Practical LifeThe term “Montessori method practical life” refers to an integral part of the Montessori curriculum. While it is emphasized more at the Primary level, practical life Montessori activities are present in every classroom environment, from a Toddler to a Junior Class. Simply stated, the practical life curriculum refers to the Montessori practical life materials, activities, and experiences that develop and refine skills for everyday living. As the child matures and moves into and out of sensitive periods, these activities change in nature but still remain. In the Toddler environment, many, if not all, of the practical life exercises involve increasing the child’s level of independence. Montessori practical life care of self, Montessori care of the environment, eating snack, getting out lunch, cleaning up spills, and getting dressed for outside play are all considered lessons of practical life. Montessori believed that the latter half of the first plane of development is a sensitive period for learning practical life skills, and we can see this clearly in Primary classrooms. A distinct area of the environment holds shelves that include a myriad of activities, such as pouring, spooning, stringing, tonging, twisting, folding, tweezing, polishing, screwing and unlocking. Montessori dressing frames, for buttoning, snapping and zippering, are all activities of practical life. Along with the sensorial and academic components, it completes the Primary curriculum. These activities have the added benefit of refining the child’s fine motor skills, providing an indirect preparation for number and cursive writing. Practical life skills in the elementary years include cooking, care of the environment, care of animals, and increasing contact with the adult outside world via field trips and other off-campus activities.
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