Montessori means…. following the children.

During our day the children often choose the independent activities set out in front of them on the shelves - classic Montessori materials and and visual art materials. Often we also create new work to follow their interests or do spontaneous activities based on the energy and interests of the children.

Alicia enjoys leading the children in yoga when they need to move their bodies in different ways.

Sometimes children lead games, using the games modeled by an adult. Here he is leading the Sound Game, which is a fun way to teach phonemic awareness.

On a whim we built this little shelf from a kit bought at Ikea. In the afternoon we all took turns painting it and it now holds peat pots planted with seeds on our outdoor patio. Activities like this gives children ownership over their environment and the impetus to care for the things around them.

Scrubbing work is more fun when you are next to a friend. Often children can be overheard comparing - "My work has soap! Does yours have soap? Do you have a scrub brush?"

Some days are too nice to stay inside - the nearby park offers a fresh way to play!