The Montessori Toddler

242

AGE ACTIVITY NAME DESCRIPTION/MATERIALS AREA OF
18+ months DEVELOPMENT
Peeling and • Peeler • Food preparation
18+ months cutting apple • Apple cutter/corer
18+ months • Cutting board • Food preparation
Pour a glass of • Child can peel apple by laying it on the board and
18+ months water • Art/self-expression
Watercolor peeling from top to bottom.
18+ months painting • The apple cutter is pushed from top to bottom • Works with refinement
18–22+ of tactile sense
months Sorting objects to divide the apple into eight segments and to
18–22+ remove the core. • Aids in classifying
months • Child can place in bowl to serve on table. abilities
18–22+
months • Access to a tap/small jug/water dispenser • Aids language
18 months– • Glass development
2+ years • Have a sponge and hand mitt ready for spills
18 months– • To increase vocabulary
2+ years • Tray • Care of self
• Watercolor tablet
18 months– • Small jar with water • Care of self
2+ years • Brush • Care of environment
• Cloth to wipe up spills • Care of environment
• Underlay
• Paper • Care of environment
• Show child how to wet brush, put paint on brush,
• Refinement of eye-
paint onto paper. hand coordination and
grasp
• Dish with three sections and two different kinds
of the same item, such as shells, nuts, seed pods, • To teach the practical
geometric shapes—four of each kind skill of gluing

Vocabulary cards • Sets of classified cards that relate to the child’s life • Refine movement of
• Start with simple classifications fingers

Dressing frame: • Wooden frame, two pieces of fabric attached with • Art/self-expression
buttons three large buttons

Dressing frame: • Vertical buttonhole
snap fasteners • To practice buttoning
Table washing
Mirror polishing • Wooden frame, two pieces of fabric with snap
fasteners
Wood polishing
• Tray with bowl, soap, brush, and sponge for
Gluing scrubbing table

• Little container of nontoxic mirror polish
• Rectangular sponge as an applicator
• Finger mitt
• Underlay to place items on

• Container that is easy for the child to handle
• Bottle of nontoxic polish, such as beeswax
• Small dish
• Finger mitt
• Items to polish

• Gluing box with space for brush, glue pot with
small amount of glue, up to six large shapes, and
paper to glue onto

243

AGE ACTIVITY NAME DESCRIPTION/MATERIALS AREA OF
Around DEVELOPMENT
2+ years Washing dishes • Table with two tubs • Food preparation
• Dish brush with small handle, or small sponge
Around Drying dishes • Travel-sized bottle of dishwashing detergent with • Food preparation
2+ years Cleaning windows
Around Washing cloths small amount of liquid • Care of environment
2+ years • Jug—plastic and transparent; can put mark on jug
Use of scissors • Care of environment
Around to show desired water level
2+ years • Apron • Refinement of eye-
• Drying mitt hand coordination and
Around • Hand-drying cloth grasp
2+ years
• Lay the drying cloth on the table, place bowl or • To learn practical skill
Around glass on cloth; fold cloth into the bowl or glass; of cutting
2+ years press; unfold.
• To develop precise
Around • Spray bottle with 1 cup (240 ml) of water hand movements
2 years— (vinegar optional)
the child • To aid in the
needs some • Small squeegee development of the
spoken • Piece of chamois or cloth stereognostic sense
language
• Table with two tubs • To increase vocabulary
• Small scrub board
• Bar of soap • To use vocabulary they
• Soap dish are developing
• Jug
• Two plastic baskets on either side of table on floor • To broaden child’s
• Apron thinking, help them
• Drying mitt abstract information
• Hand-drying cloth from their experiences,
and verbalize it
• Pair of small scissors in a case
• Handmade envelopes • Builds self-confidence
• Narrow strips of index card, slim enough to allow • Allows the adult to

the child to cut across the strip in one snip model language usage

Classified • Attractive bag with five to eight related, unrelated,
sterognostic bags or paired objects
(mystery bags)
• Bag you can’t easily look into, so child feels around
Questioning the object
exercise
• Examples:
1. C ooking implements—child-sized spreader,
cookie cutter, sieve, bamboo whisk, spatula
2. B ag of items from another country, such as a
bag made out of a kimono containing Japanese
items
3. Hair items
4. Gardening tools

• Conversations that can occur throughout the day,
such as while folding laundry or preparing food

• Example: “Do you remember when we planted the
basil and then it started growing?” “Where did we
plant the basil seeds?” “What did we use to pick
the basil?”

• Done very naturally and conversationally

244 ACTIVITY NAME DESCRIPTION/MATERIALS AREA OF
DEVELOPMENT
AGE Sewing • In a basket or box • Refinement of eye-
2+ years - Scissors
Grading sizes of - Thread hand coordination and
2+ years nuts and bolts - Needle case with blunt tapestry or embroidery grasp
2+ years Stretching elastic needle • To learn the practical
2.5 years bands on a grid - F irst sewing card consists of a punched diagonal skill of sewing
board line on a square card; progress to holes in square • To practice precision
2.5+ years Polishing shoes and circle shapes; then to embroidery or sewing and exactness
2.5+ years buttons.
3+ years Dressing frame: • Eye-hand coordination
3+ years buckles • Wooden board with various-sized holes • Eye-hand coordination
3+ years • Nuts and bolts that fit into the holes in a container
3+ years Helping with • Care of self
3+ years baking • Using a geoboard to stretch elastics—can create
3+ years patterns or keep it open-ended • Care of self
Help unpack
3+ years dishwasher • Container to hold • Food preparation
3+ years Help with 1. s hoe polish (small amount)
3+ years recycling 2. f inger mitt for applying polish • Daily life
Make bed (pulling 3. soft-bristled brush • Daily life
up a duvet) • Daily life
Use toilet • Underlay that covers the whole table • Daily life
independently • Shoe horn, if outdoor shoes are worn • Food preparation
Assisting with
more advanced • Wooden frame, two pieces of leather fastened • Daily life
cooking with three or four buckles
Feeding pets • Daily life
• To practice buckles
Help with folding • Daily life
laundry and socks • Help measure ingredients
• Stir ingredients • Turn taking
Helping to get • Sweep and clean up after baking • Understanding simple
ready for visitors
• Assist in emptying the dishwasher rules
First board games • Fun
• Sort recycling and bring it to container

• Make their own bed—duvet only

• Have a step stool and a smaller toilet seat available
or use a potty

• For example, helping to make lasagna

• A small amount of fish food can be placed in an
egg cup.

• Getting water for dog
• Giving food to cat, hamster, or other pet

• Take part in the clothes-washing process
• Invite child to sort items by person or color, pair

socks, learn basic folding skills, and so on.

• Making beds
• Clearing spaces, picking up toys, and so on
• Preparing meal

• Orchard by HABA
• Shopping list and other games by Orchard Toys
• Simple card games, such as Snap
• Games can be simplified, depending on the age of

the child.

245

AGE ACTIVITY NAME DESCRIPTION/MATERIALS AREA OF
3+ years More difficult DEVELOPMENT
sewing, arts and • Cards with more complicated shapes, like a heart • Art/self-expression
3+ years crafts materials • Sewing buttons
3+ years • Sewing embroidery patterns • Botany
3+ years Exploration of • Sewing a cushion • Cultural studies
world around us • Art projects with more than one step • Life sciences
3+ years More refined • For example, nature collections, birds, animals, • Eye-hand coordination
3+ years threading, sorting • Refining the grasp
Composition plants, and trees
3+ years puzzles—twelve • Refinement of eye-
3+ years or more pieces • Shoelace with small beads hand coordination and
3+ years • Piece of wool with small pieces of straw, using an pincer grasp
3+ years Hammering
3+ years shapes in embroidery needle • Develops the ability
corkboard • More difficult puzzles, including layered puzzles, to recognize a
3+ years Pinprick work background shape
composition puzzles, and puzzles with more pieces
I spy • Eye-hand coordination
• Corkboard
Calendar • Wooden shapes • Refinement of eye-
• Small nails and hammer hand coordination and
Lots of free play • Shape drawn on paper to prick grasp
and outdoor play • Felt underlay
WEDGiTS • Pricking pen • Language
• The child follows along the line until the shape can development
Well-selected
building materials be removed. • Prereading skills
• If showing interest in sounds of letters, use • Time
Marble run
phonetic sounds of letters. • Daily life
• Outdoor environment
• Make your own or buy a simple calendar in which • Fun
the child can change the day, month, and weather. • This is not a Montessori

• Can add more details as the child gets older activity but would be
• Allow time every day for the child to be outdoors suitable for the home
environment.
and to have unstructured time to play. • These are not
Montessori activities
• WEDGiTS can be purchased; they allow building in but would be
sequence, and various patterns can be made. suitable for the home
environment.
• For example, Lego, Magna-Tiles, wooden blocks • This is not a Montessori
activity but would be
• There are beautiful wooden marble runs that suitable for the home
children can build themselves. environment.

246

INDEX

A B concentration, building,
168–169
absorbent mind, 4, 18 baking, 39, 43, 54–55
acceptance, 99–105 balance bike, 52–53 conflict within family,
actions rather than words, balls, 52–53 200–201
base, safe and secure, 87
116 bathroom, 70. See also consequences, logical, 123
activities consistency, 6, 131–132
toileting conversations, 49
by age, 42–43, 236–245 bedroom, 69 cooperation, 108–119
arts and crafts, 24, 44–45, belonging, 99–100, 105 creativity, 94–95
bilingualism, 173–174 curiosity, encouraging, 86–98,
56–57, 61 birthdays, 138
characteristics of, 25–26 biting, 165–167 105
eye-hand coordination, 24, books, 48–49, 58–59
bribes, 108–109 D
34–37, 50–51 brushing teeth, 150
language, 24, 46–49, 58–59 daily care, 136–150
materials for, 25, 226 C daily rhythm, 117, 136, 180–181
music and movement, 24, development, four planes of,
calm, helping child to,
37–38, 52–53, 60–61 127–129 205–208
outdoors, 52–53, 60–61, 71, divorce, 201–202
calm spaces, 127–128 dressing, 40, 42–43, 139–142
83 cards. See language cards
practical life, 24, 39–43, caregivers, 199–200 E
chalk and eraser, 44, 56–57
54–55 changes, dealing with, 151–160 eating, 39, 143–146. See also
presentation of, 26–27 checklists, 111–112 food preparation
principles for, 27–30 choices, age-appropriate, 113
purpose of, 24 clay, 44, 56–57 eating area, 69, 144
setting up, 31–33 cleaning, 39, 42–43, 54–55, 227 education system, 209
adult, preparation of, 179 clinginess, 170–171 emotional bucket, 183–184
adult relationships, 195 clothing, 139. See also getting empathy, giving.
age-appropriate choices,
dressed See perspective,
113 clutter, 73 seeing child’s
age-appropriate communication, 102–103, entrance, 67, 78–79
environment, 13, 14, 87
consequences, 123 113–116, 119, 224–225. expectations, managing,
age-appropriate expectations, See also language and 116–117, 119
language activities eye-hand coordination
116–117 activities, 24, 34–37, 50–51
agreement, getting child’s,

114
apologizing, 5, 93
arts and crafts, 24, 44–45,

56–57, 70, 81, 226–227

F home tours, 78–83, 212–217 247
honesty, modeling, 188
family, working together with, house rules, setting, 121–122 M
194–200 humor, 115–116
making amends, 128, 130
feedback, 102–103 I manners and courtesies, 17
feelings materials, 25, 226–227
imagination, 94 mealtimes, 39, 143–146
acknowledging, 122, 156–157, independence, 19, 92, 142, mistakes, 93, 189
163 Montessori education
204
acknowledging negative, individual development, 20 introduction to, 12–14
125–126 information, providing, 113 principles of, 14–21
interrupting an adult, 162–163 Montessori, Dr. Maria, 12
allowing, 101 introverted toddlers, 163–164 movement acquisition, 17, 60
needs and, 232–233 involving children, 90–91, 113, music and movement
fighting with siblings,
119 activities, 24, 37–38,
158–159 52–53
flower arranging, 54–55 K music box, 52–53
following the child, 88–89 mystery bags, 50–51
food preparation, 39, 42–43, kinetic sand, 44, 56–57
kitchen, 55, 68, 82 N
54–55. See also eating
freedom, 6, 18–19, 26 L nature, 60–61. See also
frustration, dealing with, outdoors
labels, 104–105
169 language and language needs, feelings and, 232–233
furniture, 67–72, 227 night waking, 148–149
activities, 17, 24, 46–49, non-Montessori toys, 62
starter set, 72 58–59, 173–174. See also notes, 118
communication nuts and bolts, 35, 50–51
G language cards, 46, 58–59
laughing O
gardening, 60 after hitting/biting/pushing,
getting dressed, 40, 42–43, 167 objects, real. See language
at limits, 124 cards
139–142 laundry, 40, 42–43
gluing, 44, 56–57 learning observation, 20, 96–97, 105,
going slow, 91, 184–185 hands-on, 15–16, 89–90 183
grandparents, 199–200 natural desire for, 15
ground rules, setting, 121–122 learning mind-set (parents), open-ended play, 62
guide, being child’s, 132, 186 180 opening and closing activities,
leaving the house, 139–142
H limits, 6–7, 18–19, 120–133 35, 50–51
living room, 67 order, sensitive period for, 17
hands-on learning, 15–16 outdoors, 52–53, 60–61, 71, 83
help
P
asking for, 115
offering, 93 pacifiers, 154–155
hitting, 165–167 parent, favoring one, 195–196
holidays, 138
home as helper, 74, 187

248 school three-period lessons, 47
Montessori, 228–231 throwing, 165–167
peg puzzle, 50–51 preparing for, 204 throwing food, 146
pegboard and elastic bands, time, allowing enough,
scissors, 44, 56–57
35, 50–51 screen time, 172–173 87, 92–93
pet care, 39, 43 scribbling, 56–57 timers, 114
perspective, seeing child’s, self-awareness, 190–191 tiny detail, sensitive period
self-care (parents), 40, 42–43,
99–100, 125, 128, 157–158, for, 17
163, 171, 183, 198, 200, 210 54–55, 80, 179 toddlers, description of, 4–7, 9
physical self-care (parents), self-expression, 49 toileting, 151–154
179 sensitive periods, 16–17 translating, 100
plant care, 39 sensorial exploration, 17 treasure hunts, 61
play dough, 44, 56–57, 234 separation from parent, trust, 86, 105
positive language, 114
posting activities, 35, 50–51 practicing, 197, 204 V
practical life activities, 24, sewing, 45, 56–57
39–43, 54–55 sharing, 161–162 visitors, preparing for, 40
praise, 102–103 sharing spaces, 75 vocabulary baskets, 46, 48
preschool, preparing for, 204 siblings, 155–160 volunteer work, 40
presence, practicing, 182 silence, 49
problem solving, 110–111, 119 sleep crutches, 148–149 W
processing time, 117 sleeping, 147–149
punishments, 108–109 slide, 52–53 waiting, 117
pushing, 165–167 slowing down. See go slow water activities, 61
puzzles, 36–37, 50–51 small spaces, 75–76 watercolor painting, 44, 56–57
snack time, 39, 42–43, 227 window cleaning, 54–55
R social skills, practicing, 204 wonder, sense of, 88
sorting, 36, 50–51 working together, 194–202
reading place, 71 spaces, setting up
real objects. See language Y
example of, 78–83
cards principles for, 73–76 “yes,” saying, 115
replica objects, 46, 58–59 room by room, 67–71 “yes” spaces, 74–75
respect, 20 starter set, 72
respectful tone and attitude, tips for, 66
sportscasting, 125
115 stereognostic bags, 36
responsibility, 19, 120, 128, 130, supermarket trips, 40

188–189 T
rituals, 138–139
roles, 104–105 table setting, 54–55
tantrums, dealing with, 126–128
S threading activities, 34, 50–51
threats, 108–109
safety, 124
saying “yes,” 115
scaffolding skills, 92