Sharing some Montessori inspired educational activities that I had set up for my 26 months old son around Easter time. Do checkout my Easter storytelling setup HERE.
Hope you found some ideas for your child from this video.
If you prefer seeing pictures of the activities, then here are the pics!
Do you have music instruments in your child's toy collection? If not, then you should seriously consider adding few instruments today!
My 26-month-old son surprised everyone with his self-discovered beat pattern and that motivated me to share with everyone so many benefits of music instruments, specially percussion, in early childhood! Being a singer & musician myself, I cannot be happier to see the beat sense developing so beautifully in my son :)
Check out this video to know some awesome benefits of introducing music instruments to your child!
My son is now 2.2 years and art at our home is mostly about open-ended exploration with various mediums like crayons, pencil colors, water colors, tempera paints, sketch pens, ice paints etc.
At the end of an engrossed art session, my toddler calls me to his art desk & tell me, mumma, see I made a sun. Mumma, see this is road & car, this is a house.
Ice painting
tempera paints using paint brush
Mumma, this is golden sun, red sun & green sun!
And the art work never looks like that particular object, of course because he is just 2.2 years right now. But what I am happy about is the way he is continuing to express himself on the paper, with no adult prompts, totally motivated on his own.
There are so many of his art works now that I have no idea how to store them ;)
Last night he did this painting while I was browsing through facebook on my bed.
Mumma, this is Anaconda
Usually, he calls me to show his artwork when he is done, but last night he suddenly got up from his chair & ran away from the room. I asked him what happened? He said with a mischevious smile, mumma, I made an anaconda, he is going to bite me! I laughed out so loud on this :) Then he teasingly said, mumma, this is just a toy anaconda, it will not bite me!
I was so surprised & amused with this episode that I decided to write this entire blog post on open-ended art for toddlers! Hope this is useful for you too.
What Does An Open-Ended Art Activity Mean?
Here is a checklist to know if what you are doing with your child is open-ended or not -
Variety of art supplies are there for the child to choose from & there are no direct instructions to choose one or more
The supplies are kept at a reachable place for the toddler, the furniture is child-sized so that the toddler can help himself when he wants to practice art
The place where the child would practice art is accessible, well maintained & clean
There is no end product or sample to follow, the child is free to express with the art supplies
There are no step-by-step instructions
The emphasis is on the process of making the art & not the final product, there is no right or wrong way to create an art work
The end product may or may not look like some creature or some thing really
The child decides the time & duration when he wants to do the art, there is no arts-time in the time-table
How Does An Open-Ended Art Exercise Help Toddlers?
Fosters independence & responsibility while they freely use the materials & take care of them
Enhances their power of expression while they use their little hands to reflect themselves on to a piece of paper
Enhances intrinsic motivation because there is no one to tell them when & what to paint. Going forward in life, it is very important to have that intrinsic motivation to succeed
Boosts their creativity
The process of making such art relaxes them, it is therapeutic
Kids feel accomplished when they make something they want to make themselves, it boosts their self-esteem
It improves their planning, problem-solving & comprehension skills as they try to create something on paper that they have in mind, they choose the art medium, colors, shapes all by themselves
It enhances their fine motor skills of course!
How To Encourage?
I have set up a small arts corner at my place where he can work on his art projects independently & whenever he wants to. Sometimes the masterpieces are done in the mornings, sometimes evenings & sometimes at midnight too ;) This is so Montessori inspired! The prepared environment for the child :)
Here is a sneak peek into my toddler's art corner. I have used whatever I had at home, no fancy easels or boards. It is super budget friendly. You can take some ideas to set up something similar with what you already have at home.
I would love to hear from you all & see pictures of your child's art spaces!
It was me 2 years back who sowed the seeds and would patiently wait for the greens to grow. Now it's my toddler's turn :)
My then 25-month-old son sowed Fenugreek seeds and we harvested fresh and lovely Fenugreek leaves after few weeks. He said he will eat methi paratha with those tender methi leaves! He loves it! And that is why I chose Fenugreek so that he is able to appreciate the process from start to end - from sowing seeds to watering the plant to seeing micro greens to seeing mature leaves to harvesting to actually consuming it happily.
He now knows how important trees and plants are for us, specially in hot summers these days, trees provide us shade. And of course, that plants give us food.
This generation kids need to know the importance of going green so much more than our generation for obvious reasons!
My now 26-month-old son sowed Spinach seeds recently, here is a sneak peek of our cute gardening exercise.
Gardening in itself teaches a lot to kids of all ages, starting from toddlerhood! Let us look how does it benefit -
Multisensory Learning
Montessori focusses on learning through multiple senses because that is how toddlers learn! While gardening, kids can touch & feel the soil, seeds, water, leaves. They can see beautiful colors of nature. They can smell the earth & the plants & flowers! They can hear the lovely birds chirping on the terrace & the wind blowing. And of course, they can eat what they plant (conditions apply)
Motor Skills
As seen in the video above, a lot of large & small muscle movements are required end to end. A great way to enhance gross & fine motor skills while working in nature, no frills activity, no activity box needed!
Sequencing
A very important skill to master, in addition to using puzzles or printables to teach the lifecycle of a plant, it would be great if we can give toddlers a hands-on experience of the same. They would remember this for ever then.
Science
According to the age, we can talk about basic science concepts like photosynthesis, composting, worms, insects etc. And further, we can supplement it with book readings. This can be a starting point of deep conversations with the toddlers. They are super curious & answering their questions related to gardening would be fun science lessons.
Life Lessons
Caring & Responsibility, patience, cycle of life, confidence, focus - all these deep & profound lessons can be learnt while gardening, taking care of the plat & seeing it grow.
Healthy Eating
If kids grow their own food, and are involved from end to end, they are likely to eat better & of course healthy.
Hands On Maths Lessons
From counting number of seeds to sow to measuring the right depth to sow the seeds to counting petals in a flower or leaves in a green to measuring the height of a plant, maths is everywhere. And gardening in every way is helping the child to sharpen his maths skills.
Bonding
A Sunday morning sowing seeds with mom or dad - the child will always cherish such beautiful memories. Gardening gives us a chance to bond beautifully with our kids & have great conversations.
Relaxation & Mindfulness
Gardening for me is like a meditation. It is therapeutic. It relaxes & helps us to become mindful of our surroundings our nature. And it is the same for kids too. Read my post HERE about 6 ways to develop mindfulness in kids.
I would love to know how & what did you do with your kids in your terrace garden! Hop on to our facebook page or closed facebook group to be a part of this parent-tribe :) And do not forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel, I would love to see you guys in my next video!
I have been following Montessori with my son and now I am also being attracted to another alternative education philosophy - Waldorf. I like to read a lot on the topics that excite me & these days it is Waldorf. I thought this compilation would be a good resource for myself & people like me who would like to know more about Waldorf.
These are links about Waldorf education that I like to go back, read & refer. Below the hyperlinks, I have added an excerpt of the actual post.
I will keep on adding links here as I go ahead in my parenting journey, so you might want to have this link bookmarked :)
What Are Waldorf Toys?
I will go on to explain that the kinds of toys we carry are wooden, eco-friendly and organic toys. You know, “green toys.” This gives most people a better idea, but there is so much more to it than that. Beyond simply being natural toys, what exactly makes a toy a “Waldorf toy?”
Comparision Of Montessori & Waldorf Methodologies
This comparison of Waldorf and Montessori educational philosophies is based on my personal experience as a teacher in both Montessori and Waldorf school systems. I would like to preface my remarks by stressing that there can be much difference from one classroom to another in any philosophy, due to the style and interpretation of the individual teacher Singing Through The Day - Discovering Waldorf
Today, Melody, from Little Home Blessings, talks about song and how meaningful it can be for parents and for children. I too have been utterly amazed at how song has calmed my children and has helped them to do things they are resisting. In fact, if A Good Man wants to tease me, he often does it in a sing song voice… and I smile inwardly, knowing that Waldorf has seeped into his heart too.
Waldorf and Montessori: How do they compare?
Both Steiner and Montessori developed educational systems that were developmentally appropriate for children, and both stress a learning environment that is aesthetically pleasing. Both systems are designed to awaken the senses of the young child, and both incorporate moral development in their curriculum. Both philosophies discourage television for young children and consider it to be detrimental to the child’s social, emotional, and intellectual development. Both philosophies also value the concept of students having the same teacher for several years. There are many differences in the “methods” of the two philosophies.
Why is handwork considered so vital? It is patently obvious that handwork can nourish artistic sensibilities, bring practical skills, and reinforce numeracy. But how does it affect learning?
Discovering Waldorf Series
A beautiful series of so many articles covering different aspects of Waldorf philosophy. A great starting point for Waldorf.
Books To Teach Alphabets -The Waldorf Way
Waldorf alphabet books are read to a young child to engage the imagination and bring the ABC’s to life. The fairy tale like stories will help a child develop an intimate relationship with each letter of the alphabet.
Waldorf educators believe that it is important to develop the imagination before reading is introduced. The first part of this exploration takes place through rhymes, poems, and stories like those found below.
It is believed that reading these beautiful books and magical tales will help unlock the keys to the written word and prepare a child to read.
DIY Waldorf Square Puzzle
Both children and adults can exercise their geometric and spatial thinking while tinkering with this puzzle’s 3-dimensional pieces. Many variations of shapes, colors, and patterns are possible. They are the perfect STEAM toy to leave out on tables and desks to invite creative play.
Play is the most important work of early childhood. Children begin to understand the world around them through movement and play. As parents and caregivers, we must provide play environments that allow children to discover the world at their own pace.
The Waldorf Steiner education practices hands on learning activities, while providing a lovely natural environment perfectly suited for creative play. That is one of the things that really draws me into loving Waldorf. Here you will find open ended toys and beautiful items that your children will enjoy for years to come.
Mindfulness can help children improve their abilities to pay attention, to calm down when they are upset and to make better decisions. In short, it helps with emotional regulation and cognitive focus.
My 2-year-old son A, one fine day -
A (out of no where) : mumma, how to do dhyaan mudra? Pls do it for me Me : ok here you go (and now you can see my son's picture doing dhyaan mudra, above in this post) And then he said, 'family meditation time' ... And we both did Om chanting, Gayatri Mantra and Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra chanting together.
If you are wondering how to develop mindfulness in your toddler or how to introduce meditation or any spiritual exercise to your toddler (which is very important in today's world), here are some tips on the same - Start With Yourself
Start doing it yourself from today. Toddlers LOVE to imitate adults. You will wonder how beautifully they will start following you in no time & they will be proud of this fact too.
Set A Rhythm
Waldorf philosophy talks so much about setting a rhythm in a child's life. It makes the life of this little being more predictable & setting a rhythm has so many more benefits. Set an everyday rhythm for any mindfuness exercise - which means meditating or chanting mantras at a specific time of the day every day so that the practice is set into the daily rhythm of toddlers - remember they do not have much sense of time or days as yet. We have started this 'family meditation time' as a ritual with me, my husband and my son every night to introduce him to what is called 'silence lesson' in Montessori. Mindfulness and meditation come naturally to us - I'm an energy healer and Reiki practitioner myself and husband is a serious Yoga practitioner.
Sweet & Simple
Toddlers cannot process much so initially keep it super simple so that they are not overwhelmed with the entire exercise. You can even start with a simple Om chanting two or three times or just counting their breaths up to 5.
Keep Your Expectations Zero
Initially, when we started family meditation time, my son just roamed around in the room while I & my husband chanted mantras. But remember that children are listening & observing all the time, even the time when we think they are ignoring everything around them. Gradually he started sitting with us during chanting & now he chants along with us when he is in a good mood, but with eyes open hehe. When he is in a super playful mood, he even monkeys around on our laps while we chant. So the key here is to be consistent in our practice & kids will assimilate the practice gradually, but may not exhibit it always.
Do Not Limit Mindfulness To Meditation Or Chanting
Mindfulness is not just sitting with eyes closed & chanting mantras or concentrating on the breath. It also means being present & aware in your day to day tasks. One great way to be mindful when you are outdoors with your toddler is to make him listen the bird sounds, sound of the trees waving, sound of the water flowing in the streams and so on. We do this with our son & now he himself tells me when we are in a park, mumma, listen the koyal singing, mumma which bird's sound is this, mumma, I hear an ambulance siren and so on. And many times we realize these sounds after our son tells us! And I wonder when did we lose this capability of registering everything that is happening around us...
Prayers & Gratitude
It is a great idea to involve the little ones in prayers. It is equally important to teach them to express gratitude. The only way is to say grace & courtesy words often ourselves - to our little imitating monkeys :) It is so heart warming when my son says sweet thank yous when I set up new Montessori shelf activities for him or when I get him his favorite stuff to eat etc. And it is so funny & amusing to listen to something like this from my son - mumma, I got a glass of water for you, say thank you :) :)
Please do share what else worked for you in developing mindfulness in your kids!
Happy Parenting :)
This article was also featured on ChildSafeMedia on International Yoga Day 2017. Read HERE.
I get such questions often in my parenting workshops & as personal messages -
My 2/3 year old is hyper active. He does not sit at one place. What activities can I do with him?
I have very less domestic help. How can I keep my toddler occupied while I finish my daily chores?
How can I start implementing Montessori at home?
How can I increase the concentration of my toddler?
And many more such questions...
The answer is simple but rather difficult to implement. The first thing I answer to such questions is at this age, involve them in daily household chores - which in Montessori terms mean - involve your toddlers in practical life activities.
It can be as simple as pouring water from one container to another to dusting a table to bringing a glass of water to watering the plants, and so on. Many parents wonder how & what to present to the toddlers so that they will be interested. The good news is toddlers love to imitate & they love doing real work as we adults too. We just need to trust them & give them freedom within limits. Montessori practical life activities are a great way to keep them engaged & indirectly these activities help in enhancing so many more skills like fine motor, prewriting, concentration, independence, problem solving etc.
Now some announcement! :)
What do you get when four Montessori moms from different countries come together to compile their first hand Montessori practical life experiences into a book?
I got an opportunity to review this lovely book written by Amruta Ram of Mumma Diaries, Vanessa Theil of Mama’s Happy Hive, Yuliya Fruman Welcome to Mommyhood, and Isabel Arango of Uno Zwei Tutu. The ebook is titled “Montessori Inspiration at Home: Practical Life Skills- Toddler Series” and is available as an instant download in PDF format.
It has some really useful tips to involve your toddlers in real life chores, that you rarely thought they would do, rather they love to do such tasks! The book has a lot of information about how you can implement Montessori principles at home as far as practical life activities are concerned. The design & flow of the book is easy & intuitive to follow. It has real pictures of these mommas' kids' doing those activities, so it is not something only theoretical. Everything in this book is really doable by toddlers. It has step by step instructions how to present a particular activity the Montessori way and equips you with the necessary knowledge. The bonus is a lot of printables that come along with the book that you can use in other related activities. The book also has great collections & pointers to some lovely Montessori blogs, so you can easily bookmark them & start following them for your day to day Montessori needs!
Book Details
Montessori Inspiration At Home - Practical Life Skills - Toddler Series
This Montessori inspired book is a helpful resource for practical life skills for toddlers.
There are 9 chapters that include care of self, care of a pet, care of the home, polishing, cleaning, helping in the kitchen, pouring, spooning, and setting a table.
Also, included with this book is a printable bundle that matches the chapter subjects.
There are over 30 pages of printables and resource information. These printables include matching cards, step-by-step cards, 100 Practical Life Skills Check List, and more!
Extra Resources (Included)
Montessori Method FAQ
Montessori Practical Life FAQ
Printable Practical Life Activities Checklist (100 Practical Life Activities for Toddlers)
Printable Practical Life Materials Checklist
Montessori Books and Resources Checklist
Routine chore chart (visual schedule)
Verdict
For a beginner in Montessori - this ebook is a perfect choice to start implementing Montessori elements at home without getting overwhelmed by pinterest or google results. I assure you will not be lost!
For the parents who have been implementing Montessori at home already - this ebook is a good checklist resource for things they can still implement at home with proper steps & guidance. Of course, not to mention, the printables & other extra resources are fresh from the oven to be used by experienced Montessori parents as well as beginners.
You do not want to miss the special launch offer!!!
Know more about this book in this video
Do share how did you like this book :)
Happy Parenting!
P.S. I am an affiliate for this eBook. I have reviewed the contents as mentioned above and, trust me, a lot of hard work & implementation has gone behind this book. Certainly resourceful for parents who are trying to implement Montessori at home.
