“The child has a different relation to his environment from ours… the child absorbs it. The things she sees are not just remembered; they form part of her soul. She incarnates in herself all in the world about her that her eyes see and her ears hear.” — *Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind
The Prepared Stroller
Nature is always prepared. With captivating sights and sounds, it aligns perfectly with the infant’s developing visual and auditory skills. It also serves the infant’s absorbent mind and many sensory needs. But a few hands-on infant toys at the ready is helpful as well.
The Absorbent Mind
As Dr. Montessori discovered, the child’s absorbent mind has a sponge-like capacity to absorb “all in the world about her that her eyes see and ears hear.”*. From birth, the infant’s brain absorbs all their environmental experiences and impressions. Using their senses, they are able to learn effortlessly. During this early period of development, their greatest work of self-construction is taking place, i.e., focusing, grasping, rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, talking and more.
Walks Are Wonderful Learning Opportunities
A walk outdoors offers many sensorial experiences and learning opportunities. Both the child and adult can enjoy observing and discovering.
Through observation, the can learn more about the child’s interests. They may turn their head toward a specific sound, react to an unexpected breeze or discover something in the stroller that becomes a tactile interest. Noting their interests is important in order to continue to nurture it in other ways.
Observation Examples and Offering Language
Placing my hand on the blanket, I felt the sun’s warmth. I looked at her and said, “Your blanket feels warm.” I then said, “I am going to lift your hand to feel it too…”, gently moving it to feel the same. Listening, the animal and bird sounds in the distance offered a variety in tones. Again, I turned to her and said, “I hear a bird. And I hear a dog barking.” The chatter of people and cars passing by caused both our heads to turn. I pointed to a budding tree branch and flower, and named each. Finally, I mentioned, “The air smells sweet” and “the blue sky seems endless” …
Nature offered plenty of sensorial experiences and opportunities for new language building. But my lasting impression was the concentrated effort in front of me in the stroller as we walked. I watched in awe as one toy was tasted, felt, and explored intently. Like a sponge, her absorbent mind was engaged and internalizing all the sensorial experiences in play and discovery—one step at a time.