The Montessori “Practical Life” activities deal with the care of the child’s own person (personal dressing and grooming), care of the environment (cleaning, taking care of plants and pets, preparing food), development of fine and gross motor skills, and learning courteous behavior and conflict resolution. These are skills that children will use in daily life.
Indepence and Confidence
The activities of Practical Life take the child closer to independence. This independence allows the child to develop security, confidence, and self worth. The child will know how to make their own toast and pour their own juice. They will know how to dress himself and clean up if they make a mess. Children can make a perceptible impact on their immediate environment and this is a very empowering feeling.
This area of the curriculum directly feeds the need of the children to imitate the activity of the adults in their lives and to become independent. This area is for every child who cries out "I wanna do it by myself!"
Refining Motor Skills
At a young age, children are in a sensitive period for movement. According to Montessori and current research, movement is essential for the development of the intellect. It is the child's means of influencing and understanding themselves and their surroundings.
Movement is incorporated into every Practical Life exercise - from the fine motor skills needed to spoon tiny beans from one container to another to the gross motor skills of traveling back and forth from the sink with a heavy pitcher of water.
Communication and Conflict Resolution
Learning how to work and play together with others in a peaceful and caring community is a basic life skill. Learning how to greet someone graciously is one of the first acts of courtesy learned in our classroom.
Everyday kindness and courtesy are vital practical life skills. Lessons in grace and courtesy teach everyday social customs, such as how to ask for or offer help, how to join in an activity, and how to graciously decline an invitation.
Differences of opinion and misunderstandings are a natural component of social relationships and can lead to conflict. Learning how to express one’s needs clearly and to communicate honestly is critical in order to prevent an outburst and come to a peaceful resolution. We do role plays in our class to demonstrate how to handle various social situations.