One of the basic principles of the Montessori Method focuses on allowing the child to explore their own interests to learn from them.
This may come as a shock to many parents because you may think, ‘what does a toddler know?’But research shows that when children are allowed to tap into their curiosity and interests, they’re more likely to learn different skills and concepts during their development stage.
According to the Montessori Method, interfering with this process can hinder your child’s learning. In fact, under the Montessori Method, the only interference permitted is when the parents and teachers want to create a safe environment for the child or give them toys to play with as they hone their skills through their unique interests.
When children are guided in pursuing their own interests, it helps them grow up to become self-confident individuals with better cognitive skills and reasoning capabilities.
Here are a few ways to follow your child’s interest.
Make Toys Easy To Reach
Surround your child with age-appropriate toys and items that are displayed in accessible settings. For instance, you can keep toys and puzzles on a lower shelf, making it easy for your child to reach them whenever they want.
Keep the Learning Environment Dynamic
One of the things that parents need to understand is that they don’t need to teach their children everything at once. Bombarding children with a lot of activities can defeat the purpose because the child can get overwhelmed quickly and lose interest altogether.
Try to keep the learning environment evolving and dynamic. If you think that a particular activity interests your child, try to introduce new elements to it to challenge them.
Engage All Senses for Sensory Development
Create learning experiences that engage your child’s senses—smell, sight, taste, touch, and sound.
You can do this by incorporating art, photographs, sound, and reading into your child’s learning activities. Not only will it help your child complete complex tasks, but it will also develop their problem-solving skills and improve cognitive growth.
Don't Seek Approval Online
With so many parents boasting about their children’s progress on social media, others may feel that their children aren’t doing well enough. This is a dangerous thought because it can lead you to project your own insecurities on your child.
As a parent, you must understand that every child’s progress is different,and their learning shouldn’t be driven by a desire to publish online.
At Abacus Montessori Academy, we focus on creating an environment for your child that’s conducive to their social, emotional, and academic development.
Our child care center Chalfont, Doylestown, Colmar, Perkasie, and Warrington helps children learn at their own pace. You can work with the experienced teachers at our child care centre to help your child reach its potential.
Give us a call to find out more about us today!