You can prepare an environment in your home to foster your children’s increasing independence and appeal to their developing senses. Here are some guidelines.
Provide child-sized furnishings in your child’s room and include low, open shelves with a small selection of appealing items. Rotate items on the shelves so that children do not become bored with a particular item or overwhelmed by a large selection. Keep toys clean and in perfect condition.
Provide child-sized yet functional items your children can use to care for themselves and the environment (such as washcloths, a hairbrush or a broom and dust pan). Montessori Services catalogs carry a wide variety of child-sized tools such as brooms, cutlery and cooking supplies.
Provide means for your children to access the adult-sized environment. Place items that your children frequently use in an accessible location, and provide step stools for reaching counters and sinks.
Maintain order throughout your home environment, so that your children see that there’s a particular place each item is to be stored after each use. Encourage your children to maintain the order.
Purchase inexpensive but exquisite-looking items that your children should use with care: for example, a special porcelain milk pitcher would help develop your child’s aesthetic awareness, while encouraging independence and building his or her sense of worth.
Parents who plan a prepared environment in their home will enjoy observing how powerful the environment is in helping their children learn and become confident, active participants in home life.