Practical Life, A View From Your Kitchen

Practical Life plays a big role in the classroom and also the home. This Montessori Mom wants to allow more independence and ownership in our home. When I need a minute (to cook, to work, to breath), I look for something to keep little hands busy.  Children take pride in helping.  Mirroring adults is play and work!

These are activities that I pulled from my kitchen, not my collection of Montessori materials.  My hope is for readers to put some of these together without buying anything.  Most of these I threw together while burping a baby or flipping pancakes during the newborn twin days!   It’s not always done perfectly, but through practice we are getting better. The goal here is gaining a sense of responsibility and the fine and gross motor exercises of caring for the home or classroom. After all, it’s the entire family’s home; not just mine to keep tidy.

1.  For the floors (oh yes, food gets there!) I keep vinegar and water in a spray bottle down low. We have a bunch of flannel cloth napkins low for this.  Of course it’s important to keep children safe, using child-safe cleaning products and adult supervision.

2.  A simple dustpan and brush works wonders.  Practice with larger items like craft pom poms or beans before expecting help with crumbs.

3.  Our favorite:  Table washing!  They use this for many surfaces.  I put out a bowl of water with a whisk, a dropper with baby wash, and flannel napkins or a washcloth.  Kitchen towels for drying.