Change your perspective on childhood. That is the proposal of Montessori pedagogy, which you’ve surely heard of or read about in countless articles, blogs, or books. Maria Montessori left an incredibly important legacy for education worldwide, and today, many decades later, it remains as relevant as ever. Because what this doctor, educator, psychiatrist, and philosopher wanted was nothing more than to put the child at the center—making them the protagonist of learning—so that by caring for childhood, we also care for the world. If you want to discover what Montessori pedagogy is, how you can incorporate it into your home, and which Montessori activities to do with your little adventurer, stay here because we’ll tell you.

What is Montessori pedagogy?

Maria Montessori founded the pedagogy that bears her name more than a century ago. Born in 1870, this Italian doctor, educator, psychiatrist, and philosopher devised a new way of teaching based on her work with boys and girls. Her approach focuses on respecting children’s rhythms through the gradual development of autonomy. Boys and girls understand the world through active participation in that understanding. They observe, manipulate, express opinions, create, and, in doing so, build their own learning. No rush. No pressure. Montessori activities are not designed as a pedagogical imposition; instead, they adapt to a child’s age, needs, personality, and interests, while respecting their development. This is one of the great values of her pedagogy: respect for the child as a person, and an understanding of their timing and interests.

How to introduce Montessori pedagogy at home?

Although many schools have already introduced Montessori pedagogy into their way of working, you can also integrate it at home. Montessori pedagogy is based on children gaining independence so they develop greater self-confidence, increased security, and a critical spirit. To support that, there are some changes you can make at home to help your little adventurer acquire the skills and competencies that will give them more autonomy. Here are some ideas:

• Start with the simple things : place materials and objects within their reach so they can manipulate them. From the moment they start crawling and show interest in touching, biting, and sucking what they find along the way, they can begin to explore the world. For example, it may be helpful to have a small box on the floor with everyday objects for them to discover.

• Prepare and set to the right height everything you might need: adapt the wardrobe; the kitchen cabinets so they can help set the table; place a learning high chair so they can reach the countertop or the sink; a mirror for brushing teeth or combing hair; and a bed close to the ground so they can climb up and down… The key is to create a friendly, prepared environment that adapts to the child’s development :)

• Lower your expectations : as Montessori pedagogy expert Bei Muñoz always says—author of many books related to Montessori philosophy and the project Educating in connection —if you offer your little one Montessori activities and they don’t seem to focus on any, perhaps your expectations need adjusting. Remember that what matters most is the presentation, the prepared environment, and, above all, respect for their interests, their timing, and their needs.

• Last but not least, remember that Montessori pedagogy is a way of life and a way to understand childhood , which goes beyond specific techniques or concepts.

What Montessori games and activities can your little adventurer do?

It’s often thought that Montessori pedagogy requires expensive materials to introduce it at home or in school. Nothing could be further from the truth. As we mentioned earlier, it is not a rigid methodology focused on milestones or achievements. It has no instruction manual or single map. Montessori pedagogy requires time, imagination, and a desire to enjoy the process. Below, we offer some ideas for Montessori games and activities that you can do with everyday objects.

4 Montessori game and activity ideas

1. Modeling activities
   Whether with salt dough, magic sand, or playdough, modeling activities are ideal for developing your little one’s fine motor skills. Not only do they strengthen the muscles in their fingers and hands and prepare them for painting and writing, but they also help them discover how their hands work, the pressure their fingers can apply, and the feel and consistency of what they’re manipulating. The more they work with their little hands, the more agile and precise they become. It’s also a great way to promote concentration and creativity.

2. Cook
   This is one of the activities children tend to enjoy most. You can get a learning tower or a step stool so your little adventurer can reach the countertop and help prepare simple dishes to get started. In the book Cooking with the family using Montessori , by Patricia Pérez, you’ll find plenty of ideas and recipes to discover together. Why is it interesting? Because when children cook, they learn many concepts such as time, weight, and textures, as well as others like the importance of order and safety in the kitchen. That said, we recommend keeping your expectations very low. They will get dirty, you will get dirty, and it might not turn out as you imagined—but remember that what matters is the journey, not the destination.

3. Sensory games
   With materials you have at home—or by spending very little—you can create countless sensory activities, which are one of the pillars of Montessori pedagogy. One idea: prepare a mystery box with everyday items and game pieces of different sizes and shapes for sorting and grouping. Place cards with different shapes (square, circle, rectangle) inside three small boxes, and let your little adventurer group the objects with those shapes into each box. It’s a fantastic game for observing shapes, colors, and sizes. In this reels , you can see how we create a sensory box with the LILLYDOO diaper box.

4. Free play
   Children have boundless imagination and creativity that they need to express. That’s why, beyond any activity, it’s important to let your little adventurer play freely. This mainly means giving your child the opportunity to play in a safe environment without following specific instructions from you. A cube, the bed, a cardboard box… can become many different things. The less you interfere in the play, the more you give your little adventurer the chance to express their natural curiosity as they wish and to become aware of their own interests. It also develops their autonomy and self-confidence.

As you can see, it’s very easy to integrate Montessori pedagogy at home. What’s more, it’s very likely that you already apply certain principles without realizing it. And remember: the important thing is that you enjoy your time together!