Children begin learning to read and write long before they pick up a book or a pencil.  If a child is ready to start her language development journey, these Montessori pre-reading activities are a good starting point. There is nothing more beautiful to observe a child enter her period of sensitivity for language.

As the guide, create the environment and step back to watch the process unfold before your eyes. Below are five Montessori Pre-Reading Lessons to start your journey. These Montessori language are a great way to warm the child's logic, problem-solving, focus, and concentration skills. 

Montessori Pre-Reading Lessons

Montessori Pre-Reading Does Not Belong

Children enjoy the Montessori Does Not Belong activity. You can make this activity as straightforward or complicated as you would like to by making the differences more or less subtle. Making cards is easy to keep the child's interest. I made a set of “Does Not Belong” cards using real images if you would like to take a look at them.

Montessori Pre-Reading Category Classification

This activity involves sorting images into categories. Like the “Does Not Belong” activity, you can make the Classification by Category lesson as easy or difficult as possible, adjusting for the child. This activity is also a fun way to integrate the concrete material into the child's learning with figurines. I choose to use real images in my classification categories. Children relate better to real images and are more likely to respond to the activity, in my experience. A set of Montessori Classification Cards is available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store if you'd like a fresh set!

Montessori Pre-Reading Nomenclature Cards

This pre-reading Montessori language activity involves simple nomenclature cards. The work can be done with image-to-image with the label, or image with a label to image and the to label.

Children match the image and then the labels to the image.

They work from left to right, preparing the child for reading and writing.

These cards can be as creative as you need them to be. You can create cards specific to a child. For example, if a child likes sports, or insects, or the human body, you can create nomenclature cards specific for a unit or a child.

Montessori Pre-Reading Look Alike Matching

This lesson works a child's logic skills as he closely compares and contrasts the images to make a match. The child develops language with these types of activities, as he works from left to right, preparing him for reading and writing.

Here is a set of Look-Alike Matching cards using real images that I created for my teaching.

Montessori Pre-Reading Story Sequence

I adore Story Sequence cards. You can create these cards to apply to a simple act in daily life, like giving a hug. You can also apply these cards to science with the life cycle, or even a story from a child's favorite book.

Children put the cards in order, working their reading comprehension early on in their journey to reading.

Do you have any favorite Montessori pre-reading lessons to share?

Marnie

This post includes the Montessori language activity pre-reading lesson What Does Not Belong. The purpose is to prepare a child for reading. The child must be able to focus and to hold interest. A child will work on critical thinking, which helps reading comprehension down the line.

What Does Not Belong Activity

These cards are easy to make at home. You can download this set of “Does Not Belong” cards from store . I promise the set is beautiful! You can introduce this activity to a 2.5/3-year-old child.

Invite the child to do the work. Show the child where the work sits on the shelf.

Montessori Preschool Language Activity Pre-Reading Lesson

Place the basket in the upper left hand corner of the rug. Remove one card and place it below the basket.

           Name the objects on the card.

“The skier, the snowmobiler and the snowboarder go together: winter sports.”

“The skateboarder does not belong.” Place an “X” or, in this case, a gem, on the image that does not belong in the group.

Continue with the rest of the cards. Return work to basket, then to shelf.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Check out my Montessori Printables store for lots of great Montessori printables.

You can also purchase Montessori Pre-Reading downloadable materials from below!

This pre-reading Montessori language activity involves simple nomenclature cards. The work can be done with an image to image with label or image with a label to image and the to label. I will show images of both approaches. Be sure to check out other Montessori Language Lessons.

The above image shows image with label to image then to label.

The above image shows image to image then label.

Simple Nomenclature Cards

• Place pictures (with labels) in a horizontal row at the top of the mat.
• Discuss the cards, the images, and the names.
• Select cards with picture only.
• With the picture only card, scan the pictures with labels until a match is found.

• Select word labels.
• Scan pictures with labels until a match is found
• Place word under picture.
• Once complete, place pictures with labels in tray, then pictures only in tray, then word labels in tray.
• Return to shelf.

Montessori Pre-Reading lessons introduce children to the basics of reading and writing: left to right, logic, and so on. The beginnings of reading comprehension happen at this stage. Kids learn problem solving and logical sequencing. They learn how to tell stories and why story telling matters.

Look alike matching is a wonderful pre-reading language activity for kids. This lesson comes early in a child's math learning. The best part is that the work is versatile with loads of variations with images and themes.

The PURPOSE is to work from left to right and top to bottom in preparation for reading & writing.

Look Alike Matching Montessori Lesson

Invite the child to do the activity. Place container in the left hand corner of the rug.

Select a picture card and place it on the mat. Select another card and placed it next to the first card: “Are these pictures the same?”

Exaggerate scanning to see if there is a match.

Name each picture while placing it in the horizontal row.

Continue until all matches have been identified.

When finished, place cards back into container and return to shelf.

Check out my Montessori Pre-Reading Activities Pack!