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

This Montessori at Home activity will show you how to make a personalised daily routine set of Montessori cards and then how to use them. 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 personalised cards helps your child to identify with the images at a deeper level and understand it’s THEM doing the task. Using 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.

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 Routine Card

Now you have your photos, you can make your Montessori printable routine cards.

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 off with just two or three tasks and make them into a micro routine. Remind them each day about using their daily routine cards. 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. 

Share
Tweet
Email