Montessori at Home
February 18, 2026

Guiding Principles

1. Be Patient
As adults we must learn to slow down & have patience, give children the additional time to do it for themselves.
2. Make things Accessible
Bring activities to their level , for example, make use of lower shelves or cupboards, smaller tools or containers.
3. Encourage a Sense of Community
Children love to part take in real life experiences, allow them to contribute to the family by setting the table, pouring water or doing the dishes.
4. Get Outside
Teach them to care for and appreciate nature, develop language skills through discussing your surrounds and make learning an interactive family occasion. 

5. Be Consistent 

Routines that are followed and not rushed provide children with comfort & security. Wherever possible allow adequate time to follow the same daily routine, if you change the routine or have a special occasion prepare the child in advance so they know what to expect. 

6. Grace & Courtesy 

As a parent you need to model the behavior you expect from your child so remember to be polite, compassionate and respectful to others- they will practice what they see not what they are told to do. 

7. Safety First 

Teach children about the dangers at home, explain why we need to be careful in certain situations or when using certain things. We cannot protect children from every danger but we can prepare them. 

8. Continue your own Education 

As our children learn and grow, each new phase of development comes with its own opportunities not only for them but for us too. We need to stay informed and to expand our own education so that we can help them maximize their capacity to embrace all their childhood has to offer. 


PRACTICAL LIFE AT HOME

Ask your child to help with simple tasks such as: 

1. Peeling / chopping vegetables (Life Skill) 

2. Dressing / folding clothes (Care of Self) 

3. Caring for plants (Care of Environment) 

4. Greeting family members (Grace & Courtesy) 

5. Preparing for meals / bed time (Motor control & co-ordination) 


Appropriate Chores:


In The Bedroom: 

Taking clothes from closet Putting dirty clothes in the laundry 

Putting clean clothes away 

Choosing outfits & get dressed 

Helping to make the bed 


Household Tasks: 

Tidy up toys
Care for plants
Care of pets
Clean windows
Prepare themselves to leave the house 

Dusting 

Help with grocery shopping 

Folding clothes
Vacuuming
Mopping


In the bathroom:

Brush hair
Brush teeth 

Wash hands
Tidy up bath toys 

Blow nose 

Wash body 

Hang up towels 

Use toilet 

Flush toilet


SENSORIAL AT HOME

  • The child’s intellectual foundations are constructed through interactions with people & the environment. 
  • Children are naturally curious, they explore and this attention to detail heightens their sensory observations. 
  • Encourage your child’s exploration of colors, shapes, sizes and develop their five senses through natural interactions with their home environment. 


LANGUAGE AT HOME 

  • Language is a living learning part of you home, this is due to the fact that children naturally acquire Language through experiences and interactions in the environment. 
  • At home and at school it is important to create a language rich environment that will entice children and fulfil their drive for language. 
  • Simple Language activities to include in you daily routine : 

1.  Talk 

2. Sing 

3. Read.
4. Write. 

5. Play 


MATH AT HOME

  • Children have a natural drive for order, exactness & exploration, they have the natural potential to investigate, calculate & measure. 
  • This gives them a natural numbers sense. Young children experience informal math we use in daily life - pattern, size, quantity & counting objects in the environment. 
  • You can incorporate Math in many ways including : 

1.Baking / Finger Play / Music / Reading
2. Gardening / Experiments
3.Providing concrete materials 



CULTURE AT HOME

  • The goal of the Culture subjects is to prepare children to know, understand, respect and care for the planet and all people. 
  • At this age we introduce Geography, Science & History through providing opportunities for children to explore & interact in the real world. 
  • Take the time to observe and appreciate the natural world around us. Find the   magic in: 

1. Observing the changing of seasons 

2. Studying Life Cycles
3. Identify flowers & animals
4. Explore culture & traditions 

5. Experiments 


“The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one’s self.  Adults work to finish a task, but the child works in order to grow, and is working to create the adult, the person that is to be. Such experience is not just play... it is work he must do in order to grow up.” 

-Maria Montessori 

Toilet Awareness

February 18, 2026
PSYCHOLOGICAL PREPARATION: REFLECT ON ATTITUDES & EXPECTATIONS Important to treat toilet awareness as a process rather than an immediate outcome. If we are process driven, it eliminates the need to use manipulation, rewards, shame, or excessive pressure. We call it toilet “awareness” because we’re supporting a process of awareness in children which leads to natural, innate independence. Understanding the Child Are they ready? Control of movement: Can they sit? Stand? Hide when they go in their diaper? Communicate that they need a change? Take off their diaper? Participate in dressing? Crisis of Self-Affirmation (Oppositional crisis): 18 mos to 3 yrs (says “No”, separate being) What is their “normal” with elimination? Disposable? Expect resistance with creating a new normal. What are the Goals? First goal: Normalizing the toilet Talk about it Use toileting language Second goal: Internalizing a new habit Creating & supporting the internalization of new routines and associations with toileting (i.e. when I’m wet, it’s time to sit on the toilet and put on dry underwear). Consistency Language Use language that builds children’s self-confidence. Avoid shaming. Use affirmative language and refrain from negative comments about their elimination (i.e. “Peew! You’re stinky!”). Avoid saying “accident” which has negative connotations. Use factual language such as, “you are wet”, “you have a bowel movement”, “your poop goes in the toilet and then we flush it down”. Avoid praise (reality-based experiences, nurture innate motivation vs. external). Celebrate successes to yourself in private. Preparation Child sized & at child’s level A simple potty chair that’s easy to clean and/or a toilet seat w/ step stool Hamper or container for soiled clothes Stool or a chair for dressing and undressing Storage for clean/extra clothes (basket) Toilet paper/wipes Stairs/stool for the sink Clothing for Independence What do we mean by “independence”? Clothing that supports success because that builds confidence in children! Clothing that is easy to take on/off for small hands Lots of cloth underwear! Cloth gives an immediate feeling of elimination Keep pants-less if possible because it offers more success when there are fewer items of clothing to take off before sitting on the toilet Easy to pull-up pants Avoid tight leggings, drawstrings, buttons, and zippers Shoes with velcro On the go: Pidd le pad (carseat) Underwear Covers TIPS FROM MONTESSORI GUIDES  Prepare the environment with your child and name the items (encourages normalization and order). Get into a routine that does things in the same order. (Sound like a broken record? You’re doing it right!) Model or have other children model using the toilet. Check yourself! Your frustration will almost certainly be met with more resistance from your child Relax and your child will too Use intentional language. (Avoid praise & shame. Use affirmative and matter-of-fact language.) Remember that this is a process and adjust expectations. Don’t get too attached to the ultimate outcome. Wait until they are finished with a task to offer the toilet. Less likely to go if they’re interrupted. Don’t ask permission. State clear and consistent expectations (“It’s time to sit on the toilet”). Use “When” and “Then” statements Eliminate words as you repeat statements (“Sit. Toilet.”; simplified language = easier to process). Give Two Choices (supports oppositional crisis, gives toddlers control) Never force a child to use the toilet. Tantrums are not the right time to state expectations. If a tantrum has erupted, it has shifted into calming their bodies.

Montessori Language at Home

February 18, 2026
HOW TO USE LANGUAGE AT HOME Using Clear and Consistent Language: Use complete sentences and words. Avoid baby talk! Toddlers learn to talk by repeating what they hear. So make sure you’re saying “little” not “widdle” like your toddler! Enunciating Slowly: Speak slowly but naturally so the child can process it. Being at Child’s Eye Level: This helps the child see your mouth move while speaking. Engaging in Conversation: The average child spends 3-5 minutes per week in conversation, while the rest is directive language. Avoid Correcting: We do not correct mispronunciations. Instead, we repeat the correct pronunciation so that they can hear it again. Engaging in a Dance of Communication: We give the child an opportunity to respond when we communicate with them. This can be in the form of repeating back what they are saying (especially babies). With babies, we can repeat their own words back to them until they can speak words (then we use words). Creating a Relationship and Desire to Speak: We create a loving relationship with the child by accepting their interests, dislikes, and choices. It is accepting the person that they are. This loving relationship creates the desire to speak. WHEN TO USE LANGUAGE When your toddler is helping to prepare food, give directions ("Please pass the carrot to me.") and use sequencing words (e.g., first, then, next, finally), name the ingredients and cooking utensils you're using and describe them using your senses, and use cooking verbs. Chat about what’s happening during transitions in your routine. “Look at the clear, blue sky today. The sun is so bright. Let’s put on our hats and sunscreen before we go out”. At the grocery store, name the items as you put them into your cart and describe them or talk about how you're going to use the ingredient. “This avocado is still green and firm. We will need to let it ripen on the kitchen counter before we can use to to make guacamole.” When you're helping your toddler learn new self-care skills such as toileting and getting dressed, talk through what to do or how things work. When you need to set a limit on your toddler's behavior, explain why instead of just saying "no". DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE Don’t “Dumb Down “ language for children. Even if they don't understand it, they are absorbing it for later use. Children learn a language by being surrounded by it. Use adjectives to describe things. “Blue ball, Bright red car, Fast loud train” Adjectives and Adverbs add detail to descriptions that builds vocabulary. Children will start to speak using only nouns, but they are taking in all language. Highly descriptive language helps children to learn to differentiate between similar objects, and eventually, similar, but different, ideas. CHOICES Making choices develops the will. We give children the freedom to choose to help them learn to make decisions. Giving them choices helps build their independence. Children need the opportunity to practice making choices. In the Nido and Toddler Communities, we offer two choices, as that is all they can manage at this age. Experience the consequences that may come with the choice they make. There will be times when they do not have a choice, that is okay. Offer choices when you are able. CHOOSING BOOKS Real Life/Objects vs. Fantasy (i.e. Shopping, animals, vehicles, seasons ant etc.) Select books with beautiful illustrations and show them how carefully we hold them as if they were works of art. Always look for rich language and avoid baby talks. A-lot of details in illustration; new discoveries to discuss every time you read.