world book day montessori blog
,

World Book Day at St Andrew’s Montessori

As we celebrated World Book Day last month with the children at school, we were reminded of the potential for a great story to not only encourage imagination and allow children to escape but also, to help them process what is going on around…
montessori maths and fractions
,

Maths: Fractions

Maria Montessori believed that children can absorb mathematical concepts naturally through the joyful repetition of practical life and sensorial activities. It therefore makes sense that one of the best ways to introduce the principles of fractions…
montessori blog on gross motor skills for children
,

10 Top Gross Motor skills for Montessori kids to perfect at home

Gross motor skills are abilities that require the use of larger muscles in the torso, arms and legs (whole-body movements) like standing, walking, running, jumping, throwing, lifting and sitting upright at the table. Skills relate to body awareness,…
montessori tutorial about water pouring
,

Practical Life: Water Pouring (II)

The first version of this wet pouring lesson (found on our blog, Water Pouring (I)) is slightly simpler in that the child will pour water from one jug into another, and clean up any spills along the way. It’s an exercise in coordination, concentration…
montessori blog on socially distancing tips for birthday celebrations
,

Five top tips for celebrating birthdays while social distancing

In a year that has been largely uncertain, it’s tough to know how to celebrate birthdays – as per the ever-changing rules and also in terms of what’s sensible and what we’re comfortable with. Whilst the type of celebration we host for…
montessori languate with sounds and objects
,

Language: Sound with objects

Before engaging a child in a ‘Sound with Objects’ lesson, he/she must be familiar with the phonetic letter sounds, which are taught in a sound lesson presentation. Then you can have fun with sounds and objects, and eventually move on to…
montessori blog coronavirus survival guide for parents
,

Montessori Parent Coronavirus Survival Guide

For 6 months in 2020, schools in the UK closed their doors to most children in order to keep society safe. Mums and dads worked from home and children were home-schooled during national lockdown. Families had to adapt – children adjusted to…
montessori language with word bingo
,

Language: Word Bingo

A game of Word Bingo is the perfect lesson for children who are blending sounds together and learning to read – a progression from the Sound Bingo tutorial previously shared on our blog. In a game of Sound Bingo, children will draw…
Winter bucket list
,

Winter Bucket List – Montessori-inspired outdoor activities for families

Oh Winter! So stark yet so beautiful. Whilst it might be easier to sit inside cuddled on the couch because, let’s be honest, coats, scarves, wellies and hats are all a bit of a palaver, the fact is that children need to play outside, even…
Sensorial: Pink Tower
,

Sensorial: Pink Tower

The Pink Tower is a sensorial material that teaches children sizing, dimension and order. It consists of 10 wooden cubes, ranging in size from 1 cubic centimetre to 10 cubic centimetres, differing in three dimensions. Lessons with the Pink Tower…
Montessori birthday
,

What is a Montessori birthday celebration?

Birthdays are deeply significant. They represent the passage of time, which is an important albeit abstract concept for children to grasp. Maria Montessori thought up a birthday ritual to help children understand that they are growing older…
Language: Sound Lesson
,

Language: Sound Lesson

Maria Montessori’s sandpaper letters sharply contrast with the traditional approach of looking at letters to memorise them, in that it engages three senses – visual, auditory and tactile – to support children’s ability to learn and remember. Everything…