“We must understand that anything which animates the child is a help to his development.”~ Maria Montessori, The 1946 London Lectures As grandparents who live away from our two young grandchildren, maintaining a long-distance family connection is very important to us—and it can also be challenging for all. With both their family’s and our busy
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“The children love to do these things* for themselves and they learn to be careful and precise in their movements. This is both education of movement, because there is a refinement of muscular co-ordination when the work is carefully done, and education through movement, because these activities involve judgement and will, self-discipline, and an appreciation
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“…the tiny child’s absorbent mind finds all its nutriment in its surroundings. Here it has to locate itself, and build itself up from what it takes in. Especially at the beginning of life must we, therefore, make the environment as interesting and attractive as we can.” ~ Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind During an interview
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“The urge towards growth lies within the child himself – his intelligence and character will grow whatever we may do, but we can help or hinder the growth. The child in the overluxurious nursery with too many toys and distractions and the irksomeness of constant supervision is like a young plant that is overwatered –
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“Movement of the hand is essential. Little children revealed that the development of the mind is stimulated by the movement of the hands. The hand is the instrument of the intelligence. The child needs to manipulate objects and to gain experience by touching and handling. ” ~ Maria Montessori, The 1946 London Lectures Because children are
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“Psychological studies have shown that it is necessary to isolate the senses as far as possible if some single quality is to be brought out.” ~ Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child Most often, toddlers are eager to try new activities. Typically, they are “all in” when invited to participate. With boundless enthusiasm for
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“When children experience pleasure not only from an activity leading towards a special goal but also in carrying it out exactly in all its details, they open up a whole new area of education for themselves. In other words, preference should be given to an education of movement: practical activities are simply an external incentive
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“Gradually, we came to recognise the child’s love for order and witnessed its surprising memory of the exact position of each object.”~ Maria Montessori, Citizen of the World A prepared toddler play space contains thoughtfully selected toys and beautiful materials intended to meet the child’s developmental needs and abilities. Attractive and edited toy shelves and baskets,
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“The training and sharpening of the senses has the obvious advantage of enlarging the field of perception and of offering an over more solid foundation for intellectual growth. The intellect builds up its store of practical ideas through contact with, and exploration of its environment. Without such concepts the intellect would lack precision and inspiration
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“When the child pronounces the sounds of the consonants he experiences an obvious pleasure. This series of sounds so varied and so well known, which come to life in the presence of an enigmatic symbol like a letter of the alphabet, are a novelty for him. There is a mystery about it that arouses in
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