We allow the child to freely choose the game to devote to and have the time and silence he deserves to carry it out. If, on the other hand, he cannot commit himself independently, we can help him proposing some games of the Montessori method
“The game is the work of the child,” said Maria Montessori, expressing a concept that could be misunderstood and frighten someone (the association of the word “work” to the actions of a child …). But the choice by the famous pedagogist to define the childhood activity thus arises precisely from the need to give the right importance to what the child does freely. The little one, in fact, rather than playing works on self -construction. The commitment of his hands in opening and closing a drawer, in stapling cubes, in infilating a button in a crack is real, serious, fundamental for the development of manual skills, coordination, orientation and therefore of intellectual development.
Environment and repetition of the gesture
The child seeks in the surrounding environment what can give him psychic nourishment and intellectual enrichment and approaches and dedicates ourselves with devotion, concentration and extreme seriousness; It enters the flow of concentration naturally, without this being taught. He is an “inner teacher” to guide him towards the activities which lead him to the continuation of his psychophysical development. «The child ends up immersing himself in his exercise with such an intensity of attention, which no longer realizes the surrounding things and continues to work, repeating the exercise evenly dozens and tens of consecutive times. This is the phenomenon of concentration and repetition of the year, to which inner development is connected, “Maria Montessori tells us.
DIY Montessori Game
When the child is unable to commit himself independently in a constructive activity – perhaps because he is tired, undecided, or bored – the adult, to ensure that the little one does not disperse energies in vain, he can suggest an activity. In this regard, there are a series of Montessorian games useful for the child’s work. It is for most of you do it yourself gameswhich require the use of simple materials that can be found at home or that are still easily available. What Montessori suggests for the use of these games within an activity is to follow some simple indications but that can make the difference:
- Aesthetic order, or the choice of colors and materials that are well together
- Accurate choice of the material used (beautiful, intact, solid)
- Precise purpose of the activity
But which game Montessori is best suited to the 1 year old child? And for one of 3-4 years? Let’s find out together.
Montessori game at 1 year: the walnut labor
The game of Montessorian Travasi is one of the favorite activities by the small child.
For the child, the repetition of the same action is synonymous for him of concentration and self -construction.
Prepare two identical large bowls – perhaps in metal – and in one place a generous amount of walnuts. Spread a mat on the ground on which to place the two bowls and a ladle. Show the child the labor of the walnuts with the ladle and then allow him to explore the activity in full autonomy and freedom: maybe he will prefer to transform the walnuts with his hands or emptying the full bowl in the empty one.
Montessori game at 2 years: separating by color
Line three jars of identical glass with a colored paper, using for example primary colors. In a sufficiently large container place 30 wooden sticks: 10 red paintings, 10 of blue and 10 yellow, even partially. All this material can be stored on a tray. The child will be able to affix each stick in the corresponding color jar. In order for the material to attract the child, it is necessary to select quality tools and objects, always seeking an aesthetic order.
Montessori game from 3 to 6 years: animals in the environment
Printed on large sheets, for example A3, of natural environments (Banchisa, Savana, Foresta, Fattoria etc.) that present no animal figure. Plastic the images to make them more resistant. In a basket, insert a group of three -dimensional animals figures, if you have, or printed and plasticized. The child, taking an animal, will try to recognize him, appoint him and place him in the natural environment of belonging. This activity can give birth to a story by the adult about the physical characteristics of the animals, their living and food habits, which will intrigue the child.
The bigger children, the more animals will have available in the environment and the stories can be richer and more complex. It is important that the images are photographic and realistic, just as the proportions between animals will have to be likely. If you opt for three -dimensional animals, choose them with excellent workmanship and rich in realistic details. In this way the information that the childish mind will acquire will be as truthfully as possible.
Understand the child who plays
Often the adult does not include the motivation that pushes a child to perform a certain activity or game (from the Latin iocusthat is, he jokes, burlae) and therefore interrupts him without having problems. “After all, it’s just playing,” you think erroneously. The child, in reality, is not playing at all and consequently he will get very angry. This reaction is usually called “whim”.
Instead, it must be considered that the method of action of the baby during work, especially its purpose, is very different from that of the adult. The child, in fact, does not carry out an activity to achieve a purpose but for the pure pleasure of working on self -creationof his psyche and his body. It acts through the repetition of an exercise over and over again and the end of the activity is dictated by internal, non -external and social reasons. It will not even be the tiredness to suspend his acting, as it is precisely at the conclusion of the work that will be full of energy and strengthened.
The law of the least effort associated with the maximum result, however, is proper to the work of the adult (productive work), contextualized within the social and super-natural environment in which he lives. This, however, is not part of the characteristics of the child’s work, which instead uses large quantities of energy without suffering and sacrifice, but with natural and instinctive dedication.
Promote concentration during the game
It is easy to recognize a child who is working: as he plays his face is serious, his body is composed, his hands move slowly, distracting him is difficult. A child who is not constructively engaged in an activity, on the other hand, is disordered, chaotic, speaks and acts simultaneously, looks away from the game, does not carefully use the material and needs to be accompanied towards the search for a constructive activity. Why Montessori tells us that the educator must whisper when he turns to children? Not to disturb and encourage their concentration.
The child will learn in a few years that there are not only his needs, but also those of others. He will also learn to obey someone’s will after training to obey his own. The welcome, patience and delicacy with which you approach a child who is working help him to grow in a harmonious way and avoid making him live moments of frustration and anger. Sometimes the interruption is inevitable, while often, however, it is a lack of attention.
When a child freely chooses the game to devote to, Allow him to have the time and silence he deserves. When this is not possible, we try at least to welcome his opposition with patience and kindness by explaining why our decisions and recognizing the great sacrifice that the little one makes in responding to our will.
