how we montessori

Grow your own Mushrooms!

My attitude to preparing activities for Caspar has changed. While I still explore and try to expand upon his interests I also try to engage him in new and interesting concepts. Like growing sprouts or making our own butter. Because he spends so much time in school I try to present learning opportunities that are not available to him there. Like growing mushrooms. 

How much fun. I didn't know you could get kits to do this. It takes a while though, all things going well we'll have mushroom mold in a week and harvesting mushrooms within a month. 

Otis is the lucky second child who comes along for the ride. Caspar is misting the mushrooms above and those are Otis's little hands below. He's peak in a pointing phase. 

Caspar makes lunch

Since Caspar has started extended days at school he has started making his own lunch. I really love this however there are some difficulties. Mainly time. It takes him around twenty minutes. While we try to keep our mornings nice and easy it's hard to spare the twenty minutes. You know you can't rush a four year old. There is no telling him to hurry up.

I think it's a good idea for a child to prepare their own lunch no matter their age. I'm sure there are children much younger doing this. Even if your child is older I don't think they are ever too old to start. Thinking back to my childhood I don't remember ever making my own lunch. I know Caspar's childhood memories will be very different. Here are a few of my tips for making it happen. 

• Wake up early, get started early, do whatever you need to ensure they have enough time. A young child simply cannot 'quickly' make their own lunch. Respect the process, if you rush your child or take over it can hurt their ego and self confidence. 

• Have the child prepare familiar foods foods in a familiar way. This is not a good time to introduce new skills. If your child hasn't peeled a carrot before try demonstrating this when you have more time.

• Discuss with your child the night before or before food shopping what they might like for lunch. 

• Ensure there is lots of variety. Caspar likes to eat the same foods everyday but if I don't offer him options he'll never take them.

• Only present your child with healthy options. We keep treats to snack or in between meals. I don't believe a treat a good idea at a meal time. Our school is also very strict no sweets, cake or biscuits allowed in the lunch box.

• Empower your child and make it part of their everyday routine. For Caspar it's not even an option it's just something he does. 

My number one tip is to give your child a lunch bag to contain their lunch box, fruit and drink. I didn't do this and on Caspar's first day he dropped his lunch box with it's contents spilling everywhere. It also may seem obvious but ensure your child can open and use their lunch box and drink containers. If your child struggles to make their own lunch I suggest have them help you and then over time slowly empower them, shift the balance so they take the lead and you become the helper. 

Making their own lunch may seem like a small thing to us but I assure you it's a big thing to them.  

 

Making butter - by hand - with kids

April has given me many wonderful and interesting ideas. How about making butter in a baby food jar? She said it could be done. 

Empty clean jars with tight fitting lids, clean marbles and full cream at room temperature. 

Pour the cream into the jars.

Put a marble in each. 

Then shake. A lot. For around five minutes. 

Even Otis can do it. We gave him a jar of this own. Check out the smile.

Keep shaking past the whipped cream stage and you get butter. Pour out the liquid. Some people say rinse the butter with cool water, we didn't. We ate it straight away.

We don't buy butter and usually don't eat it. But now I get why people started eating it in the first place. It was delicious. 

Next time we bake our own bread we'll make our own butter too. Serious fun. 

 

Composting and recycling with kids

We may have missed Earth Day but it's never too late to update your recycling and composting areas. I think these printables from Steph at Modern Parents Messy Kids look great. Nice, clear and simple. Updating an area is a sure fire way to stimulate the interest of your child.

We compost using the Bokashi system. Here is Caspar showing exactly how it's done. He was proficient even at three.  

We know composting is good for the Earth. Rich, awesome soil packed full of worms!

Edited: I'm glad no one picked this up before I did. Earth Day is on April 22. 

Love. Growing. Sprouts.

First I want to say we don't share every project we do. We generally only share projects that are slightly interesting, that work or we really love. This meets all three. Most of all we loved it. Can you feel my excitement? This is one of my favourite projects ever. 

It's wonderful to have garden in your kitchen. This is clean and easy, no soil required. Children are able to learn through observation. I didn't look up or give Caspar any facts or figures. He watched. He observed. 

These are organic mixed salad sprouts. They grew in four days using this small Keimli. It could easily be used in the classroom. Healthy too! 

Purposeful activity

We know children will often repeat a task in order to master it. And sometimes it's so much more. 

Polishing the barn is easy for Caspar. However it gives him the opportunity to focus, concentrate, pay attention to detail and prepare the barn for his younger brother. Purposeful activity!

Oh, it smells good. If you're interested this is the polish we use. 

 

Keeping it Real - Sweeping with a Baby

It's hard to sweep when you have a baby determined to stop you. Yes Otis is eating the crumbs as Caspar is trying to sweep them up. 

Sorry for the photo quality, taken on the go with iPhone. 

 

Practical Life - Keeping it Real

I'm thinking of writing some 'keeping it real' posts. 

It's easy to think that everything in this Montessori home runs beautifully and is perfectly clean. That isn't the case. So here is my first 'keeping it real' post. 

This is Caspar making breakfast. I think he really likes making this much mess. You should see the floor. He doesn't make his own breakfast everyday but when he does it usually looks like this. 

It may not be pretty (or inspiring!) but it's real.

 

Resisting the temptation to fix

Everyday I walk past his room and fight the temptation to straighten up his bed. He has made it. He had tried hard. He has put in the effort. There is no need to fix it. 

It's difficult sometimes to let go. But I know the pride he has in making his own bed is much more important than my desire for perfection. Today it was fun to watch. I love seeing him work like this. 

 

Keeping it simple

Keeping it simple.

No expensive equipment. No elaborate trays. No instruction. No rush.

Simply the freedom to choose, some real tools and real work. 

Children of this age are urged by the laws of their nature to find active experiences in the world about them. For this they use their hands, and not only for practical purposes, but also for acquiring knowledge. If we leave children free in this new kind of environment that we have provided, they give us quite an unexpected impression of their nature and abilities.  - Maria Montessori. The Absorbent Mind.