Some of the
mommy parenting forums I've been on mention Montessori set-ups at home. For example, I ran across the idea that a child's room should have everything at the child's eye level. I have to say that a part of me is skeptical. I don't see myself running out and buying/making a child-sized version of everything for David. However, I do have a few ideas for him in mind. And it sure is fun to set something up and see him enjoying it later.
Part of the reason I DON'T want to go overboard is that you can't always predict what a child will find interesting. He doesn't want plastic car keys-he wants yours. He doesn't want a toy house, he wants a cardboard box.
David has gotten to this phase where he likes lounging around on pillows or just the floor. So I decided to pile all the extra blankets and pillows together to make him a reading corner. (sorry, potential houseguests)
So here are A) the reading corner and B) where he actually likes to hang out.
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| B) The reading corner |
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| B) Under the desk is much more cozy? |
I also had the idea to make him a cozy place to hang out in our bedroom while I'm doing things like putting laundry again. Here again are my attempt and his own choice:
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| A) Curl up under here, David! |
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| B) David thinks behind the curtains is best for playing peekaboo |
And finally, David needs a place in our home office when Daddy and/or Mommy is working on something. We even got him his own little hideout, hoping to distract him from his favorite precarious perch, on the ledge under Daddy's desk. But he still likes to play at Daddy's feet.
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| A) Specially for you, David! |
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| B) Even a roadblock won't keep him from his favorite spot |
So funny! You are SO right! Children definitely have their own ideas and they are not always the same as ours! Also, I do think that the true Montessori way would be for children to be with/assist parents and play with the real things - rather than toys. I don't' think homes should be like Montessori classrooms; Montessori classrooms always have "practical life" work that replicates the work people do at home! Aidan and Lydia went to Montessori school through 6 and 8th grades respectively.... The practical life area, as I remember it, involved polishing, tying, lacing (like shoes, etc.) pouring, measuring, folding....that sort of thing....the sort of thing children would do if you had the patience to let them help you with work! (Which I don't, often!)
ReplyDeleteI haven't really researched it much, but I just took the toys out of the kitchen-too much underfoot! The Tupperware will have to do.
DeleteThey seem to like hanging out where they're NOT supposed to best! Joshua is starting to get into everything....and he's just recently started playing peek-a-boo behind our living room curtains :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like our house! :) David is at the age where if he likes something, he would like to repeat it several times, and I get tired quickly. :)
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