Montessori and Early Math Ideas

When your infant or toddler is eating or playing, you can take the opportunity to introduce counting and quantities in a fun way that integrates math and language with overall fun.

For example, you can put three berries into your child's oatmeal. As you help your child with the spoon and oatmeal, you can count the berries as they go onto the spoon...one, two, three!

If you and your child are sitting on the floor, you can roll three soft balls his or her way as you count them, too. You can also add in the name of the item -- one ball, two balls, three balls.

Just look for opportunities to mix touch, sight, and the use of language to the exercise and remember NOT to take the counting part seriously at all right now. This should all be relaxed and enjoyable parent-child time with no thought of actually having your infant or young toddler really remember the counting.

Refined Hand Movement Exercises for Toddlers

Large-sized nuts and bolts are one of the most popular toddler exercises in the Montessori program for toddlers!

* Material needed: Six large nuts & bolts
* Two small bowls and one larger bowl
* A small tray

Put the bolts on the nuts, place the sets in the larger bowl, and put all the bowls on the tray. Keep the tray in the Practical Life section of your home classroom so your child can return to use it whenever he or she likes.

1. What to do: Invite your child to try this exercise.
2. Take the tray from the shelf and place it on the table.
3. Sit on your child's non-dominant side (on the left of a right-handed child).
4. Pick up one nut and bolt. Hold the bolt with your left hand and unscrew the nut with your right hand (if you think your child is left-handed, switch hands).
5. Put the nut in one bowl and the bolt in the other.
6. Ask your child if he or she would like to try.
7. Let your child tinker with the process and work alone (sometimes it is easiest if you excuse yourself and wander off a bit).
8. Your child can put everything back together and put the tray on the shelf.

Younger toddlers and infants who are still putting things in their mouths can work well with wooden or plastic (depending on your feelings about plastic) versions of nuts and bolts, too.

Learn more about teaching your child at home with Montessori with our curriculum newsletters.

Infants and Language Development

All exercises in the Montessori class are designed to incorporate an element of language. Whether your child is working with sweeping, counting beads, or using the musical bells, your use of language is important.

Focus on succinct phrasing along with rich and precise vocabulary. For example, use the word "thin" to describe something that is thin, rather than using the word "small" as you might be tempted to do because you know your child knows the meaning of the word.

Learn more about using Montessori with infants and toddlers by signing up for our Montessori at home curriculum newsletters.

Montessori for Infants and Toddlers!

We had originally moved this blog to one on our site here, but since we had a lot of readers coming to this initial blog, we decided to devote this one to infants and toddlers.

If your child is over the age of three or you are looking for general Montessori and early childhood information, please do take a peek at our Montessori House at Home blog.

Are you new to Montessori? Maria Montessori's original book, the Montessori Method, is available for free online at The Celebration of Women Writers site.

Comments on this blog? Check our new blog for responses!

We've moved all comments to our new blog here

New Address for Our Blog

We are now hosting our blog on our site at My Montessori House Blog

Visit us for new articles on independent work in the Montessori classroom, a discussion of Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook, and more!

Montessori: Methodology? Equipment?

When parents first visit a Montessori classroom, the equipment makes a big impression, especially if there is no class underway during the visit. For parents who are researching Montessori online without access to a classroom, equipment makes an even bigger impression.

Interestingly, Chandra Fernando, a Montessori teacher and teacher trainer for over 30 years, feels that this emphasis on equipment is beginning to detract from the most important focus, namely, the methodology and the thought process behind Montessori education. She implored us to share with our readers her feelings that methodology should be the primary focus of parents who want to use Montessori at home, whether on a homeschool basis or just as a general approach to interacting and teaching their children at home.

If you are new to Montessori, here are a few suggestions to get you started with implementing the methodology:

1. Create a child-accessible environment that allows your child to pursue independence in daily activities such as using the bathroom, making healthy snacks, working with his or her games and educational materials, and maintaining an orderly atmosphere.
2. An orderly atmosphere means no blaring televisions and squabbling or loud adults. This might only be possible to achieve in your child's bedroom or a study, but a calm and orderly atmosphere means your child will have a chance to develop his or her own internal sense of calm and order, so it is worth it.
3. Teach by example. This goes for everything from using the Movable Alphabet letters to make words to using manners to discipline.
   
4. Adult-child interactions should be respectful. No yelling. This goes for both parties.
   
5. A moot point for most of our readers, but it is important to emphasize that you should not spank or slap your child. Lori at Montessori for Everyone has written extensively on this topic.
   

This is just to get started. We will be writing up a short series of interviews with various teachers and sharing them with you on our blog in the coming weeks.