Sometimes when people think about practical life work for toddlers they think about tiny little cups or pitchers where toddlers are sitting quietly and transferring beans/rice/water/whatever. In reality these works often end up all over the floor with the toddler and the parent frustrated. This work is often designed for older children, specifically for 3-6-year-olds in a Children's House.
So, what does practical life work look like for toddlers? What is Montessori practical life at 2-years-old, what does it look like?
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Well, in a word, it's practical. It's really doing work. It's pouring your own glass of water. It's helping with the laundry.
It is practical.
It's moving chairs and sweeping the floor. It's swiffering. It's feeling needed and respected. It's being an important member of the family.
It is practical.
It's washing and slicing your own snack, then serving it to your family. It's feeding yourself that snack and then returning to clean up the mess. It's spontaneously wiping, and pouring and cleaning and concentrating in the same way you see the adults in your life wiping, pouring, cleaning and concentrating.
It is practical.
It's returning things to their proper place. It's spraying windows and wiping them clean.
There are many things that practical life at 2-years-old is not. It is not about sitting still. It is not about being perfect. It is not about the end goal. It's not always clean or efficient or done the way adults do it. It is not shelf work. It is not hard to prepare. It is not expensive.
It is practical.
So prepare your environment, give them the tools and give them the space. Set your 2-year-old free. Forget a million pouring works and get practical!
What does practical life look like for your 2-year-old?
12 Months of Montessori
This post is brought to you as part of the 12 Months of Montessori series. The theme this month is practical life. For great Montessori and Montessori inspired practical life posts, check out these great blogs!
Raising Independent Kids - Practical Life Skills (Printables) | Natural Beach Living
Montessori Practical Life Ideas - Dressing Frames & Folding {Printables} | The Natural Homeschool
Favorite Montessori Practical Life Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers | Living Montessori Now
Practical Life Skills - Recycling for Kids | Mama’s Happy Hive
Montessori Practical Life Checklist | Sugar, Glitter & Spice
Montessori-inspired Shark Themed Practical Life Activities | Every Star is Different
Practical Life for an Older Child | Grace and Green Pastures
10 Ways to Encourage Family Chores this Summer | Christian Montessori Network
Practical Life at 2-Years-Old | The Kavanaugh Report
