Montessori Radmoor

Montessori radmoor

Hello all T1 parents –

Welcome back to last year’s families. It’s so great to see how all of the children have grown over the summer. To our new families, welcome! It’s so nice to have your children in class.  We are all working together, having snack together, and learning how to work in the classroom.  Every year parents are looking for activities they can bring into their home. In the classroom practical life activities are some of the children’s favorite things to do. Young children enjoy sweeping and mopping. At home children can wipe down tables, water plants, feed pets, set the table, wash windows, and help with washing dishes. In our classroom the children wash fruit, peel apples, cut up cucumbers, and much more. It’s our job at school to prepare the environment and give each child the freedom of movement. I realize this might be a harder task at home because most home environments aren’t made specifically for toddlers. But, children can do these activities at home and become more independent as a result.

Toddlers are so capable of so many tasks. When starting with activities at home remember that children love their independence and it’s our job to give them freedom to make choices. Giving children the chance to pick between two shirts to wear or choosing their own jacket help them become responsible. Children want to make decisions for themselves. So, give them choices. If your child really likes to change clothes, give them a small basket of shirts and socks to let them practice. You may be surprised how long your child will practice that one task. Finding practical life activities at home can be very simple. If you child wants to water the plants but you don’t want water all over the house find some plants outside for your child to water. In the past I’ve had children paint pots, put soil in the pots, plant seeds, and water the seeds every day.  This is a fun activity that lasts for a long time. This activity helps with eye/hand coordination, using the senses, language, and fine motor skills. It also promotes taking care of the environment. At school the children are using many of the practical life activities to take care of the environment. It’s a part of their everyday routine at school. Carrying out these activities at home can be fun, exciting and helpful.

Toddlers will need time to practice these skills over and over.  Muscle memory is how we remember how to drive to work, or do the same tasks on a daily basis. So, when your child is filling up the watering can the eighth time and your outdoor plants look well-watered, think about your child practicing over and over, perfecting his movements with each step. This is how your child is learning. This is how he builds his confidence and becomes his best self. The more rich the environment for a child the more confident a child becomes. Giving your child a great foundation to build upon is what we are working toward. Giving your child that same rich environment at home can only help and inspire.

Sincerely,

Kristy

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