"The absorption of the environment is an intellectual activity. It is a psychic necessity that the child explores the environment; it satisfies his spirit. After he has had the satisfaction of observing one thing that interests him, he goes on until he is attracted by something else. In this way the child can walk for miles."

MARIA MONTESSORI

We've been highlighting recommendations on how to mirror Montessori in your home!  Our two previous Blogs highlighted, Montessori In The Kitchen and Montessori In The Bathroom.  Some tips on implementing follow through with your child's at home work area (or play area) might include questions such as, when you noticed the art utensils did not get cleaned, "If you are finished working with these? What should we do next?" Ask questions to help your child think through steps instead of telling her exactly what to do in each moment.

Preparing Play Areas in the Home

What are ways we can aid the child in being more independent? How should we prepare this space for the child’s enjoyment and success?

• All items should have a defined space. Having shelving, small containers and bookshelves aid in a child's sense of order, orientation and independence.
• Use natural materials whenever possible. This sends the message to your child that these items should be handled with care.
• Minimize options. It’s easy to inundate children with tons of options that might spark an interest. Limit options and rotate based on the child’s needs and interest. A 3 or 4-year-old might only need 10- 12 options at a time. If your child is interested in art, perhaps you can set up 4-5 art options and vary the remaining choices.
• Prepare items so clean up is manageable for the child. Instead of 3 large Lego containers for your 4-year-old, place one smaller container on a shelf and rotate with different Legos when ready.

Once your environment is prepared, you can take a step back and watch your child enjoy their play space! What’s next? Keep observing! If you notice your child was really interested in something perhaps leave this instead of rotating it with another item. If they never touch a certain item, remove this and replace it with something different. Watch as your children deepen their concentration, develop logical sequencing skills and become more independent- just as they are doing in our classrooms!