by Hidayah | Aug 24, 2021 | Exercise of Practical Life, Montessori Learning, Parenting
Kids who do chores learn responsibility and gain important life skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. Chores were the best predictor of which kids were more likely to become happy, healthy, independent adults. Doing chores also helps kids feel like they’re part of the team”. Pitching in and helping family members is good for them and it encourages them to be good citizens. Simple life lessons like cleaning the toilet would have great benefits.
Asking a child to use a spray bottle to clean the mirrors exercises their gross motor skills. They have to rely on their sense of balance as they make significant arm movements to ensure water covers the glass, using their hands to clamp down on the spraying mechanism all at the same time. Children’s faces lit up every time they were successful, seeing the water splash on the mirror! They seemed so proud of themselves! We know how much they all love working with water, so this was a favourite activity in our environment.
by Hidayah | Aug 16, 2021 | Montessori Learning, Sensorial
Children’s sensory exploration through touch alone and using a blindfold is the way to do it. They experienced pairing and sorting various surfaces using only their little hands! Which was challenging at first, but they were excited to try and finally succeeded!
Sensorial-rough and smooth: “Playing with texture in groups encourages co-operation and individual creative development. And just as importantly, it’s also great fun.” – Judith Stevens.
Everything around us has a shape AND a colour.
The elder children practised a deeper understanding of shapes, angles. And triangle is the best shape to study when it comes to angles.
When a child is aware of his environment, he is ready to discover more than he could be.
by Hidayah | Aug 16, 2021 | Exercise of Practical Life
“… in every child is the seed that will mature into an adult.” —The Theosophist, Maria Montessori
The thought of having a toddler or preschool-aged child help prepare breakfast can seem overwhelming or colossally messy, but it can work well when you teach children how to help themselves and give them the tools they need.
Getting kids in the kitchen and teaching them how to cook real food is so important! Start with young children and grow in the skill of difficulty. We can help the children gain independence, confidence, and self-sufficiency. I think you will agree with me. The truth is that the best way for children to learn these well and make them life-long skills is to be interested and involved in the learning experience.
by Hidayah | Aug 9, 2021 | Art Therapy
Some of our all-time favourite craft projects are born from recycling or re-purposing materials and we do it as often as we can! This week’s activity is making boats! Concentration and practice are the keys to success.
Besides, the art classes inspire seeing the children’s finished work and their expression of it. The dragonfly gave children the imagination to hold it in their little hands and fly around the house. And the paper spinner is just entertaining to watch.
“It’s not what you look at that matters; it’s what you see.”― Henry David Thoreau
by Hidayah | Aug 9, 2021 | Mathematics
In introducing mathematical concepts, real and tangible objects make it easier for young children to grasp new concepts when they can touch, see, and experience them with physical rods, counters, golden beads, etc.
Let’s tell time!
And if not now, when?
The sundial reminds me of this quote from Confucius:
“An inch of time on the sundial is worth more than a foot of jade.”
“The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics.” – Paul Halmos
