What is Practice Life?
We find ourselves in a strange time and for those of us who are not trained in teaching and learning, this season may be difficult. How do we think of activities that are achievable for our child, and yet educational? What can we use around the house without having to pay an arm and a leg for a specialised material, only to have it shipped several weeks from when we actually need it? Montessori can help with that.
Montessori education comes from the wonderful and insightful, Maria Montessori, who sought to put the child at the centre of their own education. The result is an independent and inquisitive child that excels in the academic and real world. A lot of Montessori activities are aimed for the education of the child to continue at home, especially the activities of Practical Life.
Considering this, we’ve asked St Nicholas Montessori School Teacher Sarah Fitzpatrick to share with us six practical life activities that parents can do at home with their children.
1. Matching and Folding Socks
A helpful task as well as educational one! Definitely available for everyone to do at home.
Instructions:
Gather up all clean socks and their pairs. Mix up the pairs and allow the child to match up each sock with their counterpart.
Skills developed:
- Fine motor skill development
- Eye hand co-ordination
- Matching like objects
- Ability to differentiate different colours and patterns
- Caring for self
- Sense of order
2. Folding Clothes
Another helpful yet educational task!
Instructions:
Once dried, gather all items of clean laundry and fold yours slowly, allowing for the child to watch and learn then fold their own clothes.
Skills developed:
- Fine motor skill development
- Gross motor skill development
- Eye hand co-ordination
- Develop folding skills
- Caring for self
- Sense of order
3. Opening and Closing
A simple task with everyday items.
Instructions:
Gather any items that have a lid. Take off the lids and allow the child to trial each lid with all the containers.
Pro-tip: Mix and match small and large containers of all kinds!
Skills developed:
- Fine motor skill development
- Eye hand co-ordination
- Strengthening of pincer grip
- Caring for self
- Caring for environment
- Sense of order
4. Spooning Rice
This task can easily be done at home, perhaps even before you decide to make some rice for dinner!
Instructions:
Gather two bowls, a cup of rice, a tray and spoon. Have the child pour the rice into one bowl, then take the spoon and transfer the rice to the second bowl.
Skills developed:
- Fine motor skill development
- Eye hand co-ordination
- Strengthening of pincer grip
- Caring for self
- Caring for environment
- Sense of order
- Control of movement
5. Threading
Enhance children’s fine motor skills with this easy task. This could be done with many items around the house!
Instructions:
Gather some beads, rubber bands or any type of circular item and a piece of string, a shoe lace or a ribbon and allow the child to string the bead onto the string. This promotes fine motor development and eye hand co-ordination!
Skills developed:
- Fine motor skill development
- Eye hand co-ordination
- Strengthening of pincer grip
- Caring for environment
- Sense of order
- Develops concentration skills
- Control of movement
6. Pouring Liquids
Enhance children’s pouring skills, eye-hand co-ordination and independence with this simple activity. All that is needed are two jugs (plastic or glass) and water.
Instructions:
Place two jugs/jars on the table in front of the child (on the tray if applicable). Fill the one on the left with water.
Invite the child to grasp the handle of the full jug with one hand and support the spout with the tree fingers of the other hand. Empty the water into the second jug. If you are using jars simply encourage the child to empty water from one jar into another. The child can repeat this in the opposite direction.
Pro-tip: Place a kitchen cloth beside the child so they can wipe any spillages.
Skills developed:
- Fine motor skill development
- Eye hand co-ordination
- Develops concentration skills
- Control of movement
For more ideas and activities to do at home with your children, check out our blog page at www.smsi.ie.