Setting goals with kids is a great exercise, whether you homeschool or just want to help them learn this valuable life skill.
One of the first things parents notice when visiting a Montessori classroom for the first time is the independence children have in choosing what to work on.
Instead of the teacher dictating that all children will now practice addition, each child chooses work from the shelves. They may begin with addition or they may begin with reading or painting at the easel.
I learned about the concept years ago when I taught in a Montessori classroom and actually had the pleasure of seeing Dale Dougherty, considered by many to be the founder of the maker movement, speak at the 2018 American Montessori Society conference.
After we saw Dale speak, my co-teacher and mentor set up a maker space in the classroom and I saw the children delight in their creations.
These Montessori stocking stuffers are both fun AND useful, things kids will use for months to come, including Montessori kitchen tools!
While I love everything about the Christmas season, putting together stockings has always been one of my favorite parts.
When I was in elementary school, I actually sewed a stocking for my mom and started the tradition of filling her stocking every year! (My mom always gave my dad a stocking and I realized she was the only one in the family who didn’t get one!)
Get a detailed peek at how we use Montessori for homeschool with this behind-the-scenes peek at everything we did this week.
I’m back with another behind-the-scenes look at our Montessori homeschool! Highlights of the week included reading outside on what will likely be one of the last warmish days of the year here and completing a research project on outer space.
Letter writing for kids has so many benefits, but it can also be super fun! Help your child learn this valuable skill in an enjoyable way.
Does your child like to write letters? As we’ve moved further away from my family, my kids have been practicing writing lots of letters this year. It’s become one of their favorite things to do!
Letter writing isn’t just for fun though. It has a lot of benefits for your child, including:
This 2021 gift guide features 20 Montessori gifts from Etsy perfect for babies through 6 year olds. No affiliate links, just items I recommend!
Etsy is one of my very favorite places to find holiday gifts. Not only is it a way to support small businesses, but I also love the many lovely and unique Montessori-friendly toys there!
I had so much fun compiling this assortment of Montessori-friendly gifts for children 0-6. None of these are sponsored or affiliate links, just beautiful items I either have or would love to have for my own children.
Teaching critical thinking sounds daunting, but using my process to teach kids to conduct scientific research helpsthem gain these skills in a super fun way!
One thing that makes Montessori so ingenious is the lesson behind the lesson. For so many Montessori lessons, there is an obvious objective and then a less obvious, but often more important one.
Here’s what I mean:
Scrubbing a Table: The obvious objective is learning to scrub and take care of the environment, but less obvious objectives include resilience (so many spills!) and completing a multi-step process. It’s also great for gross motor skills as children learn to navigate the room while carrying a heavy pitcher of water.
Music can really enrich either a homeschool classroom or a Montessori classroom. If you don’t feel confident in your own musical abilities though, it can feel intimidating to include music in your day-to-day life with your child. It is SO worthwhile to face your fears though and intentionally include music in your home or classroom.
Here are 10 ways to include a little more music in your life!
1. Use Music for Transitions
Music is an excellent way to mark transitions in either a Montessori home or classroom.
Our Montessori Homeschool included geography, number chains, research, and more this week! Get a realistic look at Montessori homeschool.
I’m back with another detailed peek behind the scenes of what we did in Montessori homeschool. I try to share one week in detail every month or so to show what the day-to-day rhythm looks like in our house right now with a 2 1/2 year-old and 5-year-old.
I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to with your kids lately in the comments!
Homemade gifts for kids are so meaningful and they don’t have to be difficult! These personalized books for my kids were such a hit!
When I was a child, my mom frequently made us homemade gifts. She sewed us bunnies for Easter, crocheted a blanket for my sister and decorated t-shirts for us for Valentine’s Day. These presents were so meaningful to me, I still remember them today!
As important to me as these gifts were, I haven’t created as many homemade gifts for my own kids as I would like. This is quite simply because I’m not at all crafty and enjoy the idea of crafting much more than actually doing it.
