Creating a Montessori environment doesn't have to wait until your children are older. This is a great time to begin this transition. You can slowly adapt as your baby grows, creating an environment that allows them to explore freely as they begin to become mobile.
For Infants
- Cover electrical outlets and remove objects that can hurt your baby
- Use baby gates to delineate their play spaces and keep them safe
- Make their bedroom child-friendly by placing a mattress on the floor and age-appropriate toys within reach
- Once your baby can sit, try using a small table and chairs for mealtimes rather than a highchair
Tasks for Two- and Three-Year Olds
Yes, even toddlers and young preschoolers can delight in doing many activities around the house. Letting your children participate in the daily management of the household will help them feel confident and proud. Some examples:
- Load spoons into the dishwasher, dust furniture, help feed animals
- Put away silverware, put away toys after play, fold dish towels
- Dig and pull away weeds, dry small dishes, stir juice
- Load the washer, spray and wipe mirrors, sweep with a small broom
- Assist with stirring in cooking, bring in mail, wipe the table
- Pour milk from a small pitcher, set the table, mop a small area
- Brush teeth, wash face, dress and undress independently
The Key Principle
The goal is never perfection — it's participation. When your child is allowed to do real things alongside you, they develop genuine competence. And genuine competence builds genuine confidence. That confidence is what we see every day in our classrooms at Young Minds, and it begins at home.