Enjoying Montessori-friendly activities can easily be done on a budget – it can even be free! I will show you how you can give your child the Montessori experience with all its benefits without breaking the bank!
- Adopt a Montessori mindset
- Prepare a Montessori-friendly environment
- Learn through Real-World experiences
- Focus on Practical Life Skills
- Create your own Montessori materials & activities
- Go outside
We live in uncertain times and tight purse strings will naturally be the order of the day for many families. The good news is that Montessori education is not about expensive toys and fancy equipment. It is a philosophy and a mindset towards education and children.
Knowledge is power and in this day and age – mostly free. Let’s start with the most important steps you can take to save money while successfully implementing Montessori at home.
Adopt A Montessori Mindset
When money becomes tight the first thing we tend to do is to look at where we are spending our money and re-evaluate what we consider to be essential. Where can we cut and save?
We can apply the same consideration for necessity when we look at Montessori as an educational philosophy. What is essential and what can we do without if we had to make that decision.
Montessori is a mindset. It’s a way of life. The following areas are crucial and in my opinion, all you need to possess the mindset of a Montessorian.
Know your Montessori Philosophy
Understanding the Montessori Philosophy will open the door to a new world of possibilities with regards to your child’s education and development. The knowledge is crucial if you want your child to benefit from the advantages of Montessori education at home. Luckily for you and me, this knowledge is readily available online and just takes a bit of sifting through to get to the essence of the message.
The basic principles of the Montessori Philosophy are:
- Treat your child with the same level of respect you would expect from them one day.
- Children learn best in a specially prepared environment that caters to their needs and is set up to help them do things on their own.
- You don’t have to convince a child to learn – they are naturally curious and eager to learn. You have to make sure you support their curiosity and not discourage it.
- There are times in every child’s life where they are more inclined to learn a specific skill. If you know when to expect it – you can help your child take advantage of this special time called Sensitive Periods in Montessori.
- Children teach themselves if all the above rules are met.
If you want to learn more about each of the basic principles of Montessori, please read my article What Are The Key Principles Of The Montessori Method
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These principles are all free to adopt and implement yet they are invaluable. You can’t create a Montessori experience at your home without taking each of these principles into consideration. It may not happen overnight but if this is all you end up applying – it will be enough.
You can Montessori with all the principles and none of the materials but not with all the materials and none of the principles.
Become a Montessori Parent
For your child to benefit from all the wonderful Montessori Philosophies, you have to be the type of parent who acts in a way that supports this natural development. You are the cornerstone of your child’s success. Your words and actions have the biggest influence on your child because they look to you alone for acceptance and support. If not you – then who?.
I have found the RIE method aka Respectful parenting to be invaluable. It is perfectly aligned with Maria Montessori’s philosophy.
The RIE method consists of these 9 foundational principles:
- Respect
- Authentic communication
- Trust in your child’s competence
- Sensitive observation
- Involving the child in caregiving times
- A safe, challenging, predictable environment
- Time for uninterrupted play and freedom to explore
- Consistency, limits, and dependability
If you are interested in reading more in-depth about Respectful Parenting, setting limits and boundaries, have a look at these two articles I’ve written.
Montessori Ground rules and setting limits
Make the most of free parenting resources
There is an almost endless supply of great advice online but it takes a lot of time to distinguish between trusted people and inaccurate advice. It’s hard to make the judgment call when you are still trying to learn.
This is my shortlist of people I follow, watch, or listen to. These are all free if you have access to the internet. Get your headphones out and listen to these while you wash dishes, fold laundry, or cook dinner.
Podcasts about respectful parenting
- Unruffled by Janet Lansbury
– This is the only one you need. There are so many to listen to. I’ve been listening religiously and I’m still working my way through the backlog.
Podcasts about Montessori
Blogs about Montessori
- Child Of The Redwoods
- The Montessori Notebook
- How We Montessori
- The Kavanaugh Report
- Montessori In Real Life
Blogs about Respectful Parenting
- Janet Lansbury – Janet was mentored by Magda Gerber who founded RIE. She will answer all your questions and more!
- Regarding Baby – Lisa Sunbury is also a Magda Gerber graduate and is especially knowledgeable about sleep issues.
Youtube channels about Montessori
- Hapa Family – Ashley makes informative and practical videos about implementing Montessori at home with little ones. I love watching the Montessori principles in action through her two adorable daughters.
- Voila Montessori – This is Jeanne-Marie Paynel’s Youtube channel. She is a Montessori professional and well respected in the Montessori community.
Prepare a Montessori Environment
Once you have learned what Montessori is really about and you have adopted some improved parenting tactics you might find yourself ready to take on another challenge – taking on the chaos that is your home or your child’s play area.
Maria Montessori wrote extensively about the importance of the environment on a child’s development and I’m happy to announce that it is far simpler to apply than you think. Please ignore all the too perfect for words Instagram images – you do not need to live in an Instagram worthy home to raise a ‘Montessori’ child.
Get rid of the clutter
Before you even think of buying another toy you should collect all the toys in your house and put them somewhere you can see them all together. You might need a table, carpet or perhaps half a football field.
This is an important step to take before attempting to sort through anything so you might want to set aside a day or two to tackle this. It will give you a very realistic picture of what you are dealing with and will drastically impact your decision-making process.
If you can go a step further – try to put like with like. All the blocks together, all the cars, dolls, etc. This will save you time in the long run.
The next step will be to identify what can be thrown in the bin. These will be items that are broken and can’t be fixed.
Next, make a pile for goodwill. These will be items that your child has outgrown or perhaps you just have unnecessary multiples.
When you have finished giving away what you don’t need or use you will only be left with what you can use. If you decide it is still too much then you can employ some other criteria to sort through again – maybe removing all the battery-operated toys or items with screens that you have deemed not appropriate.
The objective is to be able to assess what you are left with so you can accurately determine how much storage space you will need. Will you need a shoebox or a shipping container?
Use a toy rotation system
After dealing with the mountain of toys and hopefully feeling lighter and hopeful about the future you are going to pack away all the toys you are left with by categorizing them and storing them in an easily accessible way. I store all of my son’s toys in my office in drawers on wheels and an open shelving unit.
The objective is to limit your child’s options to avoid overwhelming them and at the same time keeping things fresh by rotating the options when you feel it’s necessary. I have written this article all about Montessori Toy Rotation for those of you who want to read more about the whys and hows.
Make your home more accessible for your child
Once you have tamed the toy beast you are finally ready to move on to preparing the environment. The Prepared Environment is a crucial area of Montessori and everyone can apply it in their homes. You do not need to be a trained professional.
What it comes down to is creating an environment that supports your child’s natural willingness to learn and contribute to the household while developing independence and feeling like they have a place in their home.
Learn through Real-World experiences
Children are most interested in learning about the world around them and benefit greatly from hands-on experiences. These include being exposed to real-world situations.
Depending on your child’s age, you can plan outings to almost anywhere! Even running errands can be educational if you involve your child in the process.
I urge you to see what is on offer in your area. You will be surprised how many opportunities exist that you hadn’t considered before. Remember to view the options through the eyes of your child.
I have prepared the table below of places to go and things to see – all of which are free. I have included some ideas around how the experience can be utilized better to involve the child and create a learning experience.
Keep in mind that I’m writing this in general terms and not for a specific age group. Hopefully, it just helps you get your juices flowing and you might come up with your ideas.
If you are unable to get out of the house you can always recreate these places at home and learn through role-play.
| Places To Go | Things To Do |
|---|---|
| Green Grocer, Bakery, Market, Supermarket |
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| Post Office, Bank, Library |
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| Dentist, Doctor, Hospital, Pharmacy |
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| Police Station, Ambulance, Fire Department |
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| Gym, Sports Arena, Public swimming pool, Sports grounds ex Tennis courts |
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| Zoo, Aquarium, Veterinarian, Bird Park, Petting Zoo, Farm, Pet Shop |
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| Museums, Art Galleries, Restaurants & Food Trucks, Concerts, |
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| Hardware, Fabric shop, Nursery, Art Supply Store |
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| The train station, Bus station, Underground, Airport |
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| Animal Shelter, Old Age Home, |
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Focus on Practical Life Skills
Children would much rather take part in real-life situations instead of pretending to do real things. Instead of playing in a pretend kitchen they would much rather bake a real cake or plant a real garden. This is the perfect opportunity for us to make the most of this desire by providing them with the tools they will need.
Montessori Practical Life Skills At Every Age – Food preparation
| Age | Activity/Skill | What you will need |
|---|---|---|
|
18 months + | Setting the table (with assistance) |
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18 months + | Help to clear the table |
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18 months + | Preparing crackers |
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18 months + | Squeezing orange juice |
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18 months + | Cutting banana |
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18 months + | Peeling and cutting an apple |
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18 months + | Pour a glass of water |
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2 years + | Washing dishes |
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2 years + | Drying dishes |
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2.5 years + | Baking with assistance |
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3 years + | More advanced cooking |
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Montessori Practical Life Skills At Every Age – Care for the Environment
| Age | Activity/Skill | What you will need |
|---|---|---|
|
14 months + | Watering Plants |
Watering Can and tray to place the plant on. |
|
15 – 16 months + | Washing leaves |
Sponge cut to fit their hand |
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16 – 18 months + | Sweeping |
Child size broom Dustpan and brush |
|
16 – 18 months + | Dusting |
Dusting cloth or wand |
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16 – 18 months + | Mopping |
Child size mop |
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18 months + | Flower arranging |
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18 months + | Hanging up laundry |
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18 months + | Germinating & planting seeds |
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18 months + | Outdoor environment Raking, washing tables, scrubbing tiles, digging, sweeping, watering plants, picking flowers, pulling weeds, planting and caring for vegetable garden |
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18 – 22 months+ | Table washing |
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2 years | Window washing |
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Montessori Practical Life Skills At Every Age – Care of self
| Age | Activity/Skill | What you will need |
|---|---|---|
|
12 months | Wipe hands with a cloth |
Start by offering cloth and ask if they want to try and wipe their own hands |
|
14 months + | Wash hands with soap and dry with a towel |
Provide liquid soap or a bar of soap cut into a smaller cube. |
|
14 months + | Learning to use velcro |
Dressing frame or item with velcro |
|
14 months + | Undressing and taking off socks and shoes |
Start by asking them to try and take off a clothing item – with your help. |
|
14 months + | Selecting an outfit | Provide two options |
|
14 months + | Put on their coat & shoes |
Practice with some larger shoes and show them the coat trick. |
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14 months+ & walking | Hang coat on the hook |
Provide a low hook and coat |
|
14 months + | Wiping nose (not blowing) |
Provide limited tissues cut in half, a mirror, and a swing bin. Show them how you wipe your nose – then ask them to try. |
|
14 months + | Brushing teeth |
Allow them to try and offer to help them finish. |
|
15 – 18 months | Brushing hair |
Provide them with a small hairbrush on a low table with a mirror. |
|
16 – 18 months | Learn to use a zipper |
Provide a dressing frame with a zipper or a jacket over the back of a chair. |
|
18 months + | Independently washing hands and face at the sink |
Provide a low self-care station or bowel on a table. |
|
18 months + | Pour water from a jug into a glass to drink |
Practice with a small milk jug |
|
18 months + | Start blowing nose |
Practice blowing air out of your nose. Have tissues available in the mirror with a wastebasket. |
| 12 – 24 months + | Cleaning and clipping nails | Baby nail clippers Nail brush Bar of soap |
| 12 – 24 months + | Folding work – towels | Washcloths and towels to fold |
| 12 – 24 months + | Rolling socks | Mom and Dad’s socks to practice on |
|
2 years + | Practice buckles |
Dressing frame or a belt with a large buckle |
Create your own Montessori materials and activities
Montessori materials and activities are all designed to isolate a specific skill and usually have a built-in control of error. With this in mind, you can easily make your materials and put together your activities that still work on developing specific skills.
Montessori activities can be categorized in the following way:
- Hand-Eye Coordination
- Music & Movement
- Language
- Arts & Crafts
- Practical Skills
DIY Montessori Activities for Hand-Eye Coordination
Children develop their fine motor skills by practicing things we do every day like opening and closing containers and bottle caps, opening locks, and threading laces through eyelets. This fact lends itself to great DIY opportunities.
If you look carefully you will find enough things lying around your home that can be repurposed as Montessori-friendly materials to help your child work on their skills. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Containers and bottles with different types of lids
- A lockbox or money box with a coin slot and key
- Lace a pair of tennis shoes
- Thread various items onto string or laces
- Empty coffee tin with a slot cut into the lid to post jar lids into
- Make your own puzzle by gluing your child’s artwork or a picture from a magazine onto a piece of corrugated cardboard. Mark the puzzle pieces on the back and voila!
- Cut a ball-sized hole into a box for posting a tennis/golf ball – read more about Posting here
- Wallets and handbags with zippers, press studs, and velcro. You can also give your child your old credit cards so they can slide them into the cardholders in your old wallet.
- Curtain rings on a paper towel holder
- Trace a couple of building blocks onto a shoebox and have your child fit the correct block through the corresponding opening.
DIY Montessori Activities for Music & Movement
The only limits here are your own imagination. If you have a radio or a phone you have everything you need. Here are some ideas for getting those little bodies moving.
- Play music from other cultures and countries. Radio Garden ( there’s also an app) shows you the world map and plays back music from radio stations across the globe.
- Make your own musical instruments with household items.
- Make your own Montessori Sound Cylinders from empty toilet paper rolls or small jewelry boxes. Info Montessori explains what they are and how to use them.
- Clap to the rhythm of the music
- Use percussion instruments to the rhythm of the music
- Dance to match the music and stop when the music stops.
- Listen and identify different instruments
DIY Montessori Activities for Language Development
We can assist in our children’s language development by engaging in conversation at every opportunity. Make sure to always ask your child what they see and hear and feel and what they think about it.
Reading is a fantastic free activity that helps build vocabulary. Look for books that are rich in language and have beautiful images of true to life subject matter. Ask them what they are interested in (cars, food, plants, bugs) and take a trip to the library to find books on their chosen subject.
Go outside!
If all else fails you can always head outdoors. Nature is the best teacher and the fresh air doesn’t hurt. Children should always enjoy copious amounts of free play and it helps if it’s outside.
Here are some ideas for outdoor activities that won’t cost a cent.
- Camp out in your backyard
- Go for a hike
- Ride balance bikes
- Play in a sandpit
- Anything with water outdoors is great fun.
- Look through a magnifying glass at insects and plants
- Swing, climb, run and jump
- Create an obstacle course
- Learn how to jump rope
- Have a picnic
- Make mud pies
- Have a treasure hunt
- Collect leaves and seeds
- Practice balance by walking on lines
Happy saving!