Montessori Monday – Table Setting

Table Setting Tray (Photo from My Montessori Journey)

Table setting is a practical life skill that can give your preschooler extra confidence and independence … and give you some extra help. Knowing how to set a table can also help your child feel comfortable in social situations, especially if you’ve given grace and courtesy lessons introducing the placement of dishes and silverware within the setting.

Preparing a Table Setting Activity

Here are some posts with wonderful ideas for preparing a table setting activity:

Hand Drawn Place Setting (Photo from My Montessori Journey)

My Montessori Journey has a table setting tray prepared using an inexpensive placemat and permanent marker to trace around the pieces of the place setting. That’s what I did for my school placement during my master’s dissertation work.

Hand Drawn Placemat (Photo from Simply Montessori)

Simply Montessori also purchased inexpensive placemats and traced around the dinnerware with a permanent marker. You could draw a similar setting and just add the outlines for a napkin and glass, or draw a more formal setting if you want to prepare your child for a formal dinner with more forks and knives. Simply Montessori also has links to placemats that can be printed out.

Table Setting Basket (Photo from Counting Coconuts)

Table Setting Activity (Photo from Counting Coconuts)

Counting Coconuts has a table setting activity with an attractive placemat you can purchase.

Montessori ici used a variation of a tutorial from Simple Kids to prepare lovely placemats.

North American Montessori Center has a napkin folding activity.

Montessori for Learning has a post on using table setting as a practice in mindfulness, putting “each piece down on the table slowly, and with purpose… and taking the time to step back and reflect on our work.”

Note: Emily Post has an article “Informal Place Setting” which helps illustrate a typical table setting for a 3-course meal.

Table Setting for Kids at Pinterest

I have a Pinterest board of Table Setting for Kids. There are many links to place settings you can print out, purchase, or make yourself. Just choose the placemat and table-setting activity for your home or school according to whatever type of place setting you’d like.

Have fun!

Montessori Monday Link-Up

If you have some Montessori ideas/lessons to share, please link up below. Please also place the Montessori Monday button (using the code from the right sidebar) in your post or put a link back to this post.

My co-host, Nicole, at One Hook Wonder, is taking the week off but has lots of great posts from other weeks!

Thanks for participating! (Note: If you have a giveaway on your blog, please add it to my Family-Friendly Giveaway Linky Page.)

Linked with The Mommy Club Resources and Solutions at Milk and Cuddles and Crystal & Co. , Pinterest Tuesday, Show-and-Share Saturday, Link & Learn, and The Sunday Showcase at Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Classified: Mom.