Title: Montessori from the Start
Author: Paula Polk Lillard and Lynn Lillard Jessen
Book Summary: ‘Montessori from the Start’ focuses on practical aspects of the Montessori education for children 0-3 years old. It is well written and easy to understand. The book answers a lot of questions and provides practical examples on how to use the Montessori method with young children and how to apply Montessori principles at home. It successfully explains Montessori theory and it’s practical applications in real life. It also provides an advice on how to set up a Montessori environment, what equipment and materials to use.
The book provides information on how one can encourage a child to reach his full potential as a human being. The first pages of the book illustrate the timeline of the two most important aspects of child’s development – fine and gross motor development and instructs whatMontessori materials are the most suitable to encourage this development. This is a helpful guideline, quick reference for any parent. Being a mother has transformed from largely custodial, albeit loving, care into a stimulating, productive discovery of a new being in formation. I was engaged in an intellectual and scientific task of the most immense proportions and significance.
It is excellent
Art activities that Montessori believes in give more freedom for expression and thus I would recommend using paints and various sizes of brushes, block crayons – for easy grip of the toddler, large chalk, and colored pencils. Offer this to the child in an open shelf and a child sized table and chair nearby.
For outdoor/gym activities, nature walks are good where you have an opportunity to name objects that are encountered. Going to the playground on a regular basis is also good as it beneficial for gross motor exercises. Having ball games, where the child can learn to throw and catch a ball is also great activity. Walking on a balance beam or even walking on a line drawn on the ground is also an excellent way for the child to learn balance. Action songs are also beneficial as they encourage various movements such as jumping and stretching out. Bikes are also great!
These are just some of the activities that you can do at home and we will research some more on ways that you can enhance gross motor development for your child.
i will “homeschool†my child, a toddler and want to know gym activities for him.
if you have art ideas as well that would be helpful.
This book so also great. I have read it over and over and high lighted specific lines for easy reference. It talks about how the environment should be and how to raise an efficient child to be independent.
I have a 2 year old and have read this book 3 times already! It gives very easy ideas that you can put into practice at home, from when they are new born to 3. It has made my life easier understanding the stages and needs that my child is going through and has enriched the time spent with my daughter, even now that we are approaching the terrible twos!