Montessori Practical Life Activities

Manipulating with Gross and Fine Motor Skills in preparation for writing

The Montessori Practical Life is the first in the series of Montessori education in Montessori schools. The child learns skills for daily practical living. Such preschool activities provide the foundation for coordination of movement, independence and a sense of order, concentration, and a care for himself and the environment.

The process of learning the Montessori Practical Life skills is divided into clear isolated progressive steps. Without much verbal explanations, the child observes the well-defined and calculated movements and catches on with accurate imitation.

Scroll down and take a look at some of the Montessori Practical Life activities :

SELF CARE activities like:

• Washing Hands
• Tying Shoe laces & Ribbons
• Putting on buttons
• Dressing – T-shirts & Jackets
• care of clothing

MONTESSORI CLASSROOM RULES

Montessori Teachers take pain and time in teaching the kids step by step, basic rules of the classroom like:

• Tidying up to complete a cycle of work
• Looking after classroom pets and plants
• Taking care of books with a sense of caring for public properties
• Preparing and serving refreshments
• Carrying and handling materials
• Walking across the class without clashing onto someone else
• Using floor mats to define work space

GRACE & SOCIAL SKILLS

The child learns how to:

• Introduce oneself
• Shake hands & Welcome guests
• Await one's turn and not interrupt
• Make requests politely
• Apologize when in wrong
• Offer to help others
• Be confident and Make eye contact
• Be a team play and work co-operatively
• Serve others like offering refreshments
• Graciously walk with a partner
• Be aware of table manners
• Use their inside & outside voices
• Resolves conflict

Other activities in this Montessori Practical Life that enhances the kids' eye-hand co-ordination, sequencing etc.. like:

• Pouring liquids
• Washing dishes
• Cleaning and setting a table
• Polishing
• Doing laundry
• Sweeping & Mopping
• Carrying chairs
• Sorting sizes and colors
• Opening and closing locks, bottles..etc
• Sewing
• Using Pipettes
• Cutting, grating, slicing
• Folding

Kids at this impressionable age love to role play and pretend to be little adults. Why not let them do it systematically, progressively and under observation ?

When a child gets absorbed in his world of discovering cause and effects of his actions, he is actually perfecting his small motor skills - the use of his fingers and wrists - which is so necessary in pre-writing skill.

This is the first and easiest level to introduce to a new students. The teacher doesn't have to give much instructions with words. Rather, she would show the child how to do the exercises, allow the child to imitate and confirms the actions with approval.

With practice, the child learns quickly and masters his practical life skills, and therefore builds confidence and concentration.

Check out Montessori Method on Sensorial Activities

Check out Montessori Method on Language Curriculum

Check out Montessori Method on Mathematics Curriculum

An Overview on the Montessori Method

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