Montessori activities

Here are some of the activities on our shelf right now...

Materials: Clothespins and paper plate

I showed Mena how to open and close the clothespin and attach it to the rim of the plate.
Materials: Two bowls, one filled with dry noodles or equivalent item on the left hand side of tray. One spoon for scooping and transferring.
Allow the child to scoop noodles into the bowl on the right. Always work from left to right as that helps to prepare them for reading and writing later on. Encourage the child to try the activity with both hands. I asked Mena to use her left hand and she said, "It's not comfy" and wouldn't do it with that hand. Maybe she's right handed!

Materials: Two baskets of bowls and small balls or other object.

I used ten small rubber balls for this activity.

Have the child transfer the balls from the basket on the left to the basket on the right one at a time. Variation: Count as you go.

Materials: Ice cube tray, child size tweezers ( I found these at Ikea for very cheap) and a bowl of pom pom balls. I used ten.
Have your child tweeze one pom pom and put it in the top left compartment moving left to right. Then do the second row.

Materials: One bowl filled with water and ice cubes and an empty bowl, Spoon, sponge to wipe up any drips.

Have your child scoop up and ice cube and transfer it to the bowl on the right.

I realize that these activities can seem very tedious or juvenile, but it is in the repetition and the concentration that the learning happens. All of these activities have a higher purpose than what it seems at first glance. Try them and see what your child might learn. We are having a lot of fun and are changing the activities quickly on our shelves as Mena masters each one.