Practical Life activities are the activities of everyday life. They are a hallmark of the Montessori Method that help children learn how to take care of themselves, others, and their environment. The introduction of these tasks takes full advantage of the child’s innate motivation to learn these skills at a very young age.
Toddler
In Montessori education, “practical life” is the heart of the Montessori Environment. Toddlers are provided with a set of activities that mimic everyday life tasks, designed to help young children develop independence, coordination, and concentration by engaging in purposeful actions like hand washing, dressing themselves, sweeping the floor, pouring liquids, transferring water, or wiping up spills, essentially learning to care for themselves and their environment through hands-on experiences.
“Help me to help myself” is a motto inspired by Maria Montessori’s philosophy, emphasizing the self-sufficiency and social responsibility learned through activities.
Primary
Practical Life activities in the classroom are designed to provide children with opportunities for purposeful, everyday activities that promote independence, concentration, a sense of order, grace and courtesy, and the development of other practical skills. The primary goal of the Practical Life section is to support the child’s overall development and to lay the foundation for future learning in other areas of the curriculum. It is typically one of the first things that children engage with when they enter a Montessori classroom.
“The first thing to realize about these exercises of practical life is that their aim is NOT a practical one. Emphasis should be laid not on the word “practical” but the word “life.” Their aim (as of all the other occupations presented to the children in the prepared environment) is to assist development.”
E. M. Standing, Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work
