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…
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,…
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 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…
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…
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…
Montessori Moments: Each individual is valued
An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking: it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live. —Maria,…
Autumn-themed activities for Montessori families
The golds, reds and browns of autumn signal the transition from summer to winter. The days slowly get darker and the weather a little cooler. September (in particular) is an incredible month; still warm, not too wet (yet) plus it’s conker…
Chores for small children
What we think of as “chores” Maria Montessori thought of as daily life or practical life skills. The benefits of children helping out around the house has been well researched and documented; it teaches responsibility, independence and importantly,…
Ten tips on how to manage coronavirus fears in the early years
Life during the Covid-19 pandemic has been strange and difficult but the return to school for many children in the early years group is, hopefully, a welcome step. Little ones will be able to reconnect with their friends and teachers, and although…
Toddler self-hygiene – washing hands
Maria Montessori was a trained physician and sought to teach children at an early age how to incorporate the practical life skill of personal hygiene into their daily lives. As well as nurturing an understanding that being hygienically safe…
How to include screen time in a Montessori lifestyle
The more time our children spend with screens, the less time they spend interacting with others or in hands-on, creative play, which are both proven to be important for learning. Screens were invented in an era that came after Maria Montessori…