Montessori- inexpesive ideas for making stuff
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<a href="http://www.montessorimaterials.org/res.htm" target="_blank">http://www.montessorimaterials.org/res.htm</a><br><br>
also the Play and Learn book has some great ideas too,look for that at your local public library<br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br>
Mary
also the Play and Learn book has some great ideas too,look for that at your local public library<br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br>
Mary
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285 Posts
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325&tag=motheringhud-20&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fexec%2Fobidos%2Ftg%2Fdetail%2F-%2F0452279097%2F102-3861200-4756907%3Fv%3Dglance" target="_blank">Teaching Montessori in the Home</a> has instructions on how to make most of what you need, and how to use it.
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714 Posts
There's a good yahoo group for making montessori materials....montessorimakers.
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1,879 Posts
go to your one dollar store for trays and small transferring bowls & tongs/spoons of dif sizes. Also they have coin purses to store small objects in and drawstring silky purses & cheap spnges for trnasferring water & clothespins and baskets-- we have had good luck at ethnic grocery stores picking up interesting cups, Chinese tea trays, unusual sizes of dishes.<br><br>
Summer is a good time to hit yard sales for small pitchers/creamers and doilys/tablerunners to set up a flower arranging or plant care station.<br><br>
You can also use the big lots to find small area rugs and plastic frames for letters etc.. Your recycle bin or your neighbors is a great place to find plastic containers/ baby food jars to store manipulatives Go to Joanns and use your hs discount card to pick up cheap remnants of nice fabrics or miss cut oil cloth to cover working surfaces.<br><br>
If playschool6 is still a yahoo group join those ladies <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> If you are Cahtolic pm me, and I can share soem more Catholic Montessori links re Natural Structure<br><br>
If you order the glossy montessori catalgues, you can look at the pictures and duplicate easily with materials you have around the house.<br><br>
I found it helpful to designate a couple weeks a year to making materials and setting them up ahead of time in a tall storage cabinet to rotate in our home stations/shelves. We always have a religion table and a science table up and a reading nook somewhere quiet. the other stuff varies. In the corner of the kitchen and the dining room are short bookshelves with good stuff <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> When my oldest ds is doing his college homework, my 4 yr old will be pulling something out from the shelf to work with at the same time. If your dc doens't naturally clear away them have them practice sorting things to clear and store which kids think is fun, we have music playing which helps the clear it up mood and if dc is working on something big/art projects (like landformations) we have the resin rectangular fold away tables that I get out and put against one wall in our family room and instead of working on the ground they lay out things on the table, that way it does not get trampled by lil ones or puppy. If you have toddlers- for their safety you can get a cabinent with doors and store thing that way instead of open on shelves & show your older dc how to return materials to cabinet to store. If you have a digital camera take pictures of your finished materials and store together in binder in your cabinet or tape to outside of storage bin , you can glance at the pics to know what you have stored then instead of digging through boxes. Also helps to keep from duplicating materials.<br><br>
half of the popular Montessori books have little practical advice in setting up things at home and realitys of hsing mont. method & the time involved<br><br>
the library is the place to get to, our old library had a very nice video series that had mont. at home info<br><br>
HTH<br>
Mary<br>
mom to four wonderful kiddos
Summer is a good time to hit yard sales for small pitchers/creamers and doilys/tablerunners to set up a flower arranging or plant care station.<br><br>
You can also use the big lots to find small area rugs and plastic frames for letters etc.. Your recycle bin or your neighbors is a great place to find plastic containers/ baby food jars to store manipulatives Go to Joanns and use your hs discount card to pick up cheap remnants of nice fabrics or miss cut oil cloth to cover working surfaces.<br><br>
If playschool6 is still a yahoo group join those ladies <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> If you are Cahtolic pm me, and I can share soem more Catholic Montessori links re Natural Structure<br><br>
If you order the glossy montessori catalgues, you can look at the pictures and duplicate easily with materials you have around the house.<br><br>
I found it helpful to designate a couple weeks a year to making materials and setting them up ahead of time in a tall storage cabinet to rotate in our home stations/shelves. We always have a religion table and a science table up and a reading nook somewhere quiet. the other stuff varies. In the corner of the kitchen and the dining room are short bookshelves with good stuff <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> When my oldest ds is doing his college homework, my 4 yr old will be pulling something out from the shelf to work with at the same time. If your dc doens't naturally clear away them have them practice sorting things to clear and store which kids think is fun, we have music playing which helps the clear it up mood and if dc is working on something big/art projects (like landformations) we have the resin rectangular fold away tables that I get out and put against one wall in our family room and instead of working on the ground they lay out things on the table, that way it does not get trampled by lil ones or puppy. If you have toddlers- for their safety you can get a cabinent with doors and store thing that way instead of open on shelves & show your older dc how to return materials to cabinet to store. If you have a digital camera take pictures of your finished materials and store together in binder in your cabinet or tape to outside of storage bin , you can glance at the pics to know what you have stored then instead of digging through boxes. Also helps to keep from duplicating materials.<br><br>
half of the popular Montessori books have little practical advice in setting up things at home and realitys of hsing mont. method & the time involved<br><br>
the library is the place to get to, our old library had a very nice video series that had mont. at home info<br><br>
HTH<br>
Mary<br>
mom to four wonderful kiddos
Mary, THANK YOU for all of that great info!!!!!!! I am going to head to the dollar store today! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
Thanks all for the great links!<br><br>
Heidi
Thanks all for the great links!<br><br>
Heidi
Joined
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957 Posts
copied from <a href="http://members.aol.com/MParents/RenPargeneral.html" target="_blank">http://members.aol.com/MParents/RenPargeneral.html</a><br><br><br>
A FEW MONTESSORI TEACHING PRINCIPLES FOR THE HOME:<br><br>
(1) Prepare the environment to help the child act, and think independently, and make intelligent decisions - for example a mattress on the floor for a baby to get in and out of bed as he pleases, low hooks for hanging up towels, pajamas, coats, etc., materials and books always ready for the child to choose.<br><br>
(2) Break down abilities which you want to help your child to develop into manageable sections, each providing a sense of accomplishment and preparing for the next stage - like putting only the napkins on the table when first learning to set the table for a meal, or, learning to do knobbed puzzles before learning to hold a pencil properly. Or create a game of "putting things away," and "cleaning up after a project,"separate from the rest of the work.<br><br>
(3) Have patience, take time, try to respect concentration - even if it is only that of a child trying to put on a sweater, or building with blocks. It is the focus and concentration that is important, not the "educational" value of the activity.<br><br>
GUIDELINES FOR MATERIALS:<br><br>
I do not know the ages of your children, but at all ages I would say that essential materials are those which have a real practical purpose, allow the child to move, and have exact techniques which the child can master - cooking, sewing, gardening, playing a musical instrument, science experiments, for example - math and language will be more successful, no matter what materials are used, if the child has developed concentration, careful work habits, completion of cycles of work, cleaning up after himself, responsibility, solving problems, and making decisions. Materials should be as beautiful and inviting as you can afford, made of natural materials instead of plastic. Think about all of the areas of learning - botany, zoology, art, music, physics, geology, literature, math, etc. and make-borrow-buy a few inspiring books or activities to introduce the child to each area. Then help her follow her interests. Try to have a special place for each book and piece of material so that it can always be found when the child is inspired to work, even labeling the shelves if this helps your family - it helps ours, especially in our library.
A FEW MONTESSORI TEACHING PRINCIPLES FOR THE HOME:<br><br>
(1) Prepare the environment to help the child act, and think independently, and make intelligent decisions - for example a mattress on the floor for a baby to get in and out of bed as he pleases, low hooks for hanging up towels, pajamas, coats, etc., materials and books always ready for the child to choose.<br><br>
(2) Break down abilities which you want to help your child to develop into manageable sections, each providing a sense of accomplishment and preparing for the next stage - like putting only the napkins on the table when first learning to set the table for a meal, or, learning to do knobbed puzzles before learning to hold a pencil properly. Or create a game of "putting things away," and "cleaning up after a project,"separate from the rest of the work.<br><br>
(3) Have patience, take time, try to respect concentration - even if it is only that of a child trying to put on a sweater, or building with blocks. It is the focus and concentration that is important, not the "educational" value of the activity.<br><br>
GUIDELINES FOR MATERIALS:<br><br>
I do not know the ages of your children, but at all ages I would say that essential materials are those which have a real practical purpose, allow the child to move, and have exact techniques which the child can master - cooking, sewing, gardening, playing a musical instrument, science experiments, for example - math and language will be more successful, no matter what materials are used, if the child has developed concentration, careful work habits, completion of cycles of work, cleaning up after himself, responsibility, solving problems, and making decisions. Materials should be as beautiful and inviting as you can afford, made of natural materials instead of plastic. Think about all of the areas of learning - botany, zoology, art, music, physics, geology, literature, math, etc. and make-borrow-buy a few inspiring books or activities to introduce the child to each area. Then help her follow her interests. Try to have a special place for each book and piece of material so that it can always be found when the child is inspired to work, even labeling the shelves if this helps your family - it helps ours, especially in our library.
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