Montessori in the Home – Toddlers/Two’s
Our second parent gathering this month we discussed how to integrate the Montessori philosophy in the home for children of all ages. Infants, Toddler, and Primary age families learned how to set up different areas in the home to foster independence while Elementary teachers shared what tasks and responsibilities older children should participate in at home for daily “homework.” In this blog post, we discuss ways to promote independence for Toddlers and Two’s.
“A place for everything and everything in its place.”
Toddlers/Twos:
Tasks to promote independence:
1. Sense of routine/consistency
2. Ownership of the environment
3. Being a role model
Preparation of the environment to help promote independence:
Having a set routine helps a child feel safe and secure. They begin to understand what comes next. Consistent wake-up times, feeding times, changing times and nap times.
Cleaning up after themselves, pushing in their chairs, helping with the dishes, putting laundry from the dryer to the basket, etc.
Getting dressed - Laying their outfits out in a designated area every day for them to practice getting dressed.
Eating with utensils - When putting food in front of them, include a spoon/fork even if it is finger food. The family eats together.
Pouring their own drink/using a cup - Have them pour their own drink and drink with a cup that does not have a lid.
Using the bathroom - Even if they are still in a diaper, sit them on the toilet each time to show them that this is where they go to use the bathroom each day. They should also practice how to wipe themselves and how to pull up their own pants after they are finished.
Cleaning up - When finished with a toy/food, there should be a place where they can clean up their things whether it be a toy box that they can open themselves or a little wash station where they can place their dishes inside of.
Manners - Children mirror actions that they see adults/peers do. Model the behavior that you would expect your child to have. When passing them an object, making sure they say please and thank you.
Self-soothing - Having the child be able to calm themselves down on their own whether it is at bedtime or drop off at school, there should be a place where the child can go and sit to calm themselves down until they are ready to do what they need to do.
