The Montessori Practical Life curriculum is the first set of activities to which the child is introduced within the Montessori environment. These activities are provided to develop the self-control and concentration by which the child’s inner needs and desires can become satisfied.

 

Practical Life furnishes the child with the ability to adapt himself to society by doing the things that adults do everyday such as care of the self, care of the environment, social graces, gross motor and eye-hand coordination.

 

The goals of Practical Life are:

  • To help the child become independent

  • To enable him to be responsible for his own physical, psychic and moral needs through

    • Moving and exercising needs for growing limbs

    • Psychic need to perfect body movements

    • Moral need to become useful and helpful to others

  • To initiate respect and love for work

  • To help the child perform the activities of daily life with joy, skill and grace

  • To facilitate the child’s journey to complete maturity and development

Activities:

  • Cooking

  • Sweeping

  • Peeling

  • Zipping

  • Gardening

  • Grace
  • Pouring
  • Shaking hands
  • Dusting
  • Buttoning
  • Polishing
  • Courtesy
  • Movement
  • Independence
  • Confidence
  • Order
  • Snapping
  • Sewing

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 "When a child completed such an absorbing piece of work, they appear deeply rested and deeply pleased. It almost seemed as if a road had opened up within their souls that led to all their latent powers, revealing the better part of themselves."

 
                          Dr. Maria Montessori