Parents, have you been facing difficulty getting your child to read? Does your child express resistance in reading words or phrases? This is a common issue and many parents may wonder how to overcome a challenge such as this. Fear not, as you can build a culture of reading at home when you play together with your child! This activity promotes your child’s reading of sight words, which is part of the language curriculum area in our Montessori classrooms for 3- 6 years old.  Sight words are high frequency words that are usually not able to be phonetically read. Recognising these words well will help your child to read phrases or sentences more fluently. Introducing this fun and engaging activity not only enhances your child’s memory in remembering the sight words to improve the fluency in reading, but it is also a fun and simple activity to work on their gross motor skills as they move around! Materials Needed: Outdoor Space Chalk Step 1 Write the sight words on the ground using chalk. Your child’s name is written in the middle as the start point. The words should be in child’s eye view so that they are able to see the letter orientation correctly, instead of inverted view. Step 2 Call out the sight word for your child to go to the sight word. This is where the fun is! You may vary the movement such as running, skipping, hopping or galloping to the sight word! Step 3 When your child lands on the correct word, that’s great and do give encouragement for your child to play another round. Your child may then go back to their name as start point. And there you go! We recommend changing the sight words once you know that your child has mastered the current set of words written. This is the way we have fun with sight words!

Spring cleaning season is here! There are many rituals and traditions associated with celebrating the start of the new Lunar calendar, and for many families in Singapore, spring cleaning is one of them. They believe that cleaning and decluttering their houses symbolises driving away the bad luck from the year before, and starting the new year afresh. With children at home, this is a great chance to get them involved, and to let them help share in the responsibility. It is important for children to understand that maintaining and cleaning a home is something that everyone in the family should help with since everyone benefits from a clean home. Here are some of the ways that you can involve them! House Cleaning Children love to help clean, sweep, scrub, and wipe. Such chores allow them to practice their large physical movements and manipulative tasks are an awesome way to engage them in spring cleaning. Remember to first demonstrate the task step by step, modelling 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. It may not be a perfect 10 in your eyes, but it is important to let children be satisfied with their efforts! 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, 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 would them to do it, and try not to expect perfection immediately. Practice makes perfect! Playroom and Toy Boxes We highly encourage parents to organise playthings on open shelves in a designated play area. This helps to support your child’s developing sense of order. Toy boxes are wonderful storage places for big items such as stuffed animals or big trucks. Start by sorting out the items your child has outgrown. Involve your child in decisions about whether to store or pass on an outgrown toy. You might also want to put away some of the toys and rotate them onto the shelves from time to time throughout the year. Whatever the activity or chore, it’s always good to work alongside your child as we are not only supporting their independence, but also modeling with our behavior. By showing children how to accomplish one small task at a time, they will eventually, as Dr. Maria Montessori in Discovery of the Child said, become “Masters of their own homes”, meaning they will have the skills to do things for themselves. Practical Life Skills teach caring for the self and for the environment, grace and courtesy, and control of movement.  In this case, they will have learnt  how to prioritise, organise and maintain a system. The House on the Hill team would like to take the opportunity to wish a Happy Lunar New Year to everyone celebrating this festival. Let’s pack away the Year of the Tiger and start afresh with a peaceful and harmonious Year of the Rabbit. 新年快乐!

With Christmas just around the corner, it is time to embrace the festive spirit of the season! Christmas crafts are a great way to bond and entertain your little ones while letting them be creative. A fun Christmas craft is the Paper Bag Reindeer. Tip: do look around and try to find and use any recycled materials available at home to create the craft together. “The education of a small child, therefore, does not aim at preparing him for school, but for life.” Dr. Maria Montessori This activity will help to develop your child’s creativity and get them to work on their fine motor skills. It also encourages them to be resourceful in using the materials around them to create a meaningful craft. This is a wonderful chance to educate them about how to think of valuable ways to not be wasteful and care for the environment as they grow. Materials Needed Twigs Coloured papers Scissors Bottle Caps Marker White Glue Paper Bag (try to reuse any available paper bags at home!) Steps Step 1: Outdoor time! Head outside to look for and collect some nice twigs. Step 2: Cut out small circles from the coloured paper. If your child is confident using scissors, feel free to let them do the cutting. Then get them to paste the circles onto the paper bag for the ‘eyes’ of the Reindeer. Step 3: Get your child to apply glue and paste the bottle cap onto the paper bag for the ‘nose’ of the Reindeer. Step 4: Invite your child to be creative drawing the ‘mouth’ at the bottom of the bottle cap! Step 5: Let your child paste the twigs at the upper part of the paper bag as the ‘antlers’. Step 6: Take a photo of your child’s Paper Bag Reindeer and proudly share their work with others! The House on the Hill team would like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

This month, we are recommending activities that you can try out with the younger age group of children (around 18 months to 2 years old). Some parents may be feeling helpless thinking that there are limited activities to engage your child while they are still very young. However, fear not, as here is just one activity idea for you to work together with your child on at home. In this activity, not only will you be introducing the various shapes to your child, you’ll also be helping them to begin to recognize them. Many objectives can be achieved through this activity such as focusing on the color, the shape and even the size!  In addition, it helps in the concentration and visual perception skills of your child. They are also building their vocabulary! Materials Needed Cardboard Cling Wrap Unwanted Paper (e.g., Magazine) Glue Scissors Shaped Blocks Whiteboard Marker Activity Preparation: 1. Cut a square, circle and triangle from magazine paper. 2. Glue the cut–out shapes onto the cardboard. 3. Wrap the board with a cling wrap to make the board erasable. 4. (Optional) Wrap the shaped blocks with cling wrap if you would like to avoid having it stained by the marker. Activity: Introduce the shape and check if your child recognizes that shape before moving on. Draw the pathway the block will be riding on. It can be a solid or dotted line. You might like to have a direct matching line to begin with. Invite your child to pick up the block and have it travel along the line drawn to the cut-out shape. Extend the activity with a more complex pathway – cross over lines, zigzag line, curved line – according to the child’s capability. Have fun with this fun and interesting Montessori at Home Activity!

One of the greatest challenges facing our children is the impact of environmental damage. It is good to inculcate a knowledge of being respectful of Mother Nature, taking care of our environment, and reinforcing sustainability and not being wasteful. Spending time in nature helps children to form a bond, and hopefully will create a sense of responsibility, caring and need to protect. Nature is a place where all of children’s senses are activated and directly engaged. Dr. Maria Montessori believed that nature can release children to achieve their fullest potential by strengthening their motor skills, socioemotional development, cognitive development and even their sensory perception. “When children come into contact with nature, they reveal their strength.” – Dr. Maria Montessori Other benefits of being in nature include: Good for mental health Increase in attention span Increased freedom leading to greater independence Greater empathy (e.g. taking more care of other living things and their environment) For our House on the Hill Children’s Day Celebration 2022, the children became Nature Rangers and explored 4 different elements to find our furry friend, Browny the Bear. Everybody enjoyed themselves tremendously and it was a wonderful way to get out of the classroom and learn outdoors. Many of the activities asked the children to consider the environment and what they can do to protect the earth. For this Montessori at Home, we are extending this exercise outside of school. Getting outdoors and looking out for items that should not be there, e.g. litter, offers opportunities for children to get the benefits of learning outdoors, whilst also reinforcing in a concrete manner, how they can contribute towards caring for our planet. Nature Rangers Transform! Let’s go to the park! Activity Notes: Attire: Nature Ranger costume or Outdoor attire Bring along your binoculars/hat/hiking gears/insect box too if you can! Equipment required:  Plastic bag, gloves, pair of tongs Time: Preferably in the morning or later in the afternoon, when the heat is not at its strongest Step 1: Bring your child out to a nearby park When you and your child are at the park, explain that you are going to have your very own exciting adventure as Nature Rangers. For instance, you can have one or two missions that leads you to the last activity or destination of the park. You can even design a map to make it fun and exciting! Step 2: Check out the surroundings and pick up any rubbish on the ground While walking around the park, pay attention to the surrounding and see if there is any litter around. Encourage your child to collect any that can be seen. You can even bring along a pair of tongs and a trash bag for your child to use. After you have finished collecting the litter, guide your child to the nearest rubbish bin to dispose. Step 3: Have a discussion with your child. Topics that you can bring up during your walk: Recycling Recycling is when a used item is reformed into a new material (like metal, plastic, paper or glass). We should make use of our day-to-day opportunities to cultivate a habit of recycling and share the responsibility of recycling with our children. Here is an informative video made by the National Environment Agency (NEA) that shows how recyclables are handled after we throw the items into the recycling bins, as well as things we should not dispose together with recyclable items (e.g., food and liquid waste, tissue paper or diapers). Additionally, the NEA website is full of helpful information about how Singapore manages waste – and how you can help! Pollution Pollution is another interesting topic that will invite your child to be curious about the environment around them. We want to instill a love and care for the environment in the children. This means that we: Keep the parks clean and litter-free Throw away litter in the dustbin Categorize our recyclable litters into the recyclable bins Engage respectfully with nature You may also share with your child what happens if these are not done properly. The effect of improper removal of rubbish can lead to soil/air/water contamination, cause death to animals and marine life, and damage to our planet. Step 4: Have a little fun in the park! Create a little competition of who has collected more litter at the end Fly a kite and enjoy the breeze in the park Look out for any little creatures and use your insect box to catch them. (Please do release the insects back to nature after observing them)

Montessori recognizes how gross motor development presents many health benefits, boosts confidence and self – esteem, and the ability to assess risk. “Watching a child makes it obvious that the development of his mind comes through his movements” – Maria Montessori Making exercise a habit can help children to stay active. Stretching can help calm the mind and enhance concentration. It also increases flexibility in the body. Parents should include simple stretches as regular part of children’s physical activity routines. Before or after a sports practice or a long bike ride, before bed, or anytime your child’s muscles feel tense or tight, encourage them to try some easy stretches. Children (and adults) should stretch when their muscles are warmed up. So, if your child hasn’t just been exercising, they should do a short warm-up, such as dancing or walking or jogging in place, prior to stretching. Benefits of stretching for children According to the University of California, Davis, stretching helps in calming the mind, refreshing blood flow, managing stress, and increasing energy level. Other benefits include: Helps children improve their joint stability and mobility. Prevents injuries in calf, quadriceps, and hamstring and helps in lengthening muscles. Reduces muscle tension, delays muscle fatigue, and improves muscular coordination. Materials Needed: Yoga mat Stretching poses printables (put in a small basket) Suggested online resources for printables: Stretching Exercises Yoga Cards for Kids Step 1. Get a Yoga mat Step 2. Roll out the yoga mat Step 3. Show the child the printables and ask them to choose one Step 4. Follow the stretches as per the picture Step 5. Choose the next card and repeat Safety measures to follow while stretching Wrong postures or overstretching may harm children. Stretching should be done before and after any sports or strenuous physical activities. Children should be encouraged to practice stretching regularly to maintain balance and improve strength and flexibility. Breathing (inhale and exhale) should be normal when practicing stretching. Every stretch needs to be held for about 10 seconds. If any stretch causes consistent pain, there may be an injury in that muscle, and you need to consult your doctor. If the child has any medical condition, then talk to the doctor before starting any exercise. 8 types of stretches for children 1. Seated Toe Touch This stretching exercise is good for the hamstrings and the lower back. It releases tension, flexes the spine, and improves the motion of hips. 2. Cobra Pose Cobra pose helps in relieving backache, improving hunger, and reducing abdominal fat. It can also help in strengthening the stomach and spine. 3. Butterfly Stretch This is a sitting stretch exercise that is good to stretch inner thighs and helps in strengthening back and maintaining balance. 4. Child’s Pose This posture helps the child to do a full stretch. It can reduce stress and help the child relax. 5. Straddle Stretch Straddle stretch is an active flexibility exercise that is good for hamstrings, quads, and opening hips. 6. Bow Pose This pose improves spine flexibility, helps in reducing strain and release muscle tension. It enhances the blood flow and strengthens the upper body. 7. Overhead Arm Stretch This simple stretching exercise is good for shoulders, arms, spine, and the overall body. 8. Tricep Stretch It helps in stretching the upper arm and shoulder. This exercise can be done either by sitting or standing in one position.

We celebrated Singapore’s 57th year of independence in August and this month’s activity honours the heritage of the country. Some of you may be familiar with the iconic dragon playground in Toa Payoh. One of the early playgrounds designed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in the 1970s, its distinctive shape is one that evokes nostalgia in many Singaporean residents.  You may have seen references to it in store windows, t-shirts, and souvenirs too. 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 For this Montessori at Home activity, you’ll be making your own dragon playground with your child. We will be using a printable DIY craft from PostiveLeePeilin. Arts and crafts help encourage a child’s creativity whilst working on their fine motor skills, a crucial part of child development of the Montessori Practical Life curriculum. In particular, the use of scissors is an essential milestone for independent children. Opening and closing their hands during scissor practice helps to build muscles in the palm and hand. Cutting develops good hand-eye coordination and bilateral coordination and is good preparation for writing skills in the future. Some notes on safety. Before our students’ progress to using scissors independently, we first ensure that they have sufficient hand and finger strength. They would have practiced many other Practical Life activities such as pinching clothespins, picking items up with tongs, wringing out sponges and more. Read more about fine motor skills work here. If your child is embarking on using scissors for the first time, do reinforce the safety aspects of working with a pair of scissors such as walking with the fist grasping the closed blades and holding the scissors down by the side. It is important to emphasize the importance of walking while holding a pair of scissors. Materials Needed PositiveLeePeilin Dragon Playground Printable Ice-cream sticks x2 A3 Paper (A4 paper is fine, just more sticking required!) Cardboard (or used cereal box) Scissors Tape Glue Preparation Lay all the items needed for the craft out for your child before you begin. Step 1. Print and cut out the dragon head and tail Step 2. Apply glue at the back of the dragon head and tail and paste onto cardboard to make them stiffer. Cut out the dragon head and tail. Set aside. Step 3. Cut out four strips on the long side of the paper. You’ll need at least four strips if you’re using A3 paper or six strips if you’re using A4. Step 4. Stick two strips perpendicular to each other, so that they form an ‘L’. Fold one strip over another, so they repeatedly overlap. Step 5. Add on the other strips to lengthen. The longer your strips, the longer your accordion. Step 6. Apply glue on the dragon head and accordion body, with the ice – cream stick in – between. Do the same for the dragon tail, sticking the back, ice – cream stick and end of the accordion body Step 7. Wait for at least 2 hours to dry before pulling on the body Voila! You’re all good to go! PositiveLeePeilin recommends bringing this craft with you to explore any of the 4 remaining iconic dragon playgrounds. Find out where they are here! Happy 57th Birthday Singapore!

“Solicitous care for living things affords satisfaction to one of the most lively instincts of the child’s mind. Nothing is better calculated than this to awaken an attitude of foresight.” Dr. Maria Montessori We know that many of our House on the Hill families have pets, so this month’s Montessori at Home activity is especially for you! Care of the environment, including care of plants and animals, is part of the practical life curriculum and an important part of Montessori education. Having your child take care of family pets can be a way of bringing the Montessori philosophy into your home. It develops several skills along with many positive character traits, which helps in the development of the “whole child.” In our schools, we have adopted various living creatures in our classrooms, where they are cared for in a happy and safe environment. At the same time, our students are able to reap the benefits of exposure to our class pets! Five Ways Pets Support Montessori Learning When caring for pets, children learn how to express love, empathy, compassion, and respect for other living things. This is part of Cosmic Education – a cornerstone of the Montessori Philosophy, which teaches the interconnectedness of all things. Having pets to care for helps children learn responsibility and gain self-confidence. Whether remembering to feed the pet on time or clean after it, children enjoy taking care of their little friends while learning how to be responsible and empowered. Learning grace and courtesy in the way they treat animals helps children extend those concepts to their interactions with others. Children get to practice using gentle touches with animals by petting them softly and treating them respectfully. Ability to understand and properly interpret a non-verbal language is a special skill – and pets offer a great opportunity to master it. For example, when playing together with the pet, a comment could be made to the child: “That sound the bunny is making is him asking for space. Let’s give him some room to feel safe.” Having an animal at home allows children to develop the skills they’ll need when studying science and other subjects in the future. For example, children get to observe the animal’s habits, grow in curiosity, ask questions, look for clues, make hypotheses and find answers. Introduction to Activity Encouraging children to take part in the care of a family pet is a wonderful way of empowering children. The values that are introduced to a child through caring for animals will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Including live animals in a child’s daily life enhances their abilities to learn responsibility, empathy and compassion for other living things, respect for life, and the natural development of living things. In addition to being a loving companion, pets provide a comfort and solace in times of stress. Materials Needed: Pet Food Pet Grooming Kit Pet Toys (optional) Part One: Cleaning & Prepping Pet Food Area For this activity, involve your child in washing your pet’s food area. Ensure to explain to your child why it is important that the food area is cleaned often. After showing your child how to clean it, show how much food is needed to be placed in it and how many times a day/a week your pet needs to be fed. Part Two: Cleaning & Grooming Your Pet If you’re feeling uncomfortable, stressed, sad, angry, or just unpleasant in general, one of the things you may do is pamper yourself. It may be as simple as taking a shower, or it could be getting a facial, manicure, or massage. These things will almost always help cheer us up and get us feeling better and healthier. It’s the same for our pets! They need to be properly groomed and pampered in order to feel healthy and happy. Making sure your pet is clean and groomed regularly is important for your pet’s health and wellbeing, as well as their appearance. In cases of cats and dogs for example, an untended coat can become long, matted, and uncomfortable for your pet. Grooming helps rid the coat of shed hair and dead skin while spreading natural oils. Show your child and get them involved when giving your pet a bath and show them how to properly groom your pet after. Don’t forget to explain to them how often it needs to be done as well. Part Three: Playing with your Pet Children learn grace and courtesy in the way they treat animals and this in turn helps children extend those concepts to their interactions with others. Children get to practice using gentle touches with animals by petting them softly and treating them respectfully. Show your child how to play with your pet with the pet toys available as well as how to handle them gently. Taking care of animals is a way for children to learn how to take care of themselves. They can learn life skills, how to communicate and understand speech, and become more independent. Pets and animals also support the development of sensory awareness, physical coordination, and motor skills.  Learning to care for something else takes self-control and coordination. Children also start to practice responsibility and respect when they’re looking after animals. It takes a lot of work to keep up with a pet or animal! On a deeper note, animals are living creatures. Realistically, this means that they are likely to potentially face illness or injury, and in practical terms, death. For young children, there are lessons to be learnt here as well. Social & Emotional development begins at a very young age — these skills help guide our emotions and feel empathy, as well as building healthy relationships. This helps children to recognize if someone is sad, and ask if they are ok; helps them with understanding their thoughts and feelings, and develops their ability to relate to others. In these circumstances, we encourage parents to take the opportunity to be honest about illness and mortality. Address the