If your child is in Montessori childcare, you clearly value their education. Most parents who sign their children up for a Montessori education do so very deliberately, and you are likely no exception. Good for you! The Montessori approach provides an amazing foundation for students to build upon, and you can rest assured your child will be getting an excellent start in life when they attend a Montessori based daycare.
In order to ensure your child’s Montessori education is as effective as possible, you can provide them with activities at home that are just perfect for expanding upon what they are learning in school. Here are a few simple ideas of activities you can do at home to help your child get the very most out of their Montessori childcare experience.
Toddler Education: Letter Matching
Letter identification is the first step to reading. You can help your child learn to identify numbers by playing this letter-matching game.
Begin with 52 squares of cardboard. Paint each of 26 of the squares with a different letter of the alphabet and set aside to dry. While you are waiting for the paint to dry, cut one letter from each of the remaining squares, making sure you have one for each letter of the alphabet.
To play with the game, lay the painted squares out in front of your child and have them match the correct cutout to each one. Remind your child of the name of each letter as they match it with its partner, and have them repeat the letter names after you.
Toddler Education: Sorting
Kids love to sort things. This is a great way to take advantage of that love and help them learn some early math skills.
There are a variety of ways to present this activity. One of the easiest ways is to offer a child a divided plate with the “entrée” section filled with three different types of beads, buttons, or cereal. Have them sort the items by shape, size, or color into the “side dish” sections of the plate.
Toddler Education: Lacing
Lacing is a fun activity that promotes excellent fine motor skills, introduces the concept of sewing, and gives children a chance to create their own patterns. These are all amazing preschool readiness skills.
Lacing can be done with lacing cards or large beads (that won’t be swallowed) and string. When playing with the lacing cards, you will likely need to demonstrate how to do use them first. When using beads and string, show your child how to make patterns and encourage them to make their own.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many ways you can expand upon your child’s schooling at home. Do a bit of research, and we are certain you will come up with many ideas of your own.
Are you ready to enroll your little one in Montessori school? If so, please contact us today for more information.