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To help you
prepare your home environment with the same Montessori principles of having a
prepared environment, think as if you are a child. What would be important to you? Listen to you child as he is saying, “Help me
do it by myself.” Your child wants to
mimic all of the activities you do in your home. Think carefully about family activities and
the materials used, in all areas of the home, and arrange the environment to
include the child.
The
following are some tips to get you started in preparing different environments
in your home. Most of this requires a
little planning on your part, but truly helps the child feel as though he is a
contributing member of the household and will keep your child feeling
well-loved and comforted as he creates a balance between his home life and his
school life.
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IDEAS FOR THE KITCHEN
Food Preparation
It’s not
practical to have all the countertops lowered so your child can reach, but a
simple step stool will do wonders in the kitchen. It is portable, so the child can move to where you are when you are preparing food. Let your child help you as much as possible. If you’re making a salad, give him his own cutting board and chopping
utensil. He can cut vegetables with you for the salad. Montessori Services / For Small Hands are great resources for child’s utensils and other child-sized cooking tools to use in the kitchen.
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Snacks
Have an
area in both the pantry and the refrigerator where you child can reach healthy
snacks on his own. For example, in the pantry a small snack basket on a low shelf filled with snacks you approve. Similarly, in the refrigerator, put snacks she can choose and reach on her own, like yogurt or fruit.
Utensils
In the
lower cabinets of the kitchen, place cups, plates and bowls your child can get
without assistance. If you are so inclined, you can have everything ready for your child to serve himself cereal: have the cereal in a smaller more manageable container for pouring (or even single serve containers); bowls and spoons within reach; a small pitcher of milk that he can get out of the fridge and pour himself.
IDEAS FOR THE CHILD’S BEDROOM
Toys
This is a
place where you can have shelving that is fit for your child’s height. Open shelving with the use of baskets for toys,
puzzles, books and other items help your child create order in his own
environment as well as helps with clean-up when the toys are done being used.
Choose
select items at a time. A few baskets or
trays holding tools or toys that are being used at the moment are
sufficient. Use only a few like items in
each basket. If a child has 100 Legos®,
that is too many for him to manage.
Start out with 10 or 15 in the basket.
This way he can learn how to completely put away the Legos®. As he wants more Legos® with which to build,
more, Legos® can be added to the basket.
He gradually learns how to manage more and more Legos®.
It is a
good idea to rotate books and toys – taking out those that have not been chosen
lately and removing them to storage for a time.
A monthly rotation works well. An
older child can help with this. This is
done after observing what the child is actually using, and removing those
things which are being ignored, or which have been outgrown. Be sure to leave the favorites!
Clothing
Whether
it’s in the closet or on shelves with baskets, having the child’s clothing
easily within reach for the child will help her be able to choose clothes and
get dressed in the morning and into pajamas in the evening.
IDEAS FOR THE BATHROOM
This is another
area to help your child with his independence.
A step stool so he can reach not only the toilet, but the sink area and
light switch. Keep his toothbrush,
toothpaste, soap, towel and washcloth all within reach, so he can wash his
hands, brush his teeth and wash his face without too much assistance from the
adult.
HOUSEHOLD ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN
3-6
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Indoor
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Outdoor
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- Dress
self
- Feed self
- Help prepare meals for the family
- Set the table
- Clear dishes from the table
- Load the dishwasher
- Unload the dishwasher
- Sweep the kitchen or other areas
- Laundry: sort, fold and/or put away
- Water plants
- Mop (use a child size mop with a small bucket of water
- Put away own toys
- Any other activities listed below
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- Collect
mail from the mailbox
- Take recycling out
- Take garbage out on garbage day
- Return trash receptacles when emptied
- Help plant flowers
- Help plant a garden
- Weed garden and flower beds
- Rake leaves
- Shovel snow
- Water outdoor plants, flowers
- Gather sticks
- Sweep porches or sidewalks
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HOUSEHOLD ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLER
CHILDREN
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Indoor
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Outdoor
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- Set the
table
- Load the dishwasher
- Unload
the dishwasher—start small—perhaps with just the silverware
- Match and
organize shoes in the laundry/mud room or a closet
- Hang
coat/jacket (hook needs to be at appropriate height)
- Wash a table
- Scrub a stool
- Fold small towels
- Match socks in the laundry
- Wash own fac
- Comb hair
- Put on own shoes
- Get
dressed—start with one article of clothing first, like the pants/shorts
- Feed a pet
- Dust
- Put away groceries
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- Water
plants
- Sweep patio, deck or sidewalk
- Help carry recycling
- Weeding
- Rake leaves
- Shovel snow
- Fill a bird feeder
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