Maria Montessori designed practical exercises to help children function in their environment by teaching them how to cope with the things around them. The daily functions of our home, like folding clothes and napkins, are simple to us, but they are new and exciting to a child.
I have observed my children taking an interest in household chores. In addition, I know very well that children love to work with their hands, which is important for their development.
Thus, when my children were toddlers and preschoolers I introduced them to Montessori folding activities.
Moreover, I begin this activity very simply with folding handkerchiefs and then move on to folding clothes. When I selected clothes for the activity, I chose clothes that had seams that acted as a guideline, for example, a shirt or sweater.
Folding And Unfolding Napkins Montessori:
As you all know, I have a 5-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son. On multiple occasions, I have engaged them in Montessori folding activities.
My daughter, who is now a preschooler, recently participated in a Montessori activity focused on folding and unfolding napkins
Here’s how:
Material: I took a square napkin and marked with a black marker pen where to make folds.
Demonstrating The Process:
- I laid the napkin flat on the table
- Then I brought the sides together.
- To make different shapes like an oblong, I folded the napkin once again. Next, to give the napkin a triangle shape, I placed the diagonal corners together.
- My next step was to flatten the crease of the napkin with both my hands.. Here I forgot to mention that while I was forming the square and triangle shapes, I never missed the opportunity to mention the names of the shapes to my 5-year-old daughter
Once I completed the demonstration process, I invited her to participate in this activity. She promptly reacted to my call and started to fold the napkin.
Although she was making a mess of the napkin at first, after several attempts, she succeeded in forming a square shape with it. Furthermore, she promised me that she would master the task in 2 or 3 days.
Purpose:
- To develop muscular control of fingers
- To teach children to help in their environment.
Control Of Error: An improperly folded napkin would appear unkempt.
Montessori Cloth Folding Activities:
My next task was to teach my daughter how to fold clothes. She was already familiar with the Montessori cloth folding activity and as a result, I did not have to face difficulty in teaching her cloth folding activity.
I simply took one of her dresses and showed her how to fold it properly. I also told her that it was important to keep all the household items in proper order for the sake of our own convenience.
She obeyed and copied my steps to fold her dress. Although she was making mistakes, I corrected her and in two or three attempts, she did it.
Sumanta De is an educator. He has been teaching students for more than 16 years following the principles of Dr.Maria Montessori. He has a 7-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter.
He is nurturing his children abiding by the principles of Dr.Maria Montessori. His passion for Montessori methods goes beyond the classroom.
Hence, he shares his experiences and insights through a dedicated Montessori blog and a YouTube channel under the name “NewChild Montessori”. He aims to offer valuable guidance to both parents and educators.
Education: M.A. English, Masters in Child Psychology & Bachelor’s Degree in Montessori Teachers Training