I love the simplicity of the Montessori 3-period lesson for teaching vocabulary and concepts. I’ve been using the 3-period to teach vocabulary to my 15-month old granddaughter, Zoey. I also showed my daughter, Christina, how to use the 3-period lesson. Today, I’m sharing a video I directed of Christina using the 3-period lesson with Zoey.
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Introducing the Melissa & Doug Wooden Animal Magnets to a Toddler
You don’t need Montessori materials to make use of the 3-period lesson. It works for many different types of activities.
In the photos and video, Zoey is working with the Melissa & Doug wooden animal magnets. (Note: If you’d prefer to buy them from the Melissa & Doug site, you’ll often find great deals there.) The animal magnets are for ages 2+, so I removed any animals that were smaller than the opening of a toilet paper tube.
Concentrating on Her Work
The first day, I removed the wild animals from the box and used the 3-period lesson to review the vocabulary for the farm animals. Zoey has enjoyed saying names of a number of farm animals and making the related animal sounds for awhile now.
Then I just let Zoey work with the animals on her own. We have the Little Partners Learning Tower and art easel, which are awesome. Any sort of magnetic board would work well, though.
Continuing Work with Melissa & Doug Animal Magnets
Zoey was enthralled with the animal magnets. She worked with them most of the afternoon.
Putting the Tray Back on the Shelf
Zoey continued to work with the animal magnets the next day. The wooden tray is a great size for practice carrying a tray and putting it on and off the shelf.
Using the Montessori 3-Period Lesson to Teach Vocabulary to a Toddler
The day after that, my daughter, Christina, used the 3-period lesson to work on wild animal names with Zoey. Note: I’m always there for the Living Montessori Now videos. I’m just the director behind the camera. 😉
Zoey typically talks more than in the video when working with the materials. She’s still a bit suspicious of the camera on a tripod, so we just let her do what she feels comfortable with when being videotaped.
You can find more information about using the 3-period lesson in this post: How to Teach Concepts and Vocabulary to Your Preschooler Using the 3-Period Lesson.
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
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