Practical Life within a Montessori involves a spectrum of activities, including basic exercises like pouring and spooning dry goods, care of the environment exercises like dusting and mopping, care of self exercises like hand washing and food preparation, and grace & courtesy like how to carry a chair and move your body with control and mindfulness.
The works are much more than simply preparing the child to help around the house. The works are about completing work cycles and fine-tuning those little fingers and hands for writing, to name a few aims.
If you would like to read more on this topic, click through to this post on the philosophy of Montessori Practical Life.
I recently added two new Practical Life works to the boys’ space: a clothespin matching work and a soap peeling work.
Practical Life Shelf Work
I like to add new works every few weeks to the boys’ space. It keeps them interested, and it helps me identify their desires to learn.
I recently saw these adorable silver and red mini clothespins in a stamp store. I thought they would be great to use in Practical Life work with my boys because they are so small. I made the work a sorting work, so the boys attach the clothespin to the matching colored paper.
I thought these mini clothespins would be easier for my boys to pinch because of their small hands. I was wrong, though. The exercise proved to be quite challenging for them.
Another work I placed out for my older son was a soap shaving work: “Cutting board. Soap. Peeler.”
We’ve grated soap as a work in the past, but I thought using the peeler might be fun and intrigue my 3.5-year-old.
Soap is cheaper than cheese, for example, and it has a lovely softness that makes the introduction to work in this skill area a bit more seamless. Soap also has a beautiful smell and feel before and after peeling or shaving.
Thanks for stopping by…I hope we inspired you.
Marnie