughout life.

The lessons and learning materials in the prepared environment are specially designed and set out on low, easily accessible shelves. In addition to child-height shelves, Montessori classrooms have child-sized furniture, fixtures, tools, and utensils. By keeping the environment child-sized and accessible, the Montessori classroom minimizes the child’s need for adult assistance and maximizes the self-regulated activity. True Montessori materials are presented to the child in the Four Avenues of Learning: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language and Mathematics.

 “Obstacles must be reduced to a minimum and surrounding should provide the necessary means for the exercise of those activities which develop a child’s energies” – Maria Montessori.

A child carefully carrying a tray with materials for a Montessori practical life activity.

How Montessori Preschools Build Your Child’s Self-Sufficiency and Independence

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Dr. Maria Montessori often taught those around her to teach by this principle, “Help me to do it myself”. This can be achieved through the prepared environment where space is given to be independent and self-sufficient. During a time when kids have become even more reliant on their parents to do things for them (which sometimes even carries on into young adulthood), it becomes increasingly important that we teach our children self-sufficiency skills. One of the main goals of Montessori preschools is to raise a generation of independent and self-sufficient individuals.

This is important because success in life is almost always correlated to the degree in which people perceive themselves as independent. The way we achieve this independence and subsequent success is by starting at an early age. We prepare the environment to foster their best development. Then we observe and watch the child strive to be independent, grow, and learn. Hence, early childhood is the perfect time to start learning the skills that are necessary to be self-reliant and begin practicing them until the children can act on their own without help.

Care of Self

Learning how to take care of oneself is one of the biggest achievements that a child makes in the Montessori journey of becoming self-sufficient. In Montessori preschools, care of self is taught through practical life activities. Practical life exercises include learning basic skills needed on a daily basis. They are everyday life activities that a child learns to do in a purposeful way. The child learns about their own movements and learns how to refine their coordination. Some of these activities include dressing and undressing, which involves actions that sharpen fine motor skills, such as buttoning shirts and putting on shoes. Brushing teeth, combing hair, using the restroom, and preparing food are other practical life activities that a child may learn in a Montessori classroom.

Freedom of Choice

“Freedom of choice” comes from a well-prepared environment. This prepared environment is the key! The Montessori method has its roots in belief that each child is an individual that deserves to be respected. This is why children have freedom of choice in the classroom. In Montessori preschools, children are allowed to make their own decisions on what they work on. They are given the autonomy to choose to work on the lessons that interest them the most.

Self-Esteem

It is through independence that the birth of self-esteem begins. All opportunities around the children helps them build a better self-image leading to higher self-esteem. Unfortunately, children who become dependent on their parents or caregivers for everything, will eventually have lower self-esteem. On the bright side, however, one of the benefits of guiding children to become independent is that it raises their self-esteem.

Gaining a sense of self-reliance and independence also helps to develop a healthy self-image. When a child is shown how to do something, and then they are allowed to do it on their own, it boosts their self-esteem more than any amount of verbal praise ever will. The activities that the children complete teach them not only pride and a positive self-image but also perseverance.

Dr. Montessori on Self-Sufficiency and Independence:

Dr. Maria Montessori believed that every child was born with the natural capability of being an independent individual.

“Any child who is self-sufficient, who can tie his shoes, dress or undress himself, reflects in his joy and sense of achievement the image of human dignity, which is derived from a sense of independence.” -Maria Montessori

Children practicing self-care skills in a Montessori classroom, learning to dress with button frames.

Practical Life Activities

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A Montessori education differs from a traditional daycare in many ways. One of the most important elements of a Montessori curriculum is the use of practical life activities. These activities are things that we do in our daily lives, such as cleaning, sewing, and gardening. Practical life activities serve many different purposes in a Montessori preschool and you typically won’t find these in your average daycare.

Improving Developmental Skills

Practical life activities help children develop concentration skills, as well as control and coordination of movement. Tasks as simple as serving a drink to someone enhance multiple skills. When a child pours water from a pitcher into a glass, several things are occurring. First, the child is developing fine motor skills in the hands, fingers and wrist from the pouring motion that is happening. Hand-eye coordination is also used as the child guides the pitcher towards the empty glass. Finally, the child is using concentration skills to make sure that the water is not spilling or overflowing out of the glass.

Positive Self-Esteem

Children see adults as role models and imitate adult behavior. When a child has the opportunity to complete “an adult task,” they feel important and gain a sense of pride. They develop confidence in their abilities and a sense of independence. Being able to meaningfully contribute to the home by sweeping kitchen floors or sewing a button back onto a shirt helps a child feel more positive about himself, self-sufficient – fulfilling their drive toward functional independence.  This sense of purpose and improved self-esteem only increases as a child learns to master more challenging tasks.

As adults, we look at daily activities such as washing dishes and folding clothing as boring chores that are necessary in order to keep a clean home. For children, however, these chores are interesting activities that adults do every day. When you take the time to teach your child how to do these simple activities, you are showing them that you trust them and see them as a contributing member of the family.

Preparing Children for Reality

Practical life activities prepare children for the real world by teaching and refining individual skills to be carried out in purposeful activities becoming productive members in society. While traditional schools and education tend to focus solely on developing reading and mathematical skills, Montessori schools believe that reality-based skills set the foundation for academic skills, and should be taught as well. A good Montessori school will use authentic materials in the learning environment. For example, shoes should be cleaned with real polish, and water should be poured into a real glass.

While materials should be real, it is best to use materials that are proportionate to the child. If a child is watering a plant, the handle must fit her hand and she must be able to easily carry the watering can. A child would not be able to lift a regular-sized watering can, so we use a smaller-sized can. The can is the same color, shape, and texture as the regular-sized one, but in a version that is the right size for a child.

Practical Life at Silverline Montessori

At Silverline Montessori School, practical life activities are an important part of our curriculum. As an Associate Member School of the American Montessori Society, we provide a high-quality and authentic Montessori education to our students. Our locations in Pearland and Towne Lake Cypress are dedicated to preparing children for future success in both education and life. We strive to be a top tier Montessori preschool, exceeding the expectations that parents may have when seeking a preschool or daycare for their child.

 

A child carefully carrying a tray with materials for a Montessori practical life activity.

The Benefits of Summer Camp

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It’s that time of the year again! With school now closed, many parents find themselves struggling to decide where to place their children. Should we enroll our child in a daycare center for the summer months? Would they benefit more from attending a summer camp program? While a daycare center can be a good option for some families, at Silverline Montessori School, we believe that summer camps provide a more memorable and enriching experience for children. There are numerous benefits to enrolling your child in a summer camp program. Here are just a few of them:

Avoiding the Summer Slide

When the school year ends, many children tend to go through what is referred to as the “summer slide.” Since school is not in session, children are not actively using their reading, spelling, or mathematical skills. As a result, these skills tend to decline, and children may have a harder time keeping up at the beginning of the new school year.

In a summer camp program, like the one offered at Silverline Montessori School, children focus on a different educational theme each week. They participate in exciting experiments, activities, and take-home projects every week. STEM camps are particularly helpful in making sure children avoid the summer slide. At Silverline Montessori School, our STEM camps allow children to explore different career paths related to science and technology, such as marine biology and archaeology. All of our summer camp programs are specially designed to keep the brain and important skills active during the summer months.

Improving Social Skills and Forming Lasting Friendships

Summer camp is a great way for children to make new friends while enhancing important social skills such as leadership and collaboration. During summer camp, children can make new acquaintances and form friendships with children of different ages. Older children can serve as role models and mentors to younger children, while younger children benefit from having someone they can ask for help and learn from.

Teamwork is another significant aspect of summer camp. Games and activities such as relay races allow children to work together in groups in order to accomplish tasks. Children will understand the importance of listening to others’ ideas and making decisions as a team. They will also learn that often they are able to accomplish more as a group than they are able to accomplish on their own.

Supporting Physical Development and Encouraging a Connection to Nature

Another aspect that could make a summer camp program more appealing than daycare is the greater exposure to the outdoors. During summer camp, children often have the opportunity to learn, play, and explore the natural environment instead of being stuck inside all day. Physical movement enhances gross and fine motor skills, and allows children to breath fresh air and soak up vitamin D from the sun.

Summer Camps at Silverline Montessori School

Weekly camps offered at Silverline Montessori School feature fun themes such as camping and backyard fun. These themes help children learn to appreciate nature, giving them the opportunity to spend more time outside. Our “camping” trip on the playground teaches children about outdoor safety and items needed for a successful camping trip.  For these reasons and more, summer camp programs can be a great choice for kids and parents over the summer!

 

 

A child using Montessori movable alphabet to form words and practice reading.

Four Planes of Development in a Montessori School

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When you walk into a Montessori school for the first time, one of the first things that you may notice is the classroom structure. Unlike a traditional school where the students are grouped together by birth year, where typically whole group learning is based on chronological age, a Montessori environment uses 3-year, mixed-age grouping, where instruction is personalized to meet individual and small group needs.  This multi-age classroom structure is based on Dr. Montessori’s observations and work that revealed there are four different stages of development from birth to early adulthood.  She referred to these as planes of development.  Others in Psychology and Education may use the terms ‘stages’ or ‘phases’.

According to Dr. Montessori, each plane of development is characterized by distinct sensitive periods for learning – where children exhibit certain needs, attributes and characteristics at each plane of development. During these sensitive periods, a child undergoes a period of intense developmental change followed by a period of assimilation, marked by a student showing confidence in his newly acquired abilities. Using this model offers a holistic framework where learning and classroom structure is based on stages aligned with developmental psychology.

The Four Planes of Development are as follows:

The First Plane: Birth to Age 6 (Early Childhood)

During the first plane of development, children are soaking up the world. Dr. Montessori calls this the “absorbent mind,” meaning that the child’s brain has a sponge-like capacity to absorb from the environment all that is necessary to develop an individual from her specific culture.

At this age, children are focusing on the self and have a strong desire for physical independence. You will notice an “I can do it myself!” mentality. The foundation for a child’s personality is also laid during this time.

This plane is characterized by sensitive periods that include movement, language, toileting, order, grace and courtesy, music, reading, writing, social relationships, and mathematics.

The Second Plane: Ages 6–12 (Childhood)

The second plane of development is characterized by a thirst for knowledge and a strong desire for intellectual independence. You will notice an “I can think it myself!” mentality.

At this age, children begin searching for moral order and develop their conscience, or sense of right and wrong. This is a good time to teach your child fairness, and show him how he can help others.

During this stage, children learn from a “cosmic education” in a Montessori school, which encourages them to explore their place within the world, as well as appreciate the interconnectedness of all things.

The Third Plane: Ages 12–18 (Adolescence)

Marked by feelings of self-concern and self-assessment, the third plane of development is a sensitive period for critical thinking and exploring deeper moral and social values.

At this age, adolescents have a deep desire for emotional independence. You will notice an “I can stand on my own” mentality.

During this stage, the adolescent works on constructing his social self and feels the need to participate and have more control over his life.

The Fourth Plane: Ages 18–24 (Maturity)

The fourth plane of development is characterized by the young adult working on their spiritual self or constructing a higher-level of self-understanding.

This stage is marked by a strong desire for financial independence. You will notice an “I can get it myself” mentality.

During this time, the young adult discovers their place within the world and asks herself “What do I have to give to the world?”

The Planes of Development at Silverline Montessori School

At Silverline Montessori School, our education programs are designed to meet the needs of children in the first and second planes of development. Our focus is on developing the child’s potential during these distinct “windows of time” or sensitive periods. We keep our classroom sizes small to create an emotionally nurturing environment that is at the same time cognitively challenging. Our goal is to foster self-directed learners that become confident in their abilities by the end of each plane of development.

“The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.” – Dr. Maria Montessori

 

 

Montessori students working on botanical puzzles, identifying parts of a plant.

5 Fun Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Houston and Cypress, Texas

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As one of Houston’s largest suburban communities, Cypress, Texas is full of fun activities for the whole family. Located just a 35-minute drive to downtown Houston, Cypress, Texas is within close range of all the fun that lies in the big city. You’ll also find kid-friendly activities everywhere along the way.

Below are just a few of those family-fun places in the Houston and Cypress, Texas areas:

Little Beakers Science Lab for Kids, 13040 Louetta Road, Suite 226 Cypress, Texas: Built especially for kids, Little Beakers Science Lab is a magical place with plenty of experiments for both parents and kids to choose from at their Open Lab. Little Beakers also offers hands-on science classes and hosts events such as birthday parties.

Speedy’s Fast Track, 11440 Hempstead Road, Houston, Texas: If your family has a need for speed, Speedy’s Fast Track is the place to visit. With go-karts, laser tag, mini-golf and an arcade full of video games, your family can spend hours having fun at Speedy’s Fast Track.

TGR Exotics Wildlife Park, 22115 Sherrod Lane Spring, Texas: For the animal-loving family, TGR Exotics will let your family get up close and personal with many fascinating and endangered species. From kangaroos and porcupines to lemurs and Bengal tigers, TGR Exotics will have your family talking a walk on the wild side!

Flip N’ Fun Center Trampoline Park, 5379 W Richey Road, Houston, Texas: Trampolines, laser tag, and bumper cars combine with pizza, wings, and chicken nuggets at this fun indoor venue perfect for the whole family.

Downtown Aquarium, 410 Bagby Street, Houston, Texas: Featuring a 500,000-gallon aquatic wonderland, the Downtown Aquarium is home to 200 species of aquatic life from places all over the world. Along with many aquatic exhibits, the aquarium has plenty of carnival-style games and rides as well as a restaurant and dive lounge.

Silverline Montessori in Cypress, Texas

Our goal at Silverline Montessori in Cypress, Texas is to create a fun, safe, and nurturing environment to provide students with the opportunity to grow academically. We encourage our families to spend quality time together inside and outside of the home. When children go to new places and experience new things, there are always teachable moments and opportunities for learning.

 

A child focused on sorting objects by size using Montessori pink tower cubes.

Montessori Environment at Home: How to Design a Montessori Bedroom for Your Toddler

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Just like a meticulously designed Montessori classroom can encourage order, independence and self-motivation, so too can a carefully crafted Montessori bedroom. Bringing the Montessori environment into your home not only cultivates your child’s confidence but also serves as a bridge to what your toddler learns at school.

Here are some ways that you can implement Montessori principles into your toddler’s bedroom to create a Montessori environment at home:

Get a floor bed.

A floor bed provides children with the ultimate form of independence. It allows him to easily climb in and out of bed without any extra help from his parents. This gives the child much more control over himself.

Provide low storage space.

Make sure that your child’s belongings – toys and clothes – are within their reach. An easy way to do this is to set up low shelves or cubbies in the room to make their toys accessible and baskets to place books within arm’s reach. You can also install a lower rod in the closet so that your child can choose her own clothes.  Being able to do this empowers the child by allowing her to make her own decisions.

Supply child-sized furniture.

By adding a tiny table and chair, you can create a toddler-friendly work space, yet another way to foster your child’s ability to self-motivate. To make the environment even more appealing to a toddler, try adding a cozy beanbag chair or a tiny rocking chair. Either one would serve as the perfect place for your little one to settle down with his favorite storybook.

Keep it simple.

A Montessori space encourages simplicity and order. You can de-clutter by putting any excess toys or furniture in storage.

Decorate with low-hanging paintings.

This again goes back to the whole concept of scaling things down so that they are at your child’s level. By hanging paintings at a lower level, you give your child the ability to explore and interact with her environment. Hanging the paintings at eye level also give your child the chance to truly appreciate the artwork.

Add a mirror.

Children love looking at themselves and admiring their own clothing selections and a mirror enables them to do this. By hanging a child-height mirror in the room, you also promote self-care as it allows children to look at themselves as they get dressed and brush their hair.

Our Environment

At Silverline Montessori School, we provide our students with a carefully planned Montessori environment that includes a wide variety of Montessori materials. Our classrooms are designed specifically to promote creativity, imagination, independence, and self-awareness.

 

 

Children participating in outdoor activities, learning about nature in a Montessori garden.

Teaching Your Child Grace and Courtesy

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Good manners are essential in a Montessori education. Along with being respectful towards others, a child who has good manners is more confident and has higher self-esteem. They are also able to develop happier and healthier relationships with others. Here are some ways that you can teach the Montessori manners of grace and courtesy.

Setting a Positive Example

Young children have the ability to absorb information very easily. Every time your children are near you, they are watching what you do and listening to what you say. This is why it’s such a good idea for you to practice good manners yourself. If your children frequently hear you say “please” and “thank you,” then they will begin to model their behavior after yours. When your child hands you something or does something nice, you can say “thank you” to your child to show them that it is important to be polite to everyone. After making a conscious effort to exhibit graceful behavior, it will start to come very naturally, and your child will recognize this. Setting a positive example is a simple way to show your child how easy it is to be courteous in any situation.

Roleplay

Choose a specific manner that you would like your child to learn and demonstrate the proper behavior. If you would like your child to learn how to greet someone, for instance, break the behavior into steps. Explain to your child that they should make eye contact with the person, shake their hand, and say, “It’s nice to meet you.” Demonstrate each step to your child and then allow your child to practice them. Pretend that you are introducing your child to a friend of yours and give your child the opportunity to demonstrate each step. Repeat this roleplay activity as many times as it takes for your child to learn the proper behavior. If your child is struggling, you can review the lesson at another time.

Learning Gracious Behaviors Takes Time

Every child learns at their own pace and is influenced by their personality. Some children are very shy and have a difficult time speaking with adults, while other children love meeting new people. Certain manners may be easy to pick up on, while others take a lot more time to learn. When a child exhibits a gracious behavior, recognize that you are proud of this behavior by acknowledging it; for example, “I liked how you introduced yourself to our neighbor.” When your child forgets a behavior, try not to criticize or embarrass them. Instead, repeat the lesson again in private to reinforce its importance.

At Silverline Montessori School, one of our main program goals is to help children understand social relationships. In our specially designed Montessori environments, children develop a strong sense of respect for themselves, for others, and for their environment. Grace and courtesy lessons are given on a regular basis in the classroom in order to reinforce their importance.

A child focused on sorting objects by size using Montessori pink tower cubes.

History of Montessori

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Many parents considering a Montessori education for their child may wonder about its origins. Some are surprised to learn that the program has been around for over 100 years and was developed by an Italian physician. Also an educator and innovator, Dr. Maria Montessori spent years researching children and how they learn best. Her research led to the form of education known today as the Montessori Method.

Pre-Montessori

At the age of 13, Maria decided to enter an all-boys technical institute to study engineering. However, she soon had a change of heart and realized she wanted to become a doctor instead. She then applied and got accepted into the University of Rome’s prestigious medical program, which opened the door for future women in the field of medicine. In 1896, Dr. Montessori graduated from the University of Rome and became one of Italy’s first female physicians.

During the early years of her psychiatry-focused medical practices, she began to develop a strong interest in education. She started taking classes on pedagogy and immersed herself in educational theories. Through her extensive studies and observations, Dr. Montessori began to question the established methods of teaching children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Montessori Movement

Dr. Montessori was appointed co-director of a new training institute for special education teachers in 1900. Through this institute, Dr. Montessori was able to experiment with different teaching methods to see which had the best results. Her program ultimately proved to be successful when several of her children made unexpected developmental advances.

In 1907, Dr. Montessori opened her first Montessori school, the Case dei Bambini (Children’s House), in an underprivileged district of Rome. Implementing her prior observations and scientific experiments, Dr. Montessori created a high-quality learning environment filled with various learning materials that fostered a child’s innate desire to learn.

Dr. Montessori published a book called The Secret of Childhood in 1936. In her book, she wrote: “Before elaborating any system of education, we must therefore create a favorable environment that will encourage the flowering of a child’s natural gifts. All that is needed is to remove the obstacles. And this should be the basis of, and point of departure for, all future education. The first thing to be done, therefore, is to discover the true nature of a child and then assist him in his normal development.”

For the remainder of her life, Dr. Montessori worked on perfecting her innovative, child-centered approach to learning. She wrote several articles and books, held a lecture series, and created a unique program to train teachers in the Montessori method. These actions resulted in Dr. Montessori developing a large following that helped her spread the new educational method internationally.

Living Montessori

Today, there are about 4,500 Montessori schools in the United States and around 20,000 worldwide. The fact that Montessori education has spread all over the world aligns with what Dr. Montessori wrote in her book The Montessori Method: “Today, however, those things which occupy us in the field of education are the interests of humanity at large and of civilization, and before such great forces we can recognize only one country – the entire world.”

Although the majority of Montessori schools in the United States are privately owned, many public-school systems have begun implementing Montessori programs. Montessori programs and Dr. Montessori’s influence can be found at every age level and stage of development – in small infant or early-childhood classrooms as well as in larger elementary, junior high, or high school classes.

Students learning about the solar system using Montessori cosmic education materials.

Incorporating Montessori Principles into Your Daily Life

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Montessori is much more than an educational style. It’s a unique way of life that extends beyond the classroom walls. It’s important that parents recognize what a Montessori lifestyle is so that they can connect the gap between home and school. As a Montessori parent, there are several key Montessori principles that you can incorporate into your daily life.

Environment

When you walk into a Montessori classroom, there is almost always an unmistakable atmosphere of peace. This is marked by certain features such as the peace corner, the peace rose, or the peace table. Parents can cultivate the Montessori principles of peace at home by getting into a regular routine so that children do not face the anxiety that comes with uncertainty. Another good way to reinforce mindfulness at home is to model meaningful, courteous behavior, such as saying “good morning” or “please.”

Spending time in nature also helps to improve a child’s sense of peace. This connection to nature can be felt by taking the time to stop somewhere with your child in order to observe nature, such as animals rustling through bushes or the sky changing as the sun sets.

Discipline

Child guidance and positive discipline are important Montessori principles to practice at home. These Montessori principles teach children responsibility, help them make good choices, and promote self-control. To prevent misbehavior in a child between the ages of 3 and 6, a Montessori parent can use positive discipline by acknowledging how the child feels, asking them how they would solve the problem, and then suggesting what they could do in a similar situation that arises in the future.

For example, a conversation with your child could go something like this: “I see you’re frustrated because you wanted to have a turn playing with the truck. When you want something that someone else has, what can you do?” This problem-solving approach to disciple corrects the child’s misbehavior, while improving their critical thinking skills and guiding them in the direction of self-discipline.

Activities

There are five types of developmental activities for children that are based on Montessori principles. All five of these can easily be incorporated into your daily life.

  • Practical life activities include responsibilities such as cleaning, making snacks, washing fruits, watering plants, and scrubbing dishes.
  • Eye-hand coordination activities include tasks that involve using hands in different ways. For example, pouring water, threading necklaces, solving puzzles, and using a lock box or latch board.
  • Arts and crafts activities include painting, sewing, drawing, cutting shapes, and molding clay.
  • Language activities include reading books that focus on daily life and using baskets filled with classified objects.
  • Gross motor activities include outdoor activities such as running, jumping, and sliding, as well as indoor activities like yoga and balancing.

At Silverline Montessori, we offer children a carefully prepared learning environment rich in learning materials and experiences. We provide our students with an authentic Montessori experience that helps them become independent, learn concentration skills, and master coordination and movement. Our students learn how to become creative thinkers and problem-solvers. We believe that with the proper guidance, what your child learns in class can be reinforced at home with the right environment, discipline, and activities.