Traditional Montessori: Mystery Bag

The Mystery Bag activity is a fun, traditional Montessori work for ages 3-6, encouraging visual and tactile discrimination as well as encouraging intellectual curiosity. I put this one together using objects found from around our house.


There are a few different ways to use the Mystery bag. The way I use it is to have objects, 10 in this case but up to 20 can be used, to feel and match with cards. We take all of the objects out of the bag and name them. Then they are placed back in the bag.


The cards (I took a photo of each object and printed it with our printer) are laid out on the rug.
The child reaches into the bag and feels an object and says "I have the _____."


The object is then placed on the card. If an incorrect one is found it is named and placed on it's matching card. I have also seen this done without cards, to be more of a memory game and another way is to collect objects and one at a time find all the smooth, rough, bumpy (etc.) ones. Although the mystery bag is found in the 3-6 age class, I will introduce it to my youngest daughter who is able to match pictures and objects.

Rocking, Swinging, and Brain Development

I am currently reading Sharifa Oppenheimer's book, Heaven on Earth: A Handbook for Parents of Young Children. In it she talks about outside activities. (The book, by the way, is great for anyone interested in Waldorf education in the home). She writes: "Swinging and rocking motion both gentle and vigorous, stimulates proper brain growth and "wires" the different areas of the brain together." After reading this statement, I recalled the time during my Montessori internship when I was told about the positive effects that rocking chairs can have on children. We had a rocking chair in the room that was frequently used. Children sat in it at anytime during the day when they wanted to and it was enjoyed by everyone. My professor always said it slowed the heart rate and released endorphins which elevate the child's mood. Rocking chairs also have been shown to provide a calming effect and relieve pain. In Sharifa's book, she suggests having a swing, hammock or seesaw outside and a rocking chair inside.



Here are two examples of activities we have available in our home which involve rocking. This first is a balance board. Balance boards come in different styles and some are easier than others. This one is great for my "nearly" two year old. It is too easy for her older sister so eventually I would like to get a more advanced one when this one is outgrown.



We also have a fantastic rocking moose that gets used almost daily by both children. They do some vigorous rocking on it and it nice to have on those days when we are stuck inside due to the weather.

...And of course, there is always holding them and rocking. They never seem to tire of that =)

Traditional Montessori: Smelling Bottles

I just introduced this to my soon-to-be-4 year old daughter. She really enjoyed it, as I thought she would, and it is a simple traditional Montessori lesson, easy to put together. Traditionally, there are six scents (12 bottles in all) but we started with 4 scents. The object is for the child to match the scents. Our bottles contain: lavender, cocoa, cinnamon, and vanilla. I used the cotton in all of the bottles in order to hold the scent, cover the contents and provide unity in appearance. The stickers help provide clarity during the activity.


I demonstrate (this activity is done on the floor using a rug) by setting up the bottles as shown. I choose the top left bottle, remove the lid and smell the contents. I offer the bottle to my daughter to smell and I then place it in between the two rows. I choose the top right bottle, remove the lid, smell and offer it to my daughter. I thoughtfully and silently shake my head "no" if it isn't a match after smelling and return it to it's spot. I then choose the second one down on the right and so on until a match is found.


When a match is found it is placed in the middle.



Each matching scent has a colored sticker under the lid. (Cinnamon blue, cocoa red....) When all the matches are found we tip the bottles to check under the lids to see if the stickers match, indicating it is a correct match. (I usually put the stickers on the bottom of the bottle but for some reason they kept falling off, hence the sticker under the lid.) Also, I would have used no lids if I had kept these spice bottles shaker tops (with the holes). Spice bottles with holes in the top or salt/pepper shakers work well for this.

This activity can rotate scents seasonally (which I will try to do)- pine needles in the winter, basil in the summer...
Also, a younger child who may not be able to match scents could be given one set to just smell. It is really an interesting activity that develops and awakens the olfactory sense.

Toddler Activity: Matching Object to Picture

Matching is a great activity for young children. Introduce matching starting with object to object-making sure they are the exact same objects. Once the child can match object to object, introduce object to picture, and lastly picture to picture. Introducing matching this way allows the child to begin with the concrete and gradually work towards the abstract.

I have seen great matching sets available, but I made this one easily with my printer. I gathered some of our animals from around the house and found the pictures on-line from retailers advertising. I then laminated it.


I tried to make the photos as close to the size of the actual animal figure as possible. I opted for four pictures on a paper to make it a little more manageable for my daughter, but individual cards would also work as a floor activity. To introduce the activity, I put out only one set. I chose an animal and said "Where is the dog?" (knowing my daughter would know this animal). She touched the picture and I set the figure on the picture.

Traditional Montessori: Folding and Rolling

I recently purchased some pinking scissors, which I have been meaning to do for some time. These two activities: rolling and folding, have been on my list of lessons to make. Rolling napkins is a simple activity to make. Although Montessori education introduces the act of rolling early on (because rugs and mats are used for working on) this activity is a challenge because it requires a tighter roll to fit into the napkin rings. This activity is appropriate for a child very familiar with rolling a rug and mat without rings.



Folding cloth is introduced early on in Montessori. First, folding in half, then quarters, then a diagonal half and last triangular quarters. I was in need of some and made these just by cutting with the pinking scissors and using leftover fabrics. (A word on fabrics, after looking at my pictures I realized my fabric choice is a little "busy" a solid color would have been better because it is not distracting. Since these are not the first introduction with folding for my daughter, she is working on the last set, I will still use these. But when I first introduce folding with my youngest I should use a solid color.)



Each square has a line on both sides indicating where the fold will be. The child first traces the line with what we call the "working fingers" (index and middle).



Before each fold the child traces the line with the fingers.



If the cloth has been folded correctly the line acts as the control of error (the way in which the child can independently tell if the activity was done correctly) and the child will see if the line is along the fold.

Extensions of this work include folding paper, folding or rolling napkins for meals, and folding clothes.

Cardboard Lacing Tubes

These sewing tubes are made from a paper towel roll, cut and covered with colored paper. A regular hole punch was used to make the holes. They will provide a little more practice for using and controlling a children's needle before I introduce Sewing a Button.


We use a children's sewing needle and yarn. I cut and wrapped the yarn around clothespins to keep it from getting tangled in the basket. The yarn is unwound and the needle is threaded.



The needle goes through one hole and a "tail" is left out for tying at the end.



After all the holes have been used the leftover string is tied and can be trimmed.

Fairy Tales and Stories

I recently stumbled across an article on-line about storytelling with children. I was very interested to learn more about the preferred method of storytelling in the Waldorf classroom.

The following information comes from a Waldorf educator, David Darcy and although it addresses storytelling, I find it relevant for picture book reading as well.

This first quote answered my question as to why my daughter wants to hear the same story I read the day before.

"Because the fairy tales are so rich in imagery, children benefit greatly from hearing the same story told for three consecutive days. During the first listening, they are usually most focused on the plot. During the second listening, they know what will happen, so they can live more fully into the images. On the third day, it is common for children to inwardly tell themselves the story as they are hearing it."

And another question, When is the best time to read or tell a story?

"Ideally children should be given time immediately after the story to "ruminate" on it, so you may want to have snack and recess after the story. Just as our food must go through a process before it is useful as energy, the images in a story are most powerful when they are given time to sink in. Ideally, children should be able to sleep on a story before they are asked to remember it at all."

(From- David Darcy: Selecting Stories from Grimms Fairytales)

As a parent and previous preschool teacher I used storytelling occasionally but not on a daily basis because we always had books. I liked this quote I found from Waldorf educator Barbara Sokolov about one reason storytelling is important: "Waldorf teachers call it "living into the story." When a child is living into a story, she forms imaginative inner pictures in response to the words. Having the ability to form mental images, to understand, gives meaning to the process of reading. Without this ability, a child may well be able to decode the words on a page, but he will remain functionally illiterate."

Storytelling also increases vocabulary and reading comprehension as well as using imagination and creativity. In the past I have used flannel boards for storytelling or just a couple visual aids. The more I have thought about storytelling, the more I am going to try to incorporate it into our lives at home. One easy way we will start is to simply read the story without using the pictures.

Using Scissors

This week I was in need of more scissor skill cutting papers that are used in the Montessori classrooms. Since I was printing these off, I thought I would write a post about introducing scissors and improving scissor skills as well as how to make or where to find these handy =) scissor cutting papers.

I introduced scissors to my daughter when she turned 3 years old. One exercise that is a great preparatory exercise for scissor cutting is using tongs. Using tongs strengthens the same fingers that the scissors will use and models similar movements needed to open and close the scissors. I began by saying "These are scissors. These scissors are used to cut paper. They are sharp and they cut." I demonstrated how to hold the scissors and how to open and close them. We then practiced putting the fingers into the correct holes and opening and closing the scissors. Just opening and closing the scissors takes practice and strength. I always encourage pointing the scissors up while cutting which reduces sideways cutting. Once this was successful, we moved on to cutting....straws. Straws are a lot easier than starting with paper. The straw doesn't flop like paper or require as much movement of the hand holding it. Be aware that the pieces of cut straw will go flying into the air. We cut one straw, stopped and picked up the pieces and then cut another and so on.

After a great amount of success with straw cutting we started cutting paper. These are one kind of cutting strips typically found in Montessori classrooms for scissor work. You can easily make your own with a marker or print them off the computer. The first set should be short enough that the paper is manageable for the child and the lines short enough that it can be cut with one snip. Demonstrate how to cut slow and carefully an entire cutting strip so the child can see the goal is cutting on the line.


After success with straight lines the child moves onto diagonals, peaks, curves, waves and using more than one cut/snip. (FYI The paper on the left is how it comes off the computer website, I cut it into strips like the ones on the right, the child then cuts those strips)


These cutting papers are just two of a number available (free) at this site. (I will post this at the side of the blog for future reference.)


I like to print them off onto different colored papers for less confusion (especially if you have an older and younger child). I also print the easiest on red and use the colors and order of the rainbow-easiest to hardest. This is how it is presented on the shelf. The scissors are always moved via the tray and when cutting with the scissors the basket is taken off and the scissors are used over the tray to catch the pieces. The cut pieces are then gathered and put in an envelope, which is often decorated after.

Children's Art Developmental Stages

I was recently looking through my Montessori teaching materials in search of something when I ran across this information sheet about children's art and stages of development. After reading it, I took out some of my preschool-age daughter's saved artwork from this past year to compare. I thought I would pass this along for those interested in developmental stages of drawing along with some photos of my daughter's art for comparison.

Children's Art: Stages of Development Drawing

(Artwork at 3 yrs and 1 month)

Stage 1. Scribble Stage (ages 2-3) This stage is basic to the child's development. At this stage just the movement of hand, arm and body is satisfying and important. The child has something that he/she alone has made. Long before the child can draw circles, rectangles, squares or other shapes in outline form he/she sees them in his /her scribbles.



(Artwork at 3 yrs and 4 months)

Stage 2. Outline Shapes (age 3-4) With increased muscular control and development comes that glorious day in a child's life when he/she grasps his/her crayon firmly in his/her hand and with a single line draws a shape he/she sees and likes in his/her scribble. He/she can outline shapes. He/she draws circles, ovals, rectangles, and Xs. At least that's what the adult sees, but to the child they are just pleasing shapes.

Stage 3 & 4. The Child and Design (ages 3-5) As soon as the child can draw shapes in outline form he/she can combine shapes in design. He/she can place shapes side by side or one inside the other. He/she begins to put shapes together in a very pleasing fashion.

Stage 5 & 6. Circles, Suns and Radials (ages 3-5) Beginning at age 3 most children begin to draw circles and place crosses within them. In the self-taught art of children this shape is one of their favorites probably because of its pleasing balance. After making it many times it soon suggests the sun and center markings soon disappear and their lines cross the outside of the circle and the sun emerges.


(Artwork at 3 years 5 months)

Stage 7 Soon the child begins to experiment further by drawing lines from a point or a very small circle. These are called radials and she/he likes them so well that he/she makes them over and over. Later they become wheels, whiskers, fireworks or flowers.


(Artwork 3 years 11 months)

Stage 8&9 People (ages 4-5) About age 4 children begin to draw people -not as we know them, but what they mean to them. This follows soon after the sun and radial stage. The sun becomes the human face, at first very large, to which the legs and arms are attached. Some children become very interested in adding lots of balance to the top of their drawings by drawing hats or hair.

Stage 10: Animals (ages 4-5) Following humans, the child draws pictures of animals that stand on 2 legs. The child simple puts two ears on top and uses sun's rays for fingers or claws.

Left to him/herself the child will draw representationally when she/he is ready. Children are not all ready at the same age. This is dependent upon social, mental, and physical maturity of each child. A child who has been exposed to crayons and paper at an early age will be ready to draw long before a child who has had none. Children all over the world make their early drawing in much the same way, building upon natural creative impulses. We must be careful not to destroy impulses by dictating to them what they must draw or imposing ideas. (Mayesky: Creative Activities for Young Children)