My Montessori Journey: The Prepared Environment

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To read part one, click here.

“The child has a different relation to his environment from ours… the child absorbs it.  The things he sees are not just remembered; they form part of his soul.  He incarnates in himself all in the world about him that his eyes see and his ears hear.”  -Maria Montessori

In any Montessori space, both home and school, the focus is on the child; her needs and abilities. In this way, the Montessori home may look quite different from what you’re used to. Child-sized furniture, access to food, dishes, and clothing, and small tools to aid in daily tasks are common.

When I began to establish a Montessori environment for my daughter at ten months, it started with her room, I was already converting her to a floor bed so the furniture needed changed anyway. I removed a cube shelf from her closet and a bookshelf from her room, replacing the former with a lower clothing bar and the latter with a small open shelf for her limited toys. I replaced some of her toys with items that she could use independently and that would be calm since the space is used for sleeping.

 
Her clothes in her closet

In her playroom, I removed a sofa to make room for her furniture. I placed her toys individually in each section of the cube shelves that were already there, as well as the ones that I moved from her bedroom. By placing each activity by itself, she is able to easily find all the necessary items to use that activity and can easily put things away when she is finished. I organized her play space into areas; her bookcase near a low bench, her musical instruments together, and like-items on the two separated cube shelves.

The last area that I redid was our eating space. Instead of her sitting in a high chair near the table, she now has a low chair at a low table. We all sit together at the table as a family. She also has open shelves in the kitchen area for her own dishes and snacks, as well as a washing station. Everything revolves around providing materials and access to foster independence.

The thing that is absent from her spaces is adult-centered items and furniture. If a space is intended for my daughter, she is able to utilize everything in that space. This allows her to take ownership of the home as a member of the household and participate in daily activities.

Have you started your Montessori journey? What does your space look like?

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Emily Swegert
Emily was born in Cincinnati but transplanted to rural Michigan as a toddler with her parents. She moved back while in high school and has been here since. She met her husband, Eric, while completing her undergrad in education at Miami University. Two master's degrees, a house, and a dog later, they decided to expand their family. Their daughter Piper was born in April 2017. Emily spent 18 months as a stay-at-home-mom before taking a GIANT leap and becoming a doula. Shortly thereafter, she was approached by the owner of a local agency about taking over the business. She now works from home running Tender Beginnings while sharing adventures with her daughter.

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