9.7.20

Practical Life - Anywhere, Anytime!

Montessori chopper at How we Montessori cutting apple
It's been raining here for days. Although I am a huge advocate for getting outdoors no matter the weather, we've definitely been spending more time indoors. But what to do with a toddler indoors? No need to google indoor play activities, just look around you. Practical life is all around us, often in the weirdest of places. Best of all once you have engaged the child, it's likely they will be busy for quite a while. Who said toddlers can't concentrate?
Above Otto is chopping some peeled apple, before that he chopped up some cheese. Absolutely none of it made it to his snack plate. The wooden slicer is from Etsy
Otto with salter food chopper at How we Montessori   16 months practical life montessori toddler
Chopping some parsley. This fun chopper can be used for onion and garlic too.
Montessori chopper at How we Montessori cutting apple
Let's peel an egg - then rinse it, slice it and, eat it.
Montessori chopper at How we Montessori cutting apple
He always adds too much but it doesn't matter. Putting the Bokashi mix into the Bokashi bucket. This is an absolute favourite, it needs to be done daily and is much better than setting up a practical life tray. 
Montessori chopper at How we Montessori cutting apple
What is the weirdest thing your child has ever been interested in? Otto is obsessed with garbage bins. Don't even think about taking the garbage out without him. Putting the new bin liner in is a practical life activity that he will do over and over again!
"An interesting piece of work, freely chosen, which has the virtue of inducing concentration rather than fatigue, adds to the child's energies and mental capacities, and leads to self-mastery." - Maria Montessori.