Care Of The Environment

I shared in a previous post about the Care of Self lessons in the Practical Life area. I'm going to talk about another area of Practical Life and that's Care of the Environment. In a Montessori classroom children are given lessons to maintain a clean and orderly environment. Some of the lessons include but are not limited to: sweeping, dusting, flower arranging and table washing.

Sweeping Lessons:

Using a crumber From Counting Coconuts

Floor Sweeping

Plant Care Lessons:
In a Montessori classroom children care for non-toxic plants. Children are taught how to water plants and dust them carefully. They are also given a lesson on flower arranging to add beauty to their environment.

Flower Arranging

Dusting A Plant

Table Washing Lessons:
Table washing is a lesson taught after many beginning practical life lessons. This lesson involves a lot of steps and concentration to finish this task. If you're interested in seeing how to give this lesson here is a Table Washing Video.

Table Washing Borrowed from The Full Montessori

Polishing Lessons:

Brass Polishing

Mirror Polishing

Window Washing Lesson:

Cleaning Station:

In a previous post I mentioned having a cleaning station for Ava to use. This allows her to be independent when she does spill something or if a shelf needs dusting. This is what a cleaning station should entail. You can easily find a organizer with hooks to hang the mop, broom, duster and dustpan and small brush. You could put the bucket, sponges, and cloths on a small shelf at your child's eye level for easy access. 

Borrowed from How We Montessori

Outdoor Environment:
Keeping the outdoor environment clean and free of clutter is just as important as the indoor environment. Many Montessori schools have gardens with flowers and some even have produce that they grow themselves. You can find children clearing their garden of weeds, watering their plants and sweeping up debris.