With the Movement Control Order to curb Coronavirus, almost all parents are cooped up at home with their children. A blessing in disguise, this is a chance for parents to try these 6 Montessori activities that are budget-friendly!

1. Activity: Finding peace

Material: Any objects that make your child feels peaceful, for example a small music box or a sand timer.

How-to: If your child is having big feelings, bring them to sit and play with their favourite calming things.

In Montessori, there is a big emphasis on peace within a child.

2.Activity: Match hunt

Material: Matching household items.

How-to: Hide a slipper, a spoon, and one part of anything that comes in a pair. Let your child find their match and congratulate them for their effort!

In Montessori, there is a lot of matching work which is excellent for visual discrimination, organization and vocabulary.

3. Activity: Object journal

Material: Notebook and pencil.

How-to: Ask your child to pick up an object inside the house to draw and write about. If they are not yet writing, you can help to write the words by asking them to tell you what the object is.

In Montessori, this activity is done outside in nature and is called a nature journal.

4. Activity: Sequencing

Material: Phone camera, cardstocks, and printer.

How-to: Take pictures of your child doing their daily activities. For example, waking up from bed, undressing for shower, brushing teeth, and getting dressed again. Print the pictures onto cardstocks and let your child put the pictures in sequence.

In Montessori, sequencing, or putting events in order is a key concept to understand stories.

5. Activity: Water sponging

Material: 1 tray, 1 full bowl, 1 empty bowl, 1 sponge.

How-to: Show your child how to submerge the sponge in the bowl of water and then squeeze out the water into the second bowl. Transfer all of the water this way until the first bowl is empty and the second is full, and then let your child have a turn.

In Montessori, this is a favourite classroom activity because young children love working with water and it teaches them how to clean water spills with a sponge.

6. Activity: Open-ended sorting

Material: Assorted small objects such as coins, buttons, or stickers.

How-to: Dump the objects and tell your child you’re going to think of ways to organize them. Show your child how to create a system by sorting the objects according to colour, size, shape, texture, or anything else you come up with. Then invite them to try and see how many methods you can come up with together.

In Montessori, this is a creative scientific exercise that allows children to explore classification systems and is often good for elder children who can begin to understand more abstract concepts.

These are actually a glimpse of the activities conducted at Choo Choo Train Baby & Child Care Centre. Our daily timetable includes a session for Montessori activities, 3 meal times, and shower! Give us a call at 012 649 2532 if you are interested to enrol your child with us 😊