Where Do I Begin with Applying Montessori at Home?

As a parent of a child attending a Montessori early childhood centre, you’ve likely observed the benefits of this approach on your child’s sense of self and overall development. But these benefits don’t need to end when your child leaves the centre each day. Incorporating Montessori principles at home can create a consistent, supportive environment that enhances your child’s learning and growth. Even the smallest changes can make a big difference; however, knowing where to begin can sometimes feel overwhelming.

What Is the Montessori Method?

Before exploring how to apply Montessori principles and practices at home, it’s important to understand its fundamental philosophy. Montessori is more than an education method – it’s a way of life. It is child-led and encourages independence by creating a prepared and inviting environment that promotes hands-on learning. This approach nurtures a child’s natural curiosity and love for learning by allowing them to engage actively with the world around them.

Creating a Prepared Environment at Home

Designing a Montessori-inspired space at home involves thoughtful planning to align with Montessori principles. The aim is to support your child’s natural development while fostering independence, confidence, and a love of learning.

So, where do you begin? Here are some practical steps:

Accessibility

Make everything easily accessible by organising toys, books, and materials on low shelves and providing child-sized furniture. This empowers your child to make choices and interact with their environment independently, reducing the need for constant adult intervention and assistance.

Unsure where to find child-sized equipment? I tend to use Montessori Child (https://www.montessorichild.com.au/collections/practical-life-1) and A2Z Montessori (https://www.a2zmontessori.com.au/shopn/spi//monta_PLI)

Order and Organisation

A tidy and organised environment helps your child feel focused. Use clear, labelled containers for storage and ensure every item has a designated place within the home. This orderliness encourages a sense of security, concentration, and calm, preventing your child from feeling overwhelmed by clutter.

Real and Natural Materials

When selecting materials, choose items made from natural materials like wood, metal, and fabric, which provide sensory experiences and are more sustainable than plastic. Ask a Montessori Educator where their favourite place to shop for resources and the response will surprise you – Op Shops! Visiting op shops is a great way to source these materials affordably. Involving your child in the selection process can make the experience even more enriching.

Encouraging Independence within the Home Environment

Fostering independence is a cornerstone of Montessori living. Small adjustments can empower your child to take ownership of their daily routines:

• Bathroom: Place a mirror and stool at your child’s level so they can brush their teeth or wash their hands independently.
• Kitchen: Assign a lower cupboard for your child’s dishes and snacks, enabling them to set the table or prepare simple meals.
• Bedroom: A common feature of a Montessori home is the low beds/floor beds. Providing this as a sleeping option, when done so safely, allows the child the independance they seek during rest periods in the home.

Involving your child in household tasks like cooking, cleaning and gardening also builds independence. Provide child-sized tools such as brooms, dustpans, and gardening gloves, and teach them how to use these safely.

Inviting Areas for Learning

Create distinct spaces for different activities in the child’s space:

• Reading space: Set up a cosy area with a small bookshelf and comfortable seating for book exploration
• Cultural arts station: Provide accessible art supplies like crayons and paper in an easy-to-clean area.
• Cultural sciecnes corner: Include items like magnifying glasses, rocks, and leaves to spark curiosity and exploration of the world.

Fostering a Love for Learning

Follow your child’s interests and provide materials and activities that build on them. For example, sensory play activities such as sorting objects by colour or exploring textures in a sensory bin are incredibly engaging to young children who are exploring their world through all of their senses. Importantly, allow your child time to explore materials without rushing between activities. Observe how they interact with their environment and adapt it as needed.

Managing Behaviour with Positive Discipline

In a Montessori home, positive discipline is key. Rather than saying “Stop!” or “No!”, focus on clear, consistent rules and explanations. Treat your child with respect, set boundaries, and allow natural consequences to guide their learning. Praise effort and progress genuinely – for instance, “I appreciate how carefully you carried your plate.”

Acknowledging and supporting your child’s emotions also fosters emotional regulation and stronger relationships. These approaches not only encourage cooperation and self-esteem but also help children develop essential life skills.

Using Montessori-Inspired Activities

Montessori activities can easily be incorporated into your home routine:

• Practical Life: Encourage skills like pouring water, transferring objects with tongs, or folding clothes.
• Sensorial: Activities such as sorting by size or exploring textures enhance sensory development.
• Language and Literacy: Read together daily, name objects in the environment, and use alphabet puzzles or tracing activities.
• Mathematics: Engage in counting, measure ingredients while cooking, or using number-based puzzles.
• Cultural Sciences and The Arts: Provide children with books about famous artists, science experiments and musical instruments.

Not sure where to start with Montessori materials? There are plenty of online stores within Australia selling Montessori resources.

Connecting with Your Child’s Montessori Centre

It truly takes a village to raise a child, and the Montessori community is a spectacular village. Where possible, stay in touch with your child’s Educators and ask what they are currently focusing on/learning and how you can support their progress at home. We LOVE to share information and knowledge with our families. Participate in parent education sessions offered by the centre to deepen your understanding of the Montessori method, and see how it plays out within the centre. And finally, please do share your observations and experiences from home with the educators to create a collaborative approach to your child’s education.

Ready to begin?

Applying Montessori principles at home complements your child’s experience at their early childhood centre, creating a cohesive and enriching environment that supports their development and fosters a lifelong love of learning.

Remember, the goal isn’t to replicate the classroom but to integrate Montessori values into daily life. Trust in your child’s capabilities, provide the right tools and environment, and watch them thrive.

To start your journey at home, there are two books I highly recommend to kick start Montessori at home.

1. The Montessori Baby: A Parent’s Guide to Nurturing Your Baby with Love, Respect, and Understanding: Volume 2 (by Simone Davies (Author), Junnifa Uzodike (Author), Sanny van Loon (Illustrator))

1. The Montessori Toddler: A Parent’s Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being: Volume 1 (by Simone Davies (Author), Hiyoko Imai (Illustrator)

These two books offer a wealth of practical ideas to help you understand your baby and toddler’s development and provide guidance on how to best support their learning and development at home. Written as accessible parent guides, they serve as the perfect introduction to your Montessori journey at home.