Thinking outside of the mat--walking the line

After Delores' "nap" yesterday I went in to find her walking the line on some of her books.* She told me she had made a sidewalk and was walking on her sidewalk.

Children will find or create ways to walk the line without an ellipse painted or taped out on the floor for them. Of course this is how the brilliant Maria Montessori came up with this idea of creating a permanent line in a classroom setting in the first place. I am reminded, yet again, that we can learn so much from just observing the child absorb their world around them.

Having an ellipse or other shape painted or taped (fyi chalk does not work!) to the floor gives the child much more opportunity to use their desire to walk the line and refine their balance and grace. Also, having a line indoors also leads to countless extensions from carrying a glass of water to a game of catch. But really you can't beat just watching a child imagine and create and enjoy an activity all on her own even if it is outside the painted line.

* I do not encourage the misuse of books and after she had left this activity we discussed the importance if taking care of all books.

** Delores is wearing something to covering her bottom, you just can't see it from the angle of the shot.

Thinking outside of the mat--water pouring

On Wednesdays I normally take a day off to just go and do fun stuff with the girls and take a break from normal lessons.

Our day usually involves going to story time at our local library and checking out books, cd's, and DVDs that we never end up watching.

However, yesterday I had to spend all morning with the girls at an appointment of great boredom. So, we did not have lessons and today we will make up for it.

Even though we did not have formal lessons yesterday, the girls still managed to get some pouring activities in.

The girls were outside"cooking" with water out of their kiddie pool and I casually slipped them each a 1 cup measuring cup I use for pouring activities and Delores practiced her water pouring while Lydia practiced her water dumping. Lol.

This is really what montessori is all about for me. Delores especially would prefer to apply her activities to real life instead of sitting down with a mat and now I look for situations I can offer that to her.

After all the purpose is to make the child more independent in their life not to confine them to a mat.