SensorStory – Early learning through play – the Montessori way
What is Montessori
The Montessori Method considers the child from birth to 24 years of age, divided into Four Planes of Development – Dr. Montessori believed that the 0–3-year age group was the most important period of development, & modern science still agrees.
One misconception of Montessori is that it is an option only available to families with a large disposable income. Perhaps this misconception derives from the fact that sending your child to a Montessori school as opposed to a state school is indeed, a dear option. But Montessori education does not need to be costly – after all, Montessori education was initially developed for poor children in the slums of Rome by Dr. Maria Montessori at the start of the 1900s.
Montessori is far more than the classroom. Montessori is a way of life. More than activities or space, Montessori influences the way we are with our children. Montessori is based on a philosophy, a set of values & a way of thinking. In this way, Montessori is an option for every family & can be adopted effectively with little to no budget. Montessori’s approach rests on the values of trust & respect, it encourages us to empower our little one’s curiosity, learning to really see & accept them as they are, remaining connected to the child even when we must stop them from doing something they reeeeeally want to do, showing respect to our child – as we would an adult, seeing our little one’s as their own person on their own unique path, understanding their development & supporting them as their guide & leader as opposed to being moulded. This is the Montessori way.
“the objective of Montessori education is not fill a child with facts, but to continue to cultivate their own natural desire to learn” – Dr. Maria Montessori
Montessori is quite unique, with practices such as the prepared environment, also known as the Montessori classroom, which is filled with Montessori materials – where each material teaches a specific learning outcome & through repetition & practice, children master the five areas of the Montessori Curriculum, where learning through play is always purposeful & engaging.
“Play Is The Work of the Child” – Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori was a pioneer of child-centred education & was passionate about promoting independence in even the smallest children – Montessori philosophy is rooted in the idea that little ones should be empowered to do things on their own – not because we want our children to grow up too fast, let children be children! But because they love it!
“The child’s development follows a path of successive stages of independence, and our knowledge of this must guide us in our behaviour towards him. We have to help the child to act, will and think for himself; this is the art of those who aspire to serve the spirit.” – Dr. Maria Montessori
Children from birth to six years old – also called the First Plane of Development, is considered to be of great importance in the life of a human according to Montessori, where all of the human’s intelligence is formed. Little ones of this age thrive on learning, & deeply want to gain mastery of things they are interested in at the time – toddlers will repeat the same thing over & over in order to gain mastery. They absorb information from their environment like sponges & they thrive on order. What may seem like a lack of flexibility, e.g., “I can’t eat breakfast without my favourite spoon”, is actually the toddler expressing their strong natural sense or order. Order is an example of one of the eight categories of your child’s sensitive period for learning – according to Montessori Theory, the most important sensitive periods occur between birth and age six.
“There are many who hold, as I do, that the most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six. For that is the time when man’s intelligence itself, his greatest implement, is being formed. But not only his intelligence; the full totality of his powers” – Dr. Montessori
We will look closer at sensitive periods, prepared environment, Montessori materials and curriculum further in this article , but first let’s together take a deep dive into Montessori education for babies and toddlers aged 0-3 with part two of our look at the more-than-100-year-old philosophy:
Montessori for 0-3
The first three years of life are the most fundamental in the development of human beings & their potential – great intelligence is formed & the little one’s physical development is enormous. It is a period when the core of personality & the social being is developed.
During the first three years of life, the brain absorbs & processes more information than at any other time in life – from birth, little ones are interested & respond to all aspects of their environment, absorbing the language & culture around them. Babies crave sensory stimuli, they deeply desire to absorb every sight, sound, smell, taste, & touch around them in order to acquire knowledge of the world. These first experiences become one of the earliest memories.
Montessori for babies – Nido – is Italian for “Nest”. In Montessori, it describes the nurturing environment designed to meet the developmental needs of babies from six weeks old to the developmental milestone of walking independently. The Montessori adult has a caring, respectful response to the infant’s needs, both physical & psychological & conveys the message of unconditional love & acceptance.
Montessori for Toddlers – The toddler environment is designed for little ones who are walking through to three years. In this community, there should be new opportunities for movement & independence, development of language skills, art, music, sensorial & practical life activities. The pace is simpler & slower than the early childhood (three- to six-year-old, called ‘Children’s House’) environment, with Montessori materials & activities particular to this age group – it should never include simplified materials from the Montessori 3-6-year curriculum.
In the infant community, activities to provide them with the experience of belonging to a community & activities to encourage social development should be present. Practical Life activities to give little ones the chance to develop skills to care for themselves & their environment should also be available, as well as activities that offer the opportunity for movement & outdoor time – to absorb nature.
Everything in the 0-3 environment should be proportionate to the child’s size and designed to be safe & aesthetically pleasing for children. Allowing freedom in a safe space is crucial to the infant community – however, it is always tempered by two important limits that will be beneficial for a lifetime; respect for others & respect for the environment. Building the child’s self-esteem, concentration & self-confidence is the ultimate goal.
“Children learn naturally through activity and their characters develop through freedom” – Dr. Maria Montessori
The Montessori approach:
Montessori method takes a multifaceted approach to the care of the child & education, based on key principles.
The principles of Montessori education as developed by Maria Montessori provide a framework for how to best support children in their learning process & were developed over many years of experimentation & observation. These principles are based on the belief that children are naturally intelligent, that they want to learn, & that they have immense potential. The principles of Montessori are just as much about understanding how children learn, as they are about defining how Montessori is different to traditional education.
Montessori principles:
The 10 Principles of Montessori Education are as follows:
- Respect for the child – Much of the Montessori philosophy stems from a deep respect for children. This involves respecting the uniqueness of every child, their freedom to choose, to move, to correct their own mistakes, & to work at their own pace. Montessori educators work & interact with children from a place of genuine respect. Accommodate the individuality of each child, offering them the ability to go at their own pace and take the lead in their learning.
- Absorbent mind – Dr. Maria Montessori’s research determined that the first six years of life are the most crucial in a child’s development. She termed this stage the period of the absorbent mind, to describe the child’s sponge-like capacity to absorb information from their environment. During this time, children rapidly develop an understanding of their culture, & their world, & construct the foundations of their intelligence & personality. From birth to around 6, children take in information effortlessly & from birth to the age of 3 they do this completely unconsciously. The ease with which a toddler learns gives us opportunities, as well as responsibilities. Opportunities because they easily absorb the language around them, how we handle objects with care, how we treat others with respect & kindness, where we put things to create order, & the beauty of the environment around them. Responsibilities because, as Dr Montessori points out, a sponge can absorb dirty water as easily as it can clean water.
- Sensitive periods – Maria Montessori observed that children pass through specific stages in their development when they are most capable of learning specific knowledge areas & skills. She termed these stages ‘sensitive periods,’ which essentially describe windows of opportunity for learning. Characteristics of sensitive periods include: intense focus, repetition, commitment to a task, & greatly extended periods of concentration. In the Montessori classroom, there isn’t a set curriculum that must be followed by all, each child is offered learning opportunities aligned with their current interest.
- Educating the whole child – Montessori education is focused on nurturing each child’s potential by providing learning experiences that support their intellectual, physical, emotional & social development. In addition to language & mathematics, the Montessori Curriculum also covers practical life, sensorial, & culture. All aspects of children’s development & learning are intertwined & viewed as equally important. In a Montessori classroom, the 3-hour work cycle is followed – Dr. Montessori observed that children in a prepared environment, uninterrupted by the adult, would concentrate for 2.5-3 hours, then experiencing a period of false fatigue, followed by returning to focusing on more work. This is why Montessori work cycles are set to last 3 hours.
- Individualised learning – Montessori learning programs are personalised to each child based on their unique stage of development, interests, & needs. Lessons with the Montessori materials are presented one-on-one based on each child’s academic progress. Educators track each child’s progress & support them as they progress through the curriculum. Making the most of sensitive periods in children’s development, when they show an intense focus on certain concepts through their commitment to complete & repeat related tasks. Within such a sensitive window of opportunity, learning the concept comes most easily & naturally to a child. So, tailoring education to a child’s interests allows them to develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.
- Freedom of Movement & Choice – Dr. Maria Montessori observed that children learn best when they are free to move, free to choose their own work, & follow their interests. In a Montessori classroom, children are free to move around the prepared environment, work where they feel they will learn best, & discover learning outcomes through hands-on experience. Montessori learning is largely active, individually paced, often self-correcting, & tailored to the needs and interests of each individual child, allowing children to play an active role in their education.
- Prepared Environment – The Montessori classroom is also known as the prepared environment. This is a carefully prepared learning space where everything has a purpose & a place & gives children access to the tools they need to be successful. There is a distinct sense of order which assists children in developing logical thought processes. The fundamental idea is order in environment & mind. Within this space, children are free to follow their interests, choose their work, & progress at their own pace, designing a learning space that considers children’s needs.
- Intrinsic Motivation – The Montessori approach takes the view that learning is its own reward. In the Montessori classroom, there aren’t any gold stars to reward children’s learning. Instead, children derive a huge sense of accomplishment from completing an activity & learning to do it for themselves.
- Independence & responsibility – Montessori is an education for independence. It provides children with the environment, materials, & guidance to learn to do & think for themselves. It views children as born learners who are capable & willing to teach themselves when provided with the right stimulus. The ultimate goal of Montessori education is independence.
- Auto-Education – One of the core principles of the Montessori Method is the concept of auto-education. It’s based on the belief that children are capable & willing to teach themselves if they are provided with interesting learning stimuli. Montessori materials were developed to meet this need & empower a child with the ability to direct their own education. Montessori guides provide the prepared environment, guidance, & the encouragement for children to educate themselves.
Montessori curriculum:
The Montessori Curriculum is a child-centred learning framework that incorporates the cognitive, physical, social & emotional aspects of child development. There are five key areas: ❶ Practical Life, ❷ Sensorial, ❸ Language, ❹ Mathematics & ❺ Cultural studies. Each curriculum area includes a sequence of Montessori materials that isolate one learning outcome or skill. As children progress through the curriculum, they develop a complete understanding of each subject area;
The Five Key Areas of learning:
- Practical Life – Independence, self-care, social skills & care for the environment. The Montessori Practical Life Curriculum incorporates exercises & activities that children observe in daily life. These activities develop children’s independence, concentration, & fine motor skills. Typical practical life activities involve transferring, food preparation, lessons in grace & courtesy, care for pets & cleaning. Example materials & activities include; spooning, threading, sweeping, planting seeds, introducing oneself & greeting others.
- Sensorial – Activities that help to develop & refine their senses of sight, touch, sound, smell & taste so that they are able to gain understanding of the world. Through sensorial materials, children learn about similarity & difference, dimensions, colours & shapes, & distinguish between smells, tastes & sounds. Sensorial work also prepares children for mathematics, language & geometry by teaching children how to classify & sort. Example materials & activities include: pink tower, colour box, geometric solids, trinomial cube, massage, music, ‘messy play’.
- Language – Oral language, phonics, letter formation, sentence structure, vowels & consonants, writing, reading & early literacy skills. The Montessori Language Curriculum provides children with the knowledge & skills to build their vocabulary & understanding of language. The skills required for reading, writing & oral language are developed through hands-on experience using the Montessori language materials. Children learn letter sounds (phonics), letter identification & formation, how to combine sounds to make words, how to build simple sentences, & how to properly hold a pencil. Oral language skills are developed through daily social interactions, singing, group time experiences, & lessons in grace & courtesy. Example materials & activities include: sandpaper letters, moveable alphabet, metal insets, three part cards, vocabulary baskets (nomenclature materials), books, conversations, singing.
- Mathematics – Numbers, quantities, counting, addition, subtraction, decimal system, multiplication & division. The Mathematics Curriculum teaches children to understand abstract mathematical concepts & relationships through hands-on learning experiences. Children learn to count, identify & match numerals to their quantity, relate decimal quantities & symbols, & become aware of the functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication & division by using the Montessori materials. Example materials & activities include: numerals & counters, hanging bead stair, teen boards, hundred board, sorting, spooning.
- Cultural – The Culture Curriculum incorporates a wide range of subjects, including geography, botany, zoology, science, history, music & art. Through explorations of culture, children develop an understanding of their community, their world, & their social responsibilities. Children learn to respond to diversity with respect, appreciate music & art, & develop awareness of sustainability. Example materials & activities include: land & water forms, continent boxes, life cycle puzzle & activities, map cabinet.
“Children acquire knowledge through experience in the environment” – Dr. Maria Montessori
Montessori materials:
In the Montessori approach, materials is the term used to describe the teaching aids, toys & activities in their play environment. Montessori is all about tapping into a child’s natural impulse to learn & Montessori materials are hands-on learning tools that will usually target one skill, e.g., slotting a coin through a small hole into a box, which through repetition allows your little one to master this one skill. Non-Montessori toys (or Active toys), usually target multiple skills at once. e.g., one part for sound, another part for pushing a button, another part for twisting, another part for opening/closing, another part for a moving object etc.
Montessori materials are designed to encourage exploration, & inspire independent learning & support problem-solving, while being simple to use.
“Nothing goes into the mind that does not first go through the hands.”– Dr. Montessori
Montessori activities are also complete, they will have a beginning, a middle & an end, & your little one will be able to complete the full work cycle as they develop, including putting the activity away. Being able to complete an activity is important for your little ones’ sense of mastery as children gain mastery through repetition. Complete activities are also important for your babe because while they are working on the activity, they are experiencing peace, & once they have completed it, they experience satisfaction. Montessori activities are usually organised into trays or baskets, which hold everything that your tiny needs in order to complete the activity by themselves, i.e., if the activity includes water, we would want to include some sort of cloth to dry up any spills – making a complete activity.
“The satisfaction which they find in their work has given them a grace and ease” – Dr. Maria Montessori
Dr. Montessori advocated “real” toys made of natural materials, mainly because they’re healthy, promote inspiration in children & are generally safer. But also because they are more durable, more beautiful & lovely to touch. These toys are called ‘open-ended’ or ‘passive’ materials.
Passive toy = active learner ↔ Active toy = passive learner.
In Montessori, we prefer passive toys, which is the main characteristic of Montessori materials & means that the toys are not battery-operated & allow the child to be an active learner. Passive toys are materials that do nothing unless the child initiates play, i.e., the child must use the toy & manipulate the material for it to work. Montessori activities give babies & toddlers a great deal of satisfaction from mastery, allow for repetition of the activity & meet so many of your little one’s developmental needs. Conversely, active toys are not Montessori aligned, they are those mainly battery operated & without any sense of completion, in which they encourage the child to be passive & to rely on the toy to entertain the child. These toys tend to restrict & direct how little ones play with them & can be overwhelming & overstimulating. A simple, beautiful, well-crafted wooden toy can inspire your little ones’ interest without overwhelming them, & spark their imagination without directing it.
Passive toys don’t move, sing, clap or dance, they don’t have flashing lights, screens or vivid colours. They can help your little one develop –
- creativity,
- curiosity,
- motor skills,
- problem-solving skills,
- teach object permanence,
- teach cause & effect
- & much more!
You will almost certainly find non-Montessori toys in most Montessori family homes, but they will in all likelihood be passive toys, which means that they are not battery-operated & allow the child to be an active learner. Examples of some great open-ended, non-Montessori toys –
- Duplo/Lego,
- construction vehicles/farm vehicles etc,
- barn and farm animals,
- Playmobil sets based on daily life (rather than fantasy),
- loose parts collected from nature adventures,
- train sets,
- board games
For information on how to setup an activity at home see our article on Montessori activities for home.
Prepared environment:
The Montessori classroom is referred to as the prepared environment. The Montessori room is a carefully prepared learning space where everything has a purpose & a place. It is characterized by beauty, order & accessibility, furniture is light & child-sized, learning materials are designed to fit in children’s hands, & everything is designed to be open & accessible. The prepared environment activates a love of learning through curiosity, stability, & the freedom to choose. The area itself is, open-plan, & has a distinct sense of order, beauty & harmony. Everything has a purpose & a place. The features of the prepared environment are; structure & order, clearly defined curriculum areas, materials are displayed in progression order – in left to right orientation, freedom of movement & choice, emphasis on independence, & freedom within limits.
“The hand is the instrument of intelligence. The child needs to manipulate objects and to gain experience by touching and handling” – Doctor Maria Montessori.
Sensitive Periods in your little one’s development:
Discussion of sensitive periods immediately brings to mind a picture of moody teenagers – but it actually refers to a period of time when a child’s interests are focused on developing a particular skill. According to Montessori Theory, the most important sensitive periods occur between birth & age six – Montessori discovered that children are self-motivated to learn from their environments. She identified eight different sensitive periods occurring from birth through the age of six;
❶ order,
❷ sensorial exploration,
❸ movement,
❹ small objects,
❺ grace & courtesy,
❻ language,
❼ social interaction,
❽ mathematics.
A sensitive period is a time when a child shows uncharacteristically high motivation to engage in activities that align with their focus during that time. During a sensitive period, your little one will be deeply interested in a specific subject & will show intense passion & commitment – this makes it extremely easy for them to unconsciously acquire certain skills & abilities related to that particular interest during this time. They will have a fierce interest in repeating certain actions related to this subject, & a new skill will emerge out of this repetition. When the sensitive period is over, this intense desire is gone, & so too is the opportunity to learn deeply & easily. These periods of special sensitivity are only temporary & fade once the aim of completing a particular stage in their development is accomplished.
If we miss a sensitive period, this certainly doesn’t mean that they won’t learn a specific skill later on! Missing a sensitive period simply means that learning that specific skill will require a conscious & longer effort. For example: Dr. Montessori observed that a human’s sensitive period for language is from birth to 6 years old. During this time a child’s ability to learn a language, & to learn a second language, is easy & takes an unconscious effort to learn. If we ‘miss’ this period & decide later on in life to learn a second, or third language, this learning will require a conscious effort & will take a much longer time to master.
You may be wondering how to recognise sensitive periods in your little one’s development – have you ever wondered why your babe wants to repeat the same story a million times, or climb up onto the sofa & back down again over & over? These are common signs of sensitivity – characteristics of sensitive periods may include copying, intense concentration, & compulsive or obsessive behaviours. Interrupting your little one while they are in the middle of an intense sensitive period can result in a powerful emotional response – such as a tantrum. The ‘terrible twos’ are often actually your little one expressing a powerful reaction to a small disruption in order as they are likely to be in a sensitive period for learning, & their work is being interrupted.
Order: The sensitive period for order peaks in the second year of development. This period of development teaches how to develop their reasoning skills, organise information, & understand their environment. Sensitivity to order can be characterised by a desire for consistency & repetition, where children crave routine & structure. During this period of sensitivity, children may be more interested in putting things in order & packing things away rather than actually playing with their toys. To support the sensitive period for order, this is why Montessori theory places importance on establishing ground rules, a solid routine, & create an organised environment where everything has a place.
Language: From birth to age six, children are in the sensitive period for language. Sensitivity to language involves three key phases: spoken language, written language, & reading. The sensitive period for spoken language is from 7 months to 3 years of age. It begins when the child first creates sounds by mimicking mouth movements, and progresses over time, as they learn to form words & simple sentences. (The sensitive period for learning to write is from 3.5 to 4.5 years of age. For reading, a child is intensely interested from 4.5 to 5.5 years of age. Reading skills are often developed after a child learns to write as it involves visual tracking skills). To support language development at home, it is important to immerse your child in an environment that is rich in language stimulation. This involves speaking to your child in clear language, singing & reading with them, & allowing them to speak their needs instead of anticipating them. Highly recommended is a fantastic Ted talk titled The Linguistic genius of babies by Patricia Kuhl, who is a professor of speech & hearing sciences & co-director of the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences at the University of Washington. Kuhl is internationally recognized for her research on early language & brain development, & studies that show how young children learn. Kuhl’s work has played a major role in demonstrating how early exposure to language alters the brain.
Sensory Skills: The first sensitivity phase, sensorial exploration, occurs from birth to 6 years. This phase can be classified by an intense desire to take part in learning experiences that integrate the senses & their fascination with sensorial experiences such as touch, taste, sight & smell. These experiences provide children with a system to classify objects within their environment. The second phase of sensory awareness, sensitivity to small objects, occurs from one to three years of age. This period can be characterised by a child’s fixation with small objects & tiny details. The completion of this phase indicates that an understanding of order & detail are coming together in the child’s mind.
Movement: The sensitive period for movement can be divided into two phases. From birth to 3 years, children are sensitive to gross & fine motor development. This begins when a little one learns to crawl, pull up, & eventually walk without assistance. Over time, children also develop fine motor skills through repeating activities that strengthen their hand muscles & improve hand-eye coordination. From 3 to 4 years of age, children enter the sensitive period for refinement & coordination of movement. This is when the child begins to control & coordinate movement.
Social Interaction: From 2.5 years, children learn that they are part of a group & develop an intense interest in social relationships, all the way to 6 years +. During this time, children learn to direct their actions, attention & behaviour towards a group of people. This is the stage of development where children learn to develop friendships & participate in co-operative play. The sensitive period for social skills is an appropriate stage to introduce the importance of manners & basic principles of human interaction.
Montessori advocates supporting your little one during this special time of learning by providing them with a supportive learning environment that provides stimulus appropriate to their stage of development. This includes ensuring adequate time & materials are available, and by respecting the individual interests & passions of your child. It is through observation that the needs of the child are revealed. As always, follow the child, and tuck away some extra patience for the days they want to sing the ABC song over & over again!
EYFS:
Montessori values are echoed within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Both advocate that children’s learning & development occur as an outcome of their individual interests & abilities. It is crucial to use these as starting points when planning the next steps in children’s learning. Both the EYFS & Montessori see observation of children as the focal point to progress.
For more on EYSF and how EYFS and Montessori work together, see our article What is EYFS & how Montessori & EYFS work together
How does SensorStory incorporate Montessori philosophy into it’s programme?
SensorStory Learning through play – the Montessori Way – we’re passionate about giving you & your child the best possible start with guidance, support, & classes you both love, making memories with your little one to last a lifetime.
SensorStory’s unique parent- child classes are Montessori aligned, combining the best of Montessori philosophy with sensory play, music, multi-sensory storytelling, massage, Baby Sign language, messy play & more, to create child-centred, hands-on, interactive experiences through three stage-based Chapter’s! Created by Montessorians with passion & creativity to support the developmental needs of babies & toddlers from birth to 3 years old, each of our Chapters has been thoroughly researched & thoughtfully created to devise meaningful lesson plans specific to your child’s age & development. Our exclusive program is also designed to help promote & strengthen bonding between baby & caregiver, encourage a sense of self-confidence in your little one, whilst providing a fantastic opportunity for parents to meet other parents of tiny’s in their local area.
In line with our mission to offer useful guidance, we have had multiple articles written for our families, all available for free on our website – & are continuously adding to these – to provide everybody insight & access into the Montessori method, including recommendations to help you navigate how to bring Montessori into your home.
Our parent-child classes at SensorStory follow Montessori philosophy – where our unique approach is adapted to suit our “pop-up” style classes. SensorStory’s approach incorporates the principles of Montessori education with a focus on the five key areas of study in each lesson plan within an Early Years rich & varied environment, together with Montessori materials & activities that are aligned with the Montessori method to provide a program that delivers a child-centred Montessori inspired curriculum.
Our fun and interactive program is suitable for little ones from 6 weeks to 3 years old. During this stage of development, infants move through sensitive periods for movement, hand-eye coordination, language, order, sensory exploration, social interaction & small objects. SensorStory’s Chapters focus on providing children from 0-3 with the optimal learning environment, materials, & guidance to discover the world around them & their full potential.
Our Montessori materials encourage practical skills, fine motor precision & gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, pre-reading skills, language, support your child’s budding independence, sensory exploration & perception, math skills, movement & tune into your little one’s sensitive periods for small objects & order as well as social interaction, nurturing the whole child. Our Montessori materials are proportionate to the child’s size & designed to be safe & aesthetically pleasing for children to allow them to absorb every sight, sound, smell, taste, & touch around them.
Weekly classes include time set aside for uninterrupted free-flow play, with small mixed-age classes we include structure & purpose within a rich & stimulating environment that does not inhibit the spontaneity of childhood. Group activities such as singing & storytelling provide your little one with the experience of belonging to a community – with a new, real-life theme each week, theme time provides a framework to encourage social development. For our youngest children, from birth to six months, we also offer a calming guided massage at the end of each class & for our nido & toddler communities, we offer lessons in Baby Sign language.
The benefits of the Montessori method are time-tested & continue to be proven to deliver outstanding well-being & academic outcomes for children.
“Children acquire knowledge through experience in the environment” – Doctor Maria Montessori
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