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What is Montessori School?

Staff Writer — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 03:00:00 +0000

What is Montessori School?

A Montessori school provides an alternative to traditional education. Based on the principles of Dr. Maria Montessori and her visionary methods, Maria Montessori was an Italian physician who achieved fame because of her inventive teaching methods and her incredible insight into the mechanics behind the learning process of children.

The hands on approach of Montessori schools allow the student to be an active participant in his or her education.

Encompassing all grade levels, most Montessori schools offer programs beginning at age 3. The early childhood years are crucial for learning and setting the stage for future academic success. The brain undergoes tremendous growth between the ages of 2 and 6 and learning capabilities at this age are limitless.

Many parents choose Montessori preschools as a means of laying the foundational building blocks necessary to promote both social and academic growth.

The basic premise of a Montessori education is providing the children with an opportunity to learn at their own pace under the direct guidance of a teacher. Unlike traditional schools that have a one-size fits all method of teaching, Montessori teachers are trained to assess the individual needs of each child and encourage personal development according to exclusive needs.

Montessori School Curriculum

While covering the same subject matter as traditional schools, Montessori allows teachers to gauge what the individual child has learned and then lead him or her into new areas of personal development and academic discovery.

The atmosphere of a Montessori school fosters independence and personal growth by developing confidence and self esteem among the children. Respect for themselves and others is a part of the social responsibility curriculum commonly promoted in Montessori programs. The autonomous approach to learning is balanced with open social interaction among peers, allowing for the perfect combination of individual and social development.

Multi-Age Classes

Classrooms contain a mixed age of students with a range that spans 3 years. This is based on Maria Montessori’s concept that varying ages will guide each other in collective educational. Older children in the group learn leadership skills, acting as mentors to their younger counterparts, while the younger children achieve the benefit of hands on learning from their peers.

Open spaced classrooms have multiple work stations with an abundance of natural materials. During classroom lessons, small groups of children undergo educational instruction while the remainder are free to work independently at the station of choice. If a hands on, multi-faceted education that differs from a traditional classroom setting is what you want for your child, Montessori schools are worth inquiring about.

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Family Friday: Fun Chores For Toddlers (Part 2)

Staff Writer — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 03:00:00 +0000

More Fun Chores For Toddlers

If you missed last week’s introduction to fun chores for toddlers (part 1), go check it out now before reading on!

Give your child a dust cloth and have him dust all the tables. You can even make a homemade, non-toxic cleaning spray of vinegar and water for him to use.
If he spills his drink on the floor or table, have him help you wipe it up.
Teach him to place dirty dishes into the sink. If he can’t reach, you can leave a step stool nearby that he can bring to the sink or you can teach him to at least places all dishes in a pile near the sink.
Place a small cup into the pet food container and have him scoop food into the pet bowl.
Teach him how to water houseplants and pick up any fallen plant leaves and throw them away (any toxic plants should be kept out of the reach of children).

Children can learn very early on to clean up after themselves. Have your child place his dirty clothes in a hamper in his closet or the laundry room. When he is finished playing with his toys have him put them in a basket in his room or the den. Teach him that he will not be allowed to take out another activity until the first one is properly put away.

After you make his bed, have him put the pillow in place along with any stuffed animals. It is never too early to start teaching your child about the importance of being tidy and responsibility. Having him do chores at a young age will help prepare him for added responsibility down the road.

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Family Friday: Fun Chores For Toddlers (Part 1)

Staff Writer — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Fun Chores for Toddlers

Many parents wonder when the right age is for children to start helping with household chores. Believe it or not, toddlers and even babies can begin to help out around the house.

Giving your small child a daily task to complete is a great learning experience and will help to set the stage for more advanced chores when he is older. It’s never too early to start involving your child in common household chores.

Even babies can get in on the action. When going form one room to the other with baby in your arms, stop at the light switch and teach him how to switch it on and off as you enter and exit the room.

After diaper changes, hand him the diaper as you approach the garbage and let him drop it into the pail. Even toddlers can walk their diaper to the garbage and drop it in. Doing this every time will become a routine for your baby and he will look forward to participating in the daily task.

Once your child is around 2 years of age, he can participate in many more household chores. When doing laundry, have him transfer clothing from dryer to laundry basket. When folding laundry, have him look through the basket for socks and place them all together in a pile.

Stay tuned next week for more ideas of fun chores for toddlers!

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Family Friday: Entertaining Kids on a Rainy Day with Creativity

Staff Writer — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Don’t let a rainy day put a damper on your family fun. Instead, take advantage of the lack of sun and explore some creative activities with the kids. The possibilities are endless and you are limited only by your imagination.

Keeping Kids Entertained on Rainy Days

Rainy days are a great opportunity to let kids really be creative. Help them make a fort or clubhouse out of furniture cushions, sheets and blankets, old boxes, etc.

In the garage I keep some old refrigerator boxes that I picked up at a local appliance store. On rainy days I’ll bring some inside and let the kids decorate them with crayons and markers. They will spend hours designing them, then connect them and make tunnels, forts, etc.

If you have a small tent, let the kids set it up in the house and then help them make stovetop or microwave smores for their camp out.

If you don’t have a tent, let them create their own out of blankets and household items. Have everyone get into comfy pajamas, turn down the lights, make a big bowl of popcorn and settle in for a movie night.

Take a newspaper and roll up individual pieces into balls. Divide them evenly and have an indoor snowball fight.

Set up a treasure hunt, give each child a list of what items need to be found after you carefully hide them.

Start up a game of charades.

Have an indoor picnic or tea party on the living room floor. Help them bake some brownies or cupcakes.

Arts and Crafts Projects for Rainy Days

Arts and crafts are excellent rainy day activities. Aside from the basics such as coloring and painting, be creative:

Spray some shaving cream on the kitchen tables and let the kids create fun shapes in the foam.
Make some chocolate pudding and let the kids finger paint on a paper plate with it, getting to lick their fingers and the plate clean when they are finished.
Let the kids help you make home-made play dough with flour and water. Make home made ice cream with ziploc bags, milk and ice.
Make a sock puppet family.
Make paper airplanes and then fly them through the house.

The possibilities are limitless. Rainy days activities for kids can be a great opportunity for kids to get back to basics and for families to spend some quality time together.

Family Friday: Time to Share!

Now it’s time for you to share your Family Friday post with the rest of us! If you’re not sure how it works, read the directions and guidelines for Family Friday here.

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Family Friday: Entertaining Kids on a Rainy Day with Physical Activity

Staff Writer — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Entertaining kids on a rainy day with physical activity is a breeze when you have some creative ideas up your sleeve. Print out this list now and save it for a rainy day!

Don’t think that just because the kids can’t run around in the yard they will not be able to get in their daily dose of physical activity. There are many indoor activities for kids that will get them moving and get their heart rate up.

Editor’s Note: If you’re like me, you need your kids to get some physical exercise during the day to keep from getting stir crazy and to allow them to be tired enough for their naps and bedtime.

Physical Acitivities for Kids on Rainy Days

1. Sports in the garage. If you have an uncluttered basement or garage, let the kids go wild playing handball, racquetball or any other activity that keeps them moving in place.

2. Exercise in the kitchen. Even in your den or kitchen you can move the chairs aside and make room for some hula hoops and jump ropes.

3. Kids’ exercise DVDs. Kids’ exercise DVDs are good to get them jumping and moving their bodies.

4. Crazy living room dance party. Just playing loud music and having them dance up a storm will help release built up energy.

5. Hide and seek. Play a game of hide and go seek all over the house to get some movement in.

6. Obstacle course. Set up an obstacle course using household items (pillows, chairs, etc.).

7. Home funhouse. Face 2 chairs across from each other and cover with pillows to create a tunnel to crawl under, line up phone books and step stools for them to climb on, turn pots upside down and let them make their way through by balancing on them.

8. Sock racing. Have slip and slide sock races down the hallway.

What are your best fun physical activities for kids on rainy days? Let us know in the comments!

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Now it’s time for you to share your Family Friday post with the rest of us! If you’re not sure how it works, read the directions and guidelines for Family Friday here.

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Family Friday: Entertaining Kids Without TV & Video Games (Pt 2)

Staff Writer — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Last week we talked about entertaining kids without TV and video games while still allowing you to get things done around the house. You can read part 1 of Entertaining Kids Without TV and Video Games here.

There are even more ways to get your kids involved in “helping” with household chores. Kids can help to set the table, fold napkins and fill cups with ice before dinner.

Even babies and small children can get in on the action. Keep all of your plastic bowls, pots and pans in a cabinet that baby can access. Let him empty the cabinet and engage himself with building and sorting activities at your feet while you cook.

Ask your kids to help you when performing other household chores. When doing laundry, have your child add the measured detergent to the washing machine. Allow him to transfer wet clothes from the washer to the dryer.

Give him a sand bucket or other small container and let him remove a few items from the dryer while you load the clothes into a basket. Have him follow you with his own ‘basket’ while you set out to fold clothes. While folding, have your child play a matching game with the socks, digging through the basket to find all of the pairs.

You can provide your child with lots of fun alternatives to watching television and playing video games. Break out some family board games for older kids and let them play together. Cards, marbles and dominoes can be equally entertaining.

Arts and crafts generally will keep even the fussiest children busy for an hour or so. Stock up on craft items such as popsicle sticks, cotton balls, sequins, beads, feathers, buttons, pasta, paint, markers, crayons, foam, felt, googly eyes, empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls, paper plates, old pizza boxes, socks, yarn, paper bags, etc. Store everything in a large supply box and bring it out once a day to keep your child’s creative juices flowing.

Family Friday: Time to Share!

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Family Friday: Entertaining Kids Without TV & Video Games (Pt 1)

Staff Writer — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:00:00 +0000

You’ve heard it all before…studies show that watching excessive television and use of video games can limit a child’s imagination and suppress his cognitive development. It may be tempting to leave your child in front of the television while you complete household chores or make dinner, but researchers warn against it.

Instead, try to find simple activities that will keep your baby entertained while you tend to household matters. Even better, find a way to involve your child with the task at hand.

When making dinner, assign simple cooking and preparation tasks to your child. Have him wash his hands and roll up his sleeves and get ready to help with dinner.

Even young children can help pour measured ingredients into a bowl or pan, retrieve necessary ingredients from the refrigerator or cupboard and help discard used items such as egg shells and peeled potato skins. Older kids can learn to measure ingredients, read cookbook instructions out loud and stir pots of food on the stove.

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Family Friday- Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Breaks & Stops

Staff Writer — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Welcome to our summer series on Family Vacation Road Trip Planning with the best travel tips from a mom of four! If you missed the last two family vacation articles, you can check them out here:

Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Departure Time
Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Kids’ Entertainment

Road Trip Breaks & Stops

Road trip bathroom break detours are inevitable, but you can decrease the number of times you need to pull over for food by packing a cooler before you leave. In addition to filling it with juice boxes, water, some sandwiches and the kids favorite snacks, you may want to add in a few specialty snacks that are normally off limits.

My children always follow a healthy diet and have come to appreciate the ‘vacation food’ they are allowed to eat whenever we travel. With that said, be careful not to overdo it. A car full of kids in sugar overload will definitely back fire.

Plan on stopping for one full meal during the road trip. If possible, opt for a nice rest area that offers outdoor space for the kids to run around and stretch their legs. Making a detour from the highway is also a good idea if you are not pressed for time. Once off the main interstate you should be able to find a full service family restaurant where you can all unwind and enjoy a decent meal.

Hotels

If you will be making an overnight stop during the road trip, try to plan for it in advance. If you know you will be traveling for 30 hours and stopping halfway through, you can go online, map out your route and locate kid-friendly hotels along the way. Check availability the day before you leave and if there are ample rooms left then you can just wing it without a reservation. Otherwise, it may be a good idea to reserve a room in advance.

If possible, stay in a hotel that offers a pool for some midway relaxation and family fun time. If you can coordinate your arrival to be around dinner time, you may all be able to enjoy a nice swim after dinner, a good night’s sleep and a nice breakfast before you hit the road.

Try to take advantage of specialty perks offered by hotels to attract families, such as kids stay free, kids eat free and free continental breakfast. This is a great money saver and if planned correctly, can even serve as a little mini-vacation before the vacation!

What are your best tips for breaks and stops during family vacation road trips? Let us know in the comments below!

Family Friday: Time to Share!

Now it’s time for you to share your Family Friday post with the rest of us! If you’re not sure how it works, read the directions and guidelines for Family Friday here.

Please add your family-related blog post below in the Mr. Linky. Remember, you MUST link your post back to HomemakerBarbi.com. (If your link was deleted, email us.)

Family Friday- Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Kids’ Entertainment

Staff Writer — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Welcome to our new series, Family Vacation Road Trip Planning! If you missed last week’s installment, Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Departure Time, go read it first. Over the next few weeks, you’ll get tried and true tips for planning the best family vacation road trip from a mom of 4.

Road Trip Kid Entertainment

I can not begin to stress the importance of investing in a portable DVD player if your vehicle is not equipped with one. These can be a lifesaver during road trips.

If you are one of those parents that does not believe in overexposure to movies, a road trip may be the time to bend the rules and make an exception. Bring a few favorite movies from home and if possible, rent some new ones that your kids haven’t seen, so they’ll keep their attention.

After rest stop play breaks, sleeping and DVD movies, there will still be idle time during a long distance road trip. It’s a good idea to fill an individual backpack for each child. Stuff it full of their favorite activities: handheld games, coloring books and crayons, stickers, toys, activity sets, etc.

If your budget allows, invest in a few new items to present to them just as they begin to reach meltdown status. With a quick trip to the dollar store you can stock up on a bunch of items to keep them entertained for under $20. Using your discretion, dispense items at different times throughout the trip. I-spy, name games and just about any activity that involves the entire family is great for keeping kids engaged and happy.

What are your favorite ways to keep kids entertained in the car during family vacation road trips? Let us know in the comments below!

Family Friday: Time to Share!

Now it’s time for you to share your Family Friday post with the rest of us! If you’re not sure how it works, read the directions and guidelines for Family Friday here.

Please add your family-related blog post below in the Mr. Linky. Remember, you MUST link your post back to HomemakerBarbi.com. (If your link was deleted, email us.)

Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Departure Time

Staff Writer — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Welcome to our new series, Family Vacation Road Trip Planning! Over the next few weeks, you’ll get tried and true tips for planning the best family vacation road trip from a mom of 4.

Road trips are the preferred way to travel for most families. The average family takes one or more road trips every year. Some parents welcome a road trip as quality family time, while others view it as a necessary evil to travel from one place to another!

If you take the latter position, there is a good chance that you may find your road trip more enjoyable if you follow some of the travel tips in our family vacation road trip planning series.

Departure Time

Regardless of how far away the destination is, the goal in planning a successful road trip is to limit the amount of ‘restless’ time in the car. Children have short attention spans and get fidgety rather quickly. Activities and movies are great, but kids anxiously awaiting the arrival of their vacation will grow weary of novelties rather quickly.

For long distance road trips, it is best to leave at a time that allows for maximum sleep time for the children. Some parents like to get up before dawn and be on the highway when the sun comes up.

My personal preference on long distance road trips is to go to bed early the night before and set the alarm for 2 a.m. Packing the car full of comatose children is easier than it sounds. My children can be carried directly from bed to car without a hitch.

In the event that they do start to come to, they will be groggy and once you hit the road, the car ride should send them back to their zombie-like state. While you may be tired for the first day of your tip, it may be worth the trade off to be to make it halfway to your destination before having to stop for breakfast. Don’t forget to pack their own pillows and blankets too.

What are your best road trip tips? Let us know in the comments below.

Family Friday: Time to Share!

Now it’s time for you to share your Family Friday post with the rest of us! If you’re not sure how it works, read the directions and guidelines for Family Friday here.

Please add your family-related blog post below in the Mr. Linky. Remember, you MUST link your post back to HomemakerBarbi.com. (If your link was deleted, email us.)

Homemaker Barbi » Family Friday

What is Montessori School?

What is Montessori School?

Montessori School Curriculum

Multi-Age Classes

Family Friday: Time to Share!

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More Fun Chores For Toddlers

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Fun Chores for Toddlers

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Physical Acitivities for Kids on Rainy Days

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Family Friday: Entertaining Kids Without TV & Video Games (Pt 2)

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Family Friday- Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Breaks & Stops

Road Trip Breaks & Stops

Hotels

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Family Friday- Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Kids’ Entertainment

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Departure Time

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