Activities and equipment

Montessori Pedagogy: Activities and Materials

"The fundamental quality for a parent or educator is the ability to observe." – Maria Montessori

Practical Life is the area where children learn and refine their movements and skills through everyday tasks. These activities build coordination, concentration, and independence. Here are a few examples:

Pouring water: Using small pitchers to pour water from one container to another.

Transferring: Moving objects such as dried beans from one bowl to another using a spoon.

Dressing skills: Buttoning clothes, tying shoelaces, and zipping zippers.

mathematics

Montessori mathematics introduces mathematical concepts in a concrete and sensory way before moving on to abstraction. Some materials:

The red and blue bars: to understand numbers and sequences.

Golden pearls: to learn the units, tens, hundreds and thousands.

Symbols and pearls: to associate numbers and quantities.

These tools allow children to understand fundamental mathematical concepts in a tangible and playful way.

The sensorial life

The sensorial life helps children refine and develop their senses. The materials are designed to isolate and engage one sense at a time (sight, touch, hearing, taste, smell). Here are a few examples:

Cylinder blocks: to develop visual perception of size and dimension.

Fabric swatches: to explore different textures through touch.

Sound boxes: to recognize and differentiate sounds.

These activities help children organize and categorize the sensory information they receive from the world around them.

The Language

The Language Area aims to enrich vocabulary and develop reading and writing skills. Some materials and activities include:

Sandpaper letters: To learn how to trace letters and associate them with their sounds.

Movable alphabets: To compose words and begin writing independently.

Nomenclature cards: To match words with images and expand vocabulary.

These activities prepare children for reading and writing in a gradual and sensory-based way.

Sciences, discovery of the world and culture

This area encompasses science, culture, and the arts. Children explore and discover the world around them. Here are a few examples:

Turtle's life cycle: Connecting with nature while learning about animal life cycles in a fun and interactive way.

Simple science experiments: Understanding basic concepts such as floating and magnetism.

Arts and crafts: Encouraging creativity through painting, drawing, and sculpting.

These activities are designed to broaden children's general knowledge and spark their curiosity about the world.

History & Geography

The history of a people obviously cannot be separated from the environment in which it develops, and from the history of its great men and women. At the beginning of each year, children are introduced to the study of humanity with stories, beautiful books, maps, posters, timelines and other materials designed to pique their curiosity. The study of history and geography is renewed every year. The lessons offered by teachers at the beginning of the school year present an overview of the subject and provide research leads. But you never know where each child’s individual interests and passions will lead the whole class.

Last edited: 04/06/2025