Montessori at Home | House on the Hill

Montessori at Home: Exploring Space with Your Little One, The Wonders of Space

Amanda June 2025

At House on the Hill, we recently embarked on an exciting journey through space in our Playgroup and Pre-Nursery classrooms. From learning about the sun, moon, and stars to travelling through space and returning to Earth, our young learners were immersed in rich hands-on activities that sparked awe and curiosity. To support and extend this learning journey, here are three space-themed Montessori-style activities you can enjoy at home with your child. Each activity encourages creativity, independence, and exploration using simple materials. 1. Create a Jet Pack for a Space Adventure Imaginative play is a wonderful way to support your child’s language, social, and cognitive development—all while strengthening fine motor skills. Making a jet pack at home lets your little one blast off into space through creativity and pretend play! Materials: 2 empty plastic bottles Tape or glue Recycled cardboard Paint, stickers, or coloured paper for decorating String or ribbon for shoulder straps Activity: Help your child clean and dry the bottles. Tape or glue the bottles onto a piece of cardboard to form the base of the jet pack. Let your child decorate the jet pack using paints, stickers, markers or felt. Attach the straps so they can wear it. Encourage them to role-play a space mission around the house or garden! Montessori Tip: Let your child take the lead in decorating and assembling. The process is more valuable than the product. 2. Planet Food Art This fun and tasty activity combines food preparation with creativity and fine motor practice—all while reinforcing your child’s knowledge of the planets. A delicious way to learn through play! Materials: Wholemeal bread slices Blueberries (for Earth or Neptune) Kiwis (for green planets) Carrot slices or sticks (for Mars or Saturn’s rings) A child-safe knife or food cutter Activity: Place all ingredients in small bowls or trays for your child to access. Show them how to create different planet shapes using the fruits and vegetables. Let them assemble their own “planet toast” and describe each creation. Montessori Tip: Involve your child in preparing the ingredients—washing, peeling, and cutting (with supervision). This builds independence and confidence. 3. Recycled Materials Sorting: Save Planet Earth! Teach your child to care for the planet with this hands-on sorting activity! It builds early environmental awareness while supporting classification and practical life skills. Materials: A few clean recyclable items made of paper, plastic, and metal (e.g., cereal boxes, plastic bottles, tin cans) 3 baskets or containers Labels or colour-coded signs for each category Activity: Lay out the items and invite your child to explore and feel the different textures. Explain what each material is and how we can reuse or recycle it. Guide your child to sort each item into the correct basket. Talk about why it’s important to care for the Earth and reduce waste. Montessori Tip: Encourage repetition and observation. You can continue this as a daily routine by involving your child in household recycling. Bonus Enrichment: Music & Movement Continue the theme through music! Listen and sing along to: “Mr. Golden Sun” – perfect for toddlers to sing about our closest star “The Planets Song” – helps with planet names and order You can find these on Spotify or YouTube and use scarves or ribbons to move like the planets orbiting the sun! Space is a captivating theme that sparks awe and wonder. By bringing Montessori-inspired activities into your home, you create opportunities for your child to explore, discover, and build a meaningful connection to the universe—all through play and curiosity-led learning. These simple Montessori-style activities allow your child to learn through hands-on experiences, practice independence, and develop a love for both science and creative expression. Let your child lead the journey. Their questions, observations, and unique ideas are the most powerful learning tools of all. Want to learn more about how we support learning beyond the classroom? Book a tour or get in touch with us today!

Montessori At Home: Master the Craft of Kite-Making

Amanda September 2024

Making and flying kites are wonderful family activities. Crafting kites with your children encourages creativity and imaginative thinking while flying them gets everyone moving and enjoying the outdoors. Kite-making is particularly enjoyable for children, as they can decorate simple kites, express their creativity, and engage in a fun, hands-on experience. Overall, making a kite with your child offers a blend of creativity, learning, and fun, while also providing an opportunity for meaningful bonding and skill development. Did you know that kites have been used for many purposes, including scientific experiments, military applications, and as a hobby? For instance, Benjamin Franklin’s famous kite experiment demonstrated that lightning is a form of electricity. If you’ve been wondering how to make a kite, it’s an easy and engaging activity you can do at home with your child. Benefits of Kite-Making Kite-making is a fantastic activity for little ones, offering numerous developmental benefits alongside a creative outlet: Fine Motor Skills: Cutting, tying, and assembling a kite helps refine children’s fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Creativity and Self-Expression: Decorating the kite encourages children to express themselves artistically and explore different materials. Learning Through Play: Flying a kite introduces basic scientific concepts like wind, lift, and gravity in a fun and engaging way. Outdoor Exploration: This activity promotes outdoor play, an essential component of Montessori education, fostering a love for nature. Step-By-Step Guide to Kite-Making Materials Needed: Two lightweight wooden/bamboo sticks (one longer than the other) Paper or lightweight fabric (such as a plastic bag or tissue paper) String (for flying and to tie the sticks together). Tape or glue Scissors Instructions: Form the Kite Frame: Cross the two bamboo sticks to form a “T” shape and tie them together securely at the center using a string. Make sure the shorter stick is positioned about one-third down the length of the longer stick. Create the Kite Sail: Lay your frame on a sheet of paper or fabric and trace around it, leaving an extra inch for folding. Cut out the sail and fold the edges over the frame, securing them with tape or glue. Attach the Flying String: Tie one end of a long piece of string to the center of the cross (the intersection of the sticks). This will be the string your child holds to fly the kite. Add a Tail (Optional): Cut a length of fabric or string and attach it to the bottom of the kite for stability. You can tie on small pieces of fabric or ribbon as bows for decoration. Creative Ways to Personalise It Now comes the fun part—decorating the kite! Encourage your child to use natural materials like leaves, flowers, or non-toxic paints to personalise their creation. Here are a few Montessori-inspired decoration ideas: Natural Dyes: Use beet juice, turmeric, or spinach to create natural dyes and paint patterns on the kite. Nature Shapes: Cut out shapes like leaves, butterflies, or birds from coloured paper and glue them onto the kite for a nature-inspired theme. Textured Collage: Incorporate different textures by gluing on fabric, paper, or sand for a sensory-rich design. Beyond Kite-Making While kite-making is a fun and creative activity that you and your child can enjoy together, it also offers a wonderful opportunity to expand learning beyond the craft itself. Take this experience a step further by incorporating lessons on creativity, problem-solving, science, and nature such as: Experiment with Shapes and Sizes: Make kites in different shapes (diamond, triangle, or dragon-shaped) and see which flies best. Discuss why some shapes perform better than others. Weather Exploration: Introduce a lesson on wind patterns and weather. Ask questions like, “Why does the kite fly better on windy days?” or “What happens if the wind stops?” Journal: Encourage your child to document their kite-making process, draw designs, and write about their experience flying the kite. Ready, Set, Fly! Next time, you can grab these kites on your trip to the beach and watch your little ones explore the winds with it! Activities that involve hands-on crafting, nature exploration, and child-led creativity align perfectly with Montessori principles. Remember to encourage independence by allowing children to make choices, solve problems, and explore at their own pace. At House on the Hill, our emphasis is on letting children take the lead in their learning, with the right amount of support. So gather your materials, get creative, and let your child’s imagination soar high in the sky!

Montessori at Home: How to Create a Personalised Montessori Daily Routine Card

Amanda May 2024

This Montessori at Home activity will show you how to make a personalised daily Montessori routine card and then how to use it. You want to empower your child to sequence their task of routines to help them make better decisions, so they can plan for their time. Making a Montessori personalised routine card helps your child to identify with the images at a deeper level and understand it’s THEM doing the task. Using Montessori routine cards and a prepared environment is the key to success when fostering independence with your child. Plus, it is a great way to introduce the idea of routines, to have conversations about daily life and the daily rhythm of your family. It’s a good idea to get all the family members thinking about what is working and what is not before you even start to implement the visual schedule. 4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour Start With Taking Photos You can do this on a regular day. Go through your normal morning routine and evening routine. As your child does the tasks that you want them to do (ideally without you nagging), take a photo of them in action. If you have more than one child, then we recommend taking photos of each one and making them a set of visual routine cards for each child. Set aside an hour at the weekend or a less busy time of day and explain to your child what you are going to do. What Should You Be Taking Photos of? Think about the tasks your child needs to do in order to leave home in the morning or go to sleep in the evening. For toddlers, this could be brushing their teeth, getting dressed, and putting their breakfast dishes in the sink. Add in any other practical life skills that take place in the regular rhythm of the day. For older children, it could involve tasks such as packing their school bag, putting their dirty clothes in the laundry basket, and giving you any papers that have been sent home from school. It could also include tasks that you want to delegate such as when to water plants or feeding your pet. How to Create Your Personalised Daily Montessori Routine Card Now you have your photos, you can make your printable Montessori routine card. Step 1: Print the activity sheets using a printer. Here is the Printable Routine Card. Step 2: Print your photos, cut them and stick them onto the activity sheet using glue. Step 3: Write your child’s name on the activity card at the top. Step 4: Laminate the activity sheet so it can be used for a longer period. Step 5: Place your child’s activity sheet on the fridge or their bedroom door. Step 6: As your child completes the task, they can tick off the completed activity. Remember Keep It Simple If your child is brand new to all this, start with just two or three tasks and make them into a micro routine. Remind them each day about using their daily Montessori routine card. Once it becomes a consistent routine, you can add in a couple more tasks or another micro routine. No Rewards As tempting as it is to give a reward, you may regret it later. If you are using this for jobs that need doing at home, remember that you, as a parent, don’t get paid for these tasks so your child doesn’t need to either. Instead, instil that they are an active member of the family, and it is part of their role to do the tasks to support the family. The younger your child is when you start, the easier it will be for your child to follow these steps. In essence, routines are incredibly important for young children. As children grow and learn, routines help them to develop a sense of security and feel safe in what we often refer to as a stable learning environment. In other words, routines help integrate children’s learning with an “organised connection.” When children are in a good routine, not only do they feel confident and in control, but they also learn to develop positive social skills and a sense of satisfaction in being able to do things for themselves.

Montessori at Home: Learning Responsibilities at Home

Amanda April 2024

Montessori at Home: Learning Responsibilities at Home Thinking about setting up a Montessori home learning environment? This is a fantastic way to reinforce key Montessori principles, foster positive educational habits, and participate in your child’s developmental journey at home. The Montessori concept of “help me to do it myself” is the most important principle to keep in mind when setting up the Montessori activity. With Montessori education, the goal is for your child to learn through authentic experiences. Using everyday household objects also teaches an important lesson: responsibility. Children learn to treat their things and the possessions of their friends and family with care. Dr. Montessori believed that every child is capable of greatness when given the opportunity to learn, make mistakes, and grow. Having the right environment to do that is essential. It’s essential to remember that the Montessori experience isn’t limited to a room for learning. Your child doesn’t stop learning and exploring when they put a book back on the shelf or clean up their art supplies. The Montessori experience is a whole-home experience – from the kitchen to the bathroom, from the bedroom to the living room. The goal of all parents is to help guide your child to become a happy, healthy, and independent individual. Your child will develop their inner discipline and work towards the path to independence when they are given ample opportunities to complete the tasks set up in the Prepared Environment at home. Here are our top 4 activities 1. Keeping the House Clean Children love to help clean, sweep, scrub, and wipe. These chores allow them to practise their physical movements and manipulative tasks and engage them in keeping the home clean. Remember to first demonstrate the task step by step, and model the whole process while your child waits and watches until you are finished. Once you hand the task over, try not to interrupt or comment, so your child can experience a sense of accomplishment, with every attempt they made. It may not be perfect in your eyes, but it is important to let your child be satisfied with their accomplishment and efforts! 2. Taking Care of Laundry How to make a washing machine out of cardboard. You’ll need the following tools and materials to build your DIY cardboard washing machine. Materials Used Cardboard Box Duct Tape Electrical Tape Kraft Paper Cutter Scissors Marker Glue Round Laundry Basket Round Objects (such as bottle caps; to serve as control switches) Instructions Design the front panel – Using the recycled cardboard box, outline. First, you can draw a big circle for its door. You can use your laundry basket as a pattern. Then, draw some small circles for the buttons. You can add some, numbers, and other features. Then colour them according to what design you want. You can even paint it. Anything creative. Make a door – Draw the door onto the cardboard and cut the circle. You can choose to have the washing door on the front or at the top. Attach a small and light door handle. Then, re-attach the door using a hinge. Assemble the body – You can now assemble the box to make the body of the washing machine. Add a laundry basket. Check the size – Make sure the sides are fully attached. You can use glue or a glue gun and support with duct tape to maintain further shape. Next, ask your child to pick the clothes he or she would like to wash in the washing machine. Once the clothes are cleaned, ask your child to hang them on the clothesline to dry. If your child would like the clothes wet for the full effect, add water into a bucket for them to wash in cold water, making sure they wring out the clothes before handing them on the line. 3. Folding Clothes Folding clothes also encourages children to spend lots of loosely structured time purposefully and wisely in activities that promote: Learning new words and gaining language skills. How to make this easy DIY child-sized folding board. Materials The materials that you need for this project are cardboard, scissors, and tape. Instructions The cardboard should be 55cm x 50cm. Important to remember the two flaps must be equal in width. Shown below are the pieces marked and labelled. Use the scissors to cut along the lines. Now we add the tape onto the back of the pieces and as per the display below. The key is that the side flaps and the bottom flap must be able to fold. The tape is the “hinge”. Ask your child to pick a shirt they wish to use for the folding board. Place the item on the folding board. Fold one flap and the shirt over then fold the other and shirt over (see picture below). Bring the flaps (without the shirt) back flat. Fold up the bottom flap and shirt. Bring the bottom flap back down without the shirt. Then watch as your child is proud of their effort at folding his or her shirt. 4. Sorting and Organisation of Clothes Doesn’t it feel like children outgrow their clothes with amazing speed? This is a good time to empty closets of clothing they have outgrown, as well as sorting through and organising them so that children can become more independent and take care of their belongings on their own. Children as young as 2 years old can begin to learn sorting. Have your child help match and sort out socks, or they can sort their clothing by colour. Not only does this build math skills and help them identify colours, but it can become a fun game for them as well! For older children, guide them to fold or hang the clothing up. Model how you want them to do it and try not to expect perfection immediately. Practice makes perfect! Important Tips to Remember Freedom of Choice: Encourage your child to choose an activity based on their interests. One Activity at a Time:

Montessori at Home: Behavioural Strategies to Help Improve Your Child’s Sleep

Amanda March 2024

4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour Montessori at Home: Behavioural Strategies to Help Improve Your Child’s Sleep With Evelyn Bonney, Sleep Consultant Are you having trouble with your child at bedtime? You are not alone! It’s normal for children to want to be in control and push boundaries. It’s an important part of their cognitive development. So how do we as parents navigate this? It’s developmentally normal for children to test the boundaries. Our job as parents and caregivers is to create safe, healthy, predictable limits and boundaries for our children. When you keep to those limits, your children feel safer and more secure. You need to re-establish the balance of control which is key to getting your child to bed and sleeping through the night. House on the Hill engaged Evie, Founder of Evelyn Bonney Sleep Consulting to conduct a workshop with our parents. Evie is a registered nurse, founder of Evelyn Bonney Sleep Consulting, mum of 3 (including twins!) and a certified Sleep Sense™ Consultant. As a certified sleep consultant, with 20 years of nursing experience, she is able to support parents when they need it most. So how do we make it easier? Choices, Connection and Confidence The 3 C’s = help children to adapt to changes more easily and help to instil intrinsic motivation. Choices – Offer choices to your child at the appropriate times. This will allow them to feel in control of some situations and reduce overwhelm, while still giving you as parents, the space to implement strong boundaries. Connection – Acknowledge your child’s feelings using empathy, compassion, and a problem-solving process. This helps them feel validated, heard, and connected which = less bedtime boundary-pushing. Confidence – BE CONFIDENT and stay consistent. Top 4 Tips Below are the top four tips to ease bedtime battles. You can also use these strategies throughout the day to manage being overwhelmed and maintain boundaries. Give them time warnings. Transitioning from one task to the next is hard for many young children and it’s completely normal. Giving them time warnings can be a very effective way to get their brains ready to make the transition to the next activity before it happens. For example, “In 5 minutes we are going to start putting the Lego away and then go out”. “In 5 minutes we are going to go upstairs to get ready for bed”. The amount of time you specify doesn’t matter with younger children, but the warning itself is very useful when implemented with consistency to help them get mentally ready for what is coming next. Give them choices. Children LOVE being in control. Offering choices to your child at the appropriate times will allow them to feel in control of some situations and reduce overwhelm, while still giving you as parents, the space to implement strong boundaries. A proper choice has 2 equally positive choices. For example: Of these 2 pairs of pyjamas, which would you like to wear? Of these 4 stories, which 2 would you like to hear? Tell them exactly what is going to happen next. Not only does this help foster language development but it can also help to prevent overwhelm and emotional dysregulation. Give them specific details like “we are going to go out to the shop in the car”. When you then approach the car, there is less chance your child will become overwhelmed about having to get in, as it’s not a new piece of information for them to process. Be consistent and stick to your boundaries. Do the same bedtime routine every night! Don’t underestimate the importance of consistency. Being consistent and sticking to boundaries ultimately makes your child feel more safe and secure and less out of control of their situation. It is hard to say NO and stick to it when it leads to being overwhelmed but ultimately it ensures a secure bond between you as parents and your child. What is the approach at House on the Hill with sleep and quiet time in our schools? At House on the Hill, we understand the importance of consistency between the approach in school and at home. We share with parents the approach to children’s sleep and quiet time in school as the children work towards independent sleep patterns. Below are the steps our Teachers follow during sleep and quiet activities: Infants in our Nido room For our young infants in our Nido, our Teachers work with the parents to understand and follow their child’s sleep patterns. For the older infants, rest occurs in the middle of the day. The Teachers signal their sleep and quiet time by setting up the children’s cot/bed on the floor and laying their bedding down. Once the children are settled in their bed, the lights are turned off and the curtains are closed and the Teachers stay close to keep an eye out whilst the children sleep. Our Nido team works together with parents, considering each child’s unique needs, therefore creating a sleep environment that promotes children’s health and development. Playgroup to Kindergarten Children Sleep or quiet activity time is crucial for children at House on the Hill. This period of rest gives your little one a chance to break away from constant stimulation and calms their mind and body. The Teachers start the routine to signal it is time for sleep and quiet activities. The children collect their bedding, set up their cot and lie down. Once the children are settled in their cot, the lights are turned off and the curtains are closed with soft music playing in the background. This approach is consistent with the idea of teaching the children self-independence. By allowing children to fall asleep on their own, they learn to self-soothe and regulate their emotions. This can lead to better sleep for both children and parents. With newly enrolled children in our schools,

Montessori at Home: Mealtime Mathematics

Amanda February 2024

Linking Numeracy to Everyday Life Mealtimes are a perfect opportunity to get a family together. Not only does it benefit the children with a sense of routine and security, but it’s also a great time to integrate numbers and math skills into everyday life for children of all ages. The preparation, serving and even eating can all play a part in a fun way to use counting and math skills in a way that a child can relate to. There are many ways to integrate numbers into meals. Some are as simple as just asking math questions while eating. Other numerical exercises could be in the exploration of making meals; timing how long things will cook, counting the number of items to put on a plate or how many plates or bowls there are. For babies, mealtimes are the perfect opportunity to talk about and show your baby basic ideas, like, more, empty, or full. You can also do some basic counting, “you’ve got two strawberries. One, two!” 4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour Cooking When your child helps in the kitchen, preparing food and getting ready to eat, they take ownership of the meal. When you eat the meal with your child, talk about their flavours, smells, and textures, increasing vocabulary with words such as “spicy” and “crunchy.” Ask your child to be an “assistant chef” and stir, pour, and wash. Following directions for measuring and counting will enhance their math and listening skills. And observing what happens to food as it cooks or cools is science! Measuring Weighing out ingredients on a set of kitchen scales and counting the numbers can be exciting. Firstly, by teaching your child the differences between how various substances are measured, you can create the foundation to move on to more advanced quantities. Secondly, ask your child to count the ingredients or count the number of cups and teaspoons when preparing. Here are the ingredients to make a Mini Healthy Carrot Zucchini Muffins. 1 cup white whole-wheat flour 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey 1 large egg, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup finely grated zucchini 1/2 cup finely grated carrot 1/2 cup raisins To follow the recipe, click here. Setting the table Count the number of people going to eat. Choose and count the cutlery for each person. How many plates do we need? How many spoons do we need? Serving the food When teaching children maths skills through baking, try to frame your lessons by using scenarios. While it’s good to challenge your child’s arithmetic skills, throwing in a real-world scenario, will provide them with a better understanding of how these skills apply to later life. For example, Dad would like two muffins. Of the remaining muffins, split between me, you, and your sister, how many equal muffins will we each have? Using scenarios is a fantastic way to teach your child to think independently and apply their understanding of real-life mathematical problems. Let’s eat Slicing a pizza or pie is a way to introduce the concept of fractions. Halving or quartering bread and then putting the pieces back together is another good method of demonstrating division. Cleaning up Clearing away the dishes can be a great way of sorting various piles of utensils, pots and pans. How many spoons did we use? Who ate all their muffins? How many pieces of melon are left on the dish? TIPS By incorporating these tips, you can turn mealtimes into valuable learning opportunities that instil a love for math and cooking in your child! Adapt difficulty based on age and skill level. Start with simple counting and progress to more complex concepts like multiplication and division as children grow. Make it fun and engaging! Use games, songs, and storytelling to keep children motivated. Focus on the process, not just the answers. Allow children to explore and make mistakes, learning from the experience. Celebrate successes and encourage effort. Make mealtime math a positive learning experience. Babies (6 to 12 months): Introduce basic concepts like “more,” “empty,” and “full.” Count simple objects like fruit or utensils. Young Children (1 to 3 years): Help in the kitchen with age-appropriate tasks like stirring, pouring, and washing. Measure and count ingredients, discussing volume and units. Set the table, counting plates, utensils, and chairs. Older Children (3 to 6 years): Solve real-world math problems in cooking scenarios, like dividing cake slices or converting recipe quantities. Learn fractions by slicing pizza or pie. Practice sorting and counting while cleaning up. From learning maths skills through measuring and converting, to understanding scientific topics, the world of cooking presents the perfect opportunity for your child to explore, learn and grow. Start your journey of cooking and baking with your little one today!

Chinese New Year Matching Card Game with Zodiac Animals

Amanda January 2024

Celebrating the Lunar New Year is a wonderful time to introduce children to the vibrant world of Chinese culture. And what better way to do that than through a hands-on, interactive activity that brings the beloved Chinese zodiac animals to life? Bringing the Chinese zodiac animals to life for children is a wonderful way to share this fascinating culture and its traditions. This matching card game is a simple yet powerful tool for supporting your child’s cognitive development and will help contribute to building a strong foundation for memory, perception, thinking, and attention skills. Start your DIY print-and-play matching card game with your child now! Click the image for our DIY printable Materials: Paper or cardstock: Choose sturdy paper or cardstock for your cards. Thicker material will make the game more durable. Printer: You’ll need a printer to print out your card designs. Scissors or paper cutter: For cutting out the cards. Optional: Laminator (for extra durability), glue stick (for attaching backing paper), markers or crayons (for personalizing the cards). Click here to download your House on the Hill Chinese Zodiac Animals Matching Card Game Instructions 1. Prepare for the game Print your cards on your chosen paper or cardstock. Carefully cut out the individual cards using scissors or a paper cutter. Optional steps: Laminate: Laminating your cards will make them waterproof and more durable, especially if you’ll be playing with young children. Add backing paper: If your cardstock is thin, you can glue a piece of plain paper to the back of each card to make it sturdier. 2. Play the game There are several ways to play this game: Matching: Shuffle the cards and matching pieces and lay them face down on the table. Players take turns flipping over two cards at a time, trying to find a match. The player with the most matches at the end wins. Memory game: Lay all the cards face down on the table. Players take turns flipping over two cards at a time, trying to remember where the matching card is. The player who finds the most pairs wins. Sorting: Sort the cards and matching pieces into groups based on the animals. This is a good way for younger children to learn the names of the zodiac animals. Montessori-inspired learning outcomes By playing the matching card game, your child will learn the following outcomes: Open-ended play: The game can be played in different ways, allowing for different levels of challenge and engagement. Sensorial development: The different textures and materials of the cards and matching pieces can stimulate children’s senses. Concentration and memory: The matching and memory game variations help children develop their concentration and memory skills. Fine motor skills: Cutting, drawing, and manipulating the cards and matching pieces help children develop their fine motor skills. Additional tips: Bilingual families are encouraged to play in both English and Mandarin Make the game more challenging by adding more than one matching piece per card. For younger children, start with just a few animals and gradually add more as they become familiar with them. We hope this activity helps you and your little ones explore the captivating world of the Chinese zodiac in a fun and meaningful way! Happy Lunar New Year!

Montessori at Home: Encouraging Healthy Eating and Independence At Breakfast

Amanda November 2023

At House on the Hill, we believe that every child deserves to have access to nutritious food. That’s why we provide our preschoolers with healthy meals and snacks every day. A balanced diet also plays a vital role in a child’s physical development. Preschoolers are growing rapidly, and they need a variety of nutrients to support their growth and development. It’s so important to introduce children to healthy foods at an early age so they can develop lifelong healthy eating habits. Making meals fun and engaging for children, will help them to develop a positive association with healthy food. Children are naturally curious and eager to learn new things. Encouraging independence at home with food is a great way to help children develop essential life skills and foster a positive relationship with food. How can you support your child’s independence at home with food? We know mornings are busy for parents. Here are some tips to help encourage independence at home and supporting your child to help themselves at breakfast time. We’ve also included some yummy recipes. 11 months to 18 months Very young children can participate in breakfast time with simple tasks. It’s important to encourage independence from an early age, and giving children small tasks to do at mealtimes is a great way to do that. Our NIDO children are naturally curious and eager to learn, and they love to feel like they are helping out. Even simple tasks like pouring cereal and milk into a bowl can give them a sense of accomplishment and pride. 18 months to 3 years old Breakfast time is an excellent opportunity for children to develop their fine and gross motor skills. By engaging in activities like peeling boiled eggs, chopping bananas, spreading toast, and assembling yoghurt parfaits, children can enhance their hand-eye coordination, finger dexterity, and overall motor control. The yogurt and fruit bar concept is a fantastic way to promote self-selection and encourage children to explore different flavours and textures. By providing pre-cut fruits and allowing them to customise their parfaits with cereal toppings, you can foster a sense of ownership and encourage healthy eating habits 3 to 6 years old Did you know that mealtimes are incredibly important for social and emotional development and growth? Montessori teaches grace and courtesy as part of the Practical Life curriculum, and there are many lessons that children can learn at breakfast time. Encourage them to set the table, and they can practise carrying dishes, pouring water, and folding napkins as well. Older children can help with simple tasks in the kitchen and there are other skills like sitting patiently, conversing politely, and eating without too big of a mess that can be learnt at the dining table. Here you can see some of our older children in school helping to serve their friends, have their meal together and clean up afterwards. Easy recipes to try at home A healthy breakfast has a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat. Here are 3 easy recipes for you to try at home with your child. Kopitiam eggs Wobbly soft boiled eggs. Delicious plain or with a little drop of dark soya sauce and white pepper. Eggs are full of nutrition, and don’t forget to make some toast soldiers to dip into all that goodness. We like this recipe from What to Cook Today as older children can very carefully, under adult supervision, lower the eggs in water that has been taken off the boil. Toasts + spreads Deciding what to eat is a great way for a child to learn independence and independent thinking, whilst offering a curated selection of food helps parents to avoid a stress-filled breakfast. We recommend using whole-grain bread and encouraging children to toast it themselves, as well as offering a selection of low sugar, healthy breakfast spreads. Did you know you can make your own nut butter in a blender? Here is a simple almond butter recipe from Amy’s Healthy Baking. Smoothies This is probably House on the Hill’s number one most popular menu offering with the children. There are so many combinations, but the perennial favourite is bananas, strawberries and yogurt! The children love being able to put all the ingredients into the blender, watching it all come together, and then enjoying the fruits of their labour after. We recommend having a conversation with your child beforehand. What fruits do they love? What combinations would they like to try? A great extension to this activity would be to go grocery shopping to buy all the ingredients! Here is a Montessori at Home exercise for making Fruity Smoothies. Encouraging our children to be independent is one of the most important things we can do for them. It helps them to develop a sense of self-worth, confidence, and resilience. It also helps them to learn new skills and to become more capable and independent. There are many ways to encourage independence in children. When we encourage our children to be independent, we are giving them the tools they need to succeed in life. We are helping them to become confident, capable, and independent adults. Helpful resources Here helpful resources from Montessori educators on how to practise Montessori at Home during breakfast time: · Supporting your child with practical skills at home, click here · Jesse McCarthy, founder of Montessori Education and friend and trainer to House on the Hill has written a great article about getting ready in the morning here. · Montessorilife has detailed her set up for breakfast to support independence here.

Montessori At Home: Chinese Tea Culture

Amanda October 2023

..The Chinese have an ancient saying “开门七件事：柴米油盐酱醋茶”. It says that the seven necessities of Chinese culture are firewood (柴 chái), rice (米 mĭ), oil (油 yóu), salt (盐 yán), sauce (酱 jiàng), vinegar (醋 cù) and tea (茶 chá). This is commonly used to illustrate how tea drinking, appreciation and culture is an intrinsic part of the Chinese speaking world. Tea appreciation is an art form, a calm and comforting ritual for many. 4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour We believe that cultural understanding and context are essential for learning a language well. Our students often enjoy tea at House on the Hill and are taught how to make and consume it within our Montessori Practical Life Curriculum. In the afternoons, children in our Mandarin full-immersion program, 天天向上 (tiān tiān xiàng shāng), will brew a pot of tea and enjoy sipping it in class. With the gentle and melodious sounds of traditional Chinese music in the background, this ritual helps the children to slow down and find stillness and peace. In this Montessori at Home activity, we will show you how to create your own ritual with your child. This meditative act involves being mindful and present during all aspects of the tea ritual, including making the tea, drinking the tea, and being aware of the effects on your mind and body. The child featured in this activity is 5 year old Hans, son of House on the Hill CEO and founder Ms. Jing. As you will see here, Hans likes to relax in the evenings with a cup of tea and a book. Notes: On hot water and temperature As a proud Montessori school, independence as a skill is highly encouraged in our children. Our N-K students are taught progressively how to brew their own tea. Teachers will fill a flask with hot water and the children will pour the water from the flask (with close supervision). Younger children who are unable to distinguish high temperatures will be provided with double insulated cups. As they mature, they advance to the next level with ceramic cups, where the thinner surface helps them to start to differentiate hot and cold. On herbal teas We use quality herbs and dried flowers to make our teas. These are healthy, easy to digest, with nutritional properties that help to soothe, relax and heal. Some traditional chinese herbs that are great for children include: · Mint: our students love to pluck the leaves from their mint plants and brew some mint tea. It helps with digestion, improves energy and reduces fatigue. · Chrysanthemum: helps reduce inflammation, a good source of vitamins A and C, and for adults, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol · Wolfberry: also known as goji berry, these tiny fruits are packed with antioxidants and aids with good vision · Chinese Red Dates: also known as jujube, dates have anti-inflammatory properties. They help improve digestion, are calming and relaxing, and are a rich source of iron. They’re also great for skin complexion, mummies and daddies! · Longans: these are believed to improve digestion and soothe the stomach. They have a soothing aroma and are rich in vitamin C, helping to boost immunity. · Chen pi: sun-dried mandarin orange peel gives a citrus kick and a slight sweetness to infusions, as well helping digestion and soothing the throat · Rose petals: not only does it give the infusion a lovely smell, rose has a relaxing effect, helping to lower stress levels and encourage sleep These herbs can be brewed with hot water to make a soothing drink, either individually or together in various combinations. Please do not give your child caffeinated teas and consult a doctor if necessary before proceeding. What you will need to set up your prepared environment: Kettle Teapot and cups Herbs and dried flower ingredients – one tablespoon of mixture per person Traditional Chinese music – We recommend searching for “guzheng instrumental” on YouTube How to create your own tea ceremony at home: Fill the teapot with herbs Pour warm water in and steep for a few minutes Remove the herbs, leaving the tea in the pot Pour tea into cups Have a good sniff and inhale the goodness of the tea Take a sip. Isn’t it lovely? Enjoy with a good book!

Montessori at Home: Make Your Own Seguin Board A

Amanda August 2023

Dr. Maria Montessori said that children were born with a ‘mathematical mind’, a core foundation of human intelligence. She defined it as a natural tendency for precision, orientation, and order, usually demonstrated in older children as the capacity for logical, systematic thinking. The mathematical mind is what makes Montessori’s method of teaching mathematics uniquely effective. Instead of expecting children to only memorise sequences or processes, we teach children to understand and appreciate the logic and beauty of mathematics through hands-on materials and exploration at their own pace. They learn numeration, geometry, arithmetic, and even algebra with a firmer foundational understanding of the concepts than if they had just memorised facts. Counting and understanding numbers can be difficult for young children. In a Montessori environment, a child not only sees the symbol for 1, 1000, or ½, they can also hold each of the corresponding quantities in their hand with concrete materials. Later, by combining this equipment, separating it, sharing it, counting it, and comparing it, they can demonstrate the basic operations of arithmetic. To learn the “teen” numbers, the child uses a material known as the Seguin or “Tens” Boards. Seguin Boards can easily be made at home using reusable materials and are very suitable for children familiar with place values (units, tens, hundreds and thousands). They are simple enough for children to make themselves, and is a good craft exercise to get your child excited to begin to work on this activity at home. Not only does the child see how tens and ones are being added to make larger numerals, but they are also physically building tens themselves! You will need: · 1 long piece of cardboard · 10 smaller pieces Note: you can use cardstock, or practise your sustainability and repurpose a cardboard box as we have · Ruler · Marker pens · Scissors Making the Seguin board Long Piece Draw 10 rows with thick dark lines using the ruler and marker pen Write ‘10’ in each row Smaller Pieces Write 1 – 9 in each square In this Seguin Board activity, children will be introduced to the traditional number names by forming quantities with the concrete materials first, and then associating each quantity with their written symbols. This helps them to learn that the teen numbers, 11 to 19, are made up of a ten and a number of units. The child discovers how to write these numbers, and also develops an understanding of how the base of how many tens and units make a number. The Seguin Boards have the number 10 printed nine times in a row. On separate cards are the numbers 1 through 9. The child forms the number eleven by sliding the number 1 over the zero in the first ten. This shows them concretely that the number eleven is made up of 10 plus 1. Then they form twelve by sliding the number 2 over the zero in the second ten, showing that twelve is made up of ten plus two, and so on. · Use the single digits to order the numbers from 1 – 9. · Use the ‘10s’ board and single digits to make 11 – 19. Once your child is familiar with these numbers, use the same material to make 11 – 99. When working through this Seguin Board activity at home with your child, there are many different variations that you can do together. Reinforce the lesson with counting games when your child needs to count objects, such as cars on the road, birds in the park or people in the MRT or play a game where you both clap your hands ‘15 times’ or hop ‘18 times’. Learning with concrete materials helps children to develop an innate understanding of mathematics. As they master complexity in a natural progression, they are able to comfortably begin to perform operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, much needed skills as they develop through life. Reference materials: HotH Blog: 5 Reasons Why We Love Montessori Maths HotH Blog: Making Sense of Mathematics HotH Blog: How Does Montessori Prepare Your Child for Primary 1 Mathematics Research Parent: Montessori Paper Seguin Boards Montessori from the Heart: DIY Tens Boards Children’s House Bahrain: Numeracy Seguin Board

Category: Montessori at Home