A community helpers unit study is popular at the beginning of the school year for preschoolers and kindergartners. Labor Day and September 11 Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance are also great reasons to focus on community helpers at the start of the school year. Today, I want to share some Montessori-friendly community helper resources for home or classroom.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Montessori-Friendly Community Helper Activities (Many with Free Printables)
Free Police Printables and Montessori-Inspired Police Activities
Montessori-Inspired Fire Safety Unit with Free Printables and Activities
Free Fire Safety Songs and Educational Videos
The Best Fire Safety Books for Kids
Free Fire Truck Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Free Firefighter Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
How to Teach Children Fire Safety in a Non-Scary Way
Non-Scary Montessori Fire Safety Resources for Preschool Through Elementary
Free Fire Safety Printables and Montessori-Inspired Fire Safety Activities
Free Construction Printables and Montessori-Inspired Construction Activities
Free Construction Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Free Construction Vehicle Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Free Construction Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time
Montessori-Inspired Construction Printables for Preschool Through Early Elementary
Roadwork: Road Construction Printable Pack for Hands-on Fun and Learning
Free Road Construction Printables and Montessori-Inspired Road Construction Activities
Free Construction Vehicle Printables and Montessori-Inspired Construction Vehicle Activities
Free Medical Worker Printables and Montessori-Inspired Medical Worker Activities
Free Doctor and Nurse Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Phonics Instant Download)
Free Medical Worker Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Free Songs About Getting a Shot {Kids’ Vaccination resources}
Free Ambulance Printables and Montessori-Inspired Ambulance Activities
Free Dental Health Printables and Montessori-Inspired Dental Health Activities
Free Dentist Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Free Dental Health Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Community Helpers Activity Trays and Sensory Tubs
Montessori-Inspired Activities with Community Helper Figures and Free Printables
“Look for the Helpers” Mister Rogers Word Art Freebie
Free Disaster Preparedness Songs for Kids
Free 911 Songs for Kids {Non-Scary Emergency Preparedness}
Free Emergency Preparedness Songs for Kids {Character Education Resources}
Free Water Safety Songs for Kids
Free Labor Day Songs and Educational Videos
Free Detective Printables and Montessori-Inspired Detective Activities
Free Women in Science Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities
Favorite Books for a Women in Science Theme
Women and Girls in Science: Free Songs and Educational Videos
Free Post Office Printables and Montessori-Inspired Post Office Activities
Free Post Office Songs and Educational Videos
Favorite Books for a Post Office Theme
Free Library Printables and Montessori-Inspired Library Activities
Favorite Books for a Library Theme
Free Library Songs and Educational Videos
Free Teacher Printables and Montessori-Inspired Teacher Activities
Community Helpers Pinterest Board
Are Dramatic Play Community Helper Activities Montessori Friendly?
Dramatic play can be a point of controversy in Montessori education. While you will usually see dramatic play activities in a traditional preschool, you typically won’t see dramatic play activities in a Montessori school because of the emphasis on reality in Montessori preschool education.
It’s important to realize that a Montessori-friendly home is different from a Montessori classroom. Your children are at home for many hours a day compared with a few hours in a Montessori classroom. Most Montessori-friendly homes and Montessori homeschools allow dramatic play … even homes and homeschools of Montessori-trained teachers.
I didn’t have dramatic play activities in my Montessori classroom, but I didn’t worry about my children doing dramatic play activities at home. My son’s Halloween costumes during his toddler and preschool years were even career-based. (See “Homeschool Halloween: Non-Scary Halloween Traditions.”)
Some Montessori-Friendly Community Helper Books and Resources
Books with photographs or realistic drawings are especially Montessori friendly, although there are many fun books that use fanciful drawings to teach about community helpers.
Community Helpers from A to Z emphasizes uppercase letters (whereas lowercase letters are emphasized in Montessori education) and some of the careers in the book (EMTs and utility workers) start with long vowel sounds. Still, I think the book gives a good overview of community helpers. I like that it uses photographs.
A Day in the Life Community Helpers series uses photographs, too, and is an interesting introduction to community helpers for young children.
The Safari Ltd. People TOOB can be used for many Montessori-inspired activities, especially activities focusing on vocabulary and matching. You’ll find some of those activities in the Pinterest board below.
Community Helpers Books for Kids
Community Helpers Unit Study Pinterest Board
Community Helpers Unit Study Pinterest Board
I have a Community Helpers Unit Study Pinterest Board with community helpers activities of all kinds. Most of these are Montessori friendly, although some use dramatic play. Use your home or school philosophy about dramatic play to decide if you want to include dramatic play activities.
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
If this is your first time visiting Living Montessori Now, welcome! If you haven’t already, please join us on our Living Montessori Now Facebook page where you’ll find a Free Printable of the Day and lots of inspiration and ideas for parenting and teaching! And please follow me on Instagram, Pinterest (lots of Montessori-, holiday-, and theme-related boards), and YouTube. While you’re here, please check out the Living Montessori Now shop.
And don’t forget one of the best ways to follow me by signing up for my weekly newsletter. You’ll receive some awesome freebies in the process!
