Preparing the Home Environment
Below I would like to offer ideas and insights on how you might set up your home environment to strengthen your child's functional independence and freedom. In addition, make family experiences more enjoyable as you provide more opportunities for your child to work and play with you.
Limited Choices
Though it may feel counterintuitive, the way to help ease your child into increasing independence is to narrow their choices. Their small world is enormous, and they can easily get overwhelmed when they don’t know what to pick. Providing too many options for the child will likely overcome them. I often use the “cereal aisle” analogy when talking about this topic. When I walk into the cereal aisle, I always feel overwhelmed because are too many choices! Children feel like this all the time; too many options provide too many stimuli. Limited choice and the prepared home environment will help your child become more independent, foster concentration, and help keep the environment tidy (bonus!)
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Store all toys in a closet or area that is not accessible to your child, and then choose between 5 and 10 toys at a time to make available on a shelf.
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Rotate these toys every week or two, or as interest allows
Suggestions:
In the Bedroom
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LEGO, blocks, or anything that can easily fit into an open basket or container
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One or two puzzles
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Maybe a couple art activities, for instance, watercolor or playdough would be in its own basket with everything your child needs to independently play with, and then get back on the shelf!
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This also works for books! You can keep all your child’s books in a closet or high shelf and put out 5 to 10 new books each week, either in a basket, or a designated shelf.
Providing your child with limited toys in baskets, bins, or any other receptacle placed neatly on a shelf will reduce stimuli. Your child may be more likely to play independently and successfully keep their room more orderly due to decreasing the choices. Just like the cereal aisle analogy, when your child has all their toys, books, etc., they can often become overwhelmed and almost paralyzed with too much choice, ultimately not choosing to play with anything at all! Having everything available always also causes congestion in the room as things can overtake the environment, causing an almost impossible cleaning problem.
For Example:
This picture is a real-life example of how the prepared environment can foster your child's functional independence. This closet pictured has a shower curtain rod placed lower so this child can easily hang his own clothing. This picture is anecdotal; the child was asked to "put his pants away", and while he didn't complete the task perfectly, he still independently put his pants away, allowing him ownership of his things.
In The Kitchen
Your child is capable!
Set up a space in your kitchen or dining room area. This picture shows a low table and seating, child-sized utensils, a table sweeper, a floor sweeper, and a small pitcher and cup. With this particular setup, your child can pour their own water, choose a utensil, and clean up their own space.
Other suggestions:
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Provide snacks on a plate that your child can serve themselves.
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Encourage the child's ownership of family pets by placing a small amount of animal food in a jar and placing it on the shelf each morning. Your child has his first chore! (Although it's not a chore for your child, it's an exciting adventure!)
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Invest in a small watering can. Children love to care for household plants.
Helping in the Kitchen
Children LOVE to help in the kitchen, whether it's slicing a banana for a snack or helping to slice the vegetables for the dinner salad. Involving your children in meal preparation will teach your child that you think they are capable helpers that can contribute to your family community.
Cutting Board, Apple slicer. Peeler & Chopper
Easy to use Wisk
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All of the tools shown above are child-sized, safe to use, and can be found at Montessori Services. Click on the button for a direct link!
Making Bread
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Easy Bread Recipe:
1 cup warm water
1tablespoon yeast
2 tablespoons good maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
Pour 1 cup water in bowl, mix with yeast. Let sit for a minute or two. Pour oil & syrup in bowl with yeast mixture. Stir. Pour flour into bowl, mix with wooden spoon until difficult to stir. Pour onto table and knead until a smooth, round ball. (Fold and press is the language I use with the child). Place in 2 small greased loaf pans, or make into one large loaf. Bake for 23 minutes @350.
