My kids always loved to make special gifts for family members at Christmas. From the time they were preschoolers on, they wrapped the gifts they made, too. It made my life a bit easier and was a fun and special activity for my kids. Whether or not your kids have special presents to wrap, you…
This is an especially good time to focus on grace and courtesy if you have any family gatherings coming up. Even if you don’t have any family gatherings this week or don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in your country, it’s also a good time to focus on etiquette before the December holidays. Young children need lots of…
Learning to play competitive games with grace and sportsmanship requires practice. I like to use cooperative games as a way to promote collaborative skills and as an introduction to the etiquette of sportsmanship. I believe sportsmanship is both a character trait and a skill. Montessori principles and techniques can be used to help teach and…
Grace and courtesy exercises are always helpful at the start of the school year in Montessori classrooms and even in Montessori homeschools. Montessori practical life preliminary exercises, such as how to roll a mat, are also important for the child’s concentration, control of movement, and the smooth functioning of a classroom. You’ll find it helpful…
Walking on the line is a traditional Montessori exercise for grace of movement. During the summer or in any nice weather, you could add extra interest to the activity by taking it outdoors. Why not have a line hunt for straight lines?! Let your child walk on each line he or she finds (or along…
It’ll be Father’s Day on Sunday! Again this year, there are lots of great Father’s Day ideas available online! Today, I’ll share my previously published Father’s Day posts along with some new ideas for 2012. You’ll notice that a number of Montessori schools have Father’s Day breakfasts and activities that involve the children serving meals…
Whatever December holiday your family celebrates, good manners help make the holiday a happier time for everyone. If you aren’t already working on holiday manners with your preschooler, now is a good time to start. Holidays can be stressful for children as well as adults, and it’s important that you help your child prepare for…
Thanksgiving … love it! What a perfect time for family, gratitude, memory-making, and kids in the kitchen! At our house, Will and Christina helped prepare part of the meal and set the table when they were little. As they grew older, they took responsibility for a lot of the grocery shopping, preparing our cranberry salad…
Halloween is a fun holiday – and it’s a holiday that’s made even better with grace and courtesy. Halloween Walking on the Line You can use a Halloween theme with a classic Montessori activity for developing grace of movement – walking on the line. Here’s an Activity of the Week post with ideas for lines…
Welcome to the September Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting Through Play This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how challenging discipline situations can be met with play. Please read to the end to find a…
I'm Deb Chitwood. My header photo models are my children, Christina, at 1 1/2, my son, Will, at 3, and Christina again at 16. Christina is now 22, and Will is 27. Please see the About Me page for more information about my family and me. Please see the About Montessori page for information about Montessori.
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