Montessori-Inspired Preschool

Montessori Preschool is a mixed-age group from around 2.5 years to 6 years. I believe ages matters less than the stage the child is in. More self-control. Cognitively ready. Once again, Meadow Montessori has a good overview of the activities presented to a child in the Montessori preschool. Presented is the key word here. Nothing is required of the child. Some activities resonate more with one child than another. This is where observation of a child is key. And if I had one word of advice, it would be to avoid interrupting a child when he is in deep concentration even if he's simply trying to put on a shirt again and again. This is Montessori at its finest! This is my adaption of a Montessori preschool

Memory: Nursery Rhymes, Fingerplays, Songs

Religion:

Treasure Box Series – Make a Prayer Book alongside

Catechism of the Good Shephered - This resource does require some time to make materials. They have also doubled the price on the Mass kit since I bought it.

Celebrating the liturgical year

A child's bible.

Coloring books

Each day the student should say the rosary and on Friday, say the Stations of the Cross.

Literature:

1000 books’ Picture Books

Arithmetic:

Counting songs & counting

Number games (dominoes, number lotto)

Board games with dice

Make and copy sequences and patterns

Time (clock with moveable hands)

Measuring (ruler, weight scale)

Cooking (measurement)

Money (learn different coins, count pennies)

Living Math’s Early Concepts readers

Hands-on Learning:

Traditional Montessori materials are notoriously expensive. The Practical Life activities are the exception; They can be easily done with things around your house. I did eventually make all of them using cardboard, everyday materiaols and laminated paper but it is extremely time-consuming. So, below I've listed two general groups of resources. The first are Montessori-inspired activities. They are not as time-consuming to gather nor as expensive. However, they are just as effective and your child will not be missing out on a traditional Montessori environment. I, then, went ahead to list traditional Montessori lesson plans found free on the web. Each Montessori album (set of lesson plans) differ slightly from teacher to teacher. I have simply highlighted albums that best match my needs. Feel free to choose from an alternative option but I caution against trying to combine albums. From my personal experience, it simply becomes too overwhelming.

Montessori-Inspired Activities

Jigsaw Puzzles - We have quite a few Melissa and Doug jigsaw puzzles.

Do Touch

Preschool Power

My Montessori Journey - a blog that showcases some home-made Montessori-inspired materials

Kim’s Friday Funschool - another blog that showcases home-made Montessori-inspired activities arranged according the alphabet.

Traditional Montessori Activities

Practical Life lessons - If you have trouble visualizing these presentations, MWEI's is more user-friendly.

Sensorial - You could get traditional Montessori materials from cheap sources like Montessori Concepts. However, for our family, I tried to adapt everyday materials that fulfilled the aim of the lesson. For example, different sized dolls to illustrate big and small. Books like Do Touch and Hainstock's Preschool book might also gives you some ideas.

Montessori Language - Once again, I prefer Shu-Chen's language lessons, but have benefitted from MWEI's photos and Montessori Materials for printouts.

Montessori Culture - Montessori Materials and mm2-Culture, MM_Science, mm2-_zoology, mm2_geography, all have free printouts.You can also purchase from Montessori for Everyone. You can get world puzzles from Timberdoodle. I've also mounted laminated continent maps on corkboards and hot-glued laminated flag printouts to push-pins. Science experiment materials can be purchased individually at Home Science Tools.