Even Batman washes dishes – in the Montessori environment, dishwashing is an essential practical life activity through which children develop concentration, become aware of order and sequencing, gain control over their movements, become more independent, and learn to care for their surroundings.

Dishwashing activities can help children develop skills such as hand-eye coordination, fine motor control, and attention to detail. It also provides children with a sense of responsibility and a sense of helping to care for their environment. Montessori dishwashing activities are usually designed to be hands-on, self-correcting and engaging. For example, children may be shown how to wash dishes using a specific technique, and then given the opportunity to practice the skill on their own with real dishes.

Additionally, this activity encourages children to develop independence, concentration, and a sense of order. They will learn to take care of their tools, to maintain the cleanliness of the area and how to handle utensils in a safe way.

In a Montessori classroom, dishwashing can be presented as a sequence of progressive exercises starting with simple activities such as wiping a table, rinsing off dishes, to more complex such as loading and unloading a dishwasher or washing dishes by hand.

A quick introduction to Practical Life Activities

Montessori practical life activities are exercises that help children develop skills in self-care, care of the environment, and care of others. These activities aim to foster independence, concentration, and coordination in children. Some examples of Montessori practical life activities include:

1. Care of self: activities such as dressing frames, buttoning, zipping, and shoe lacing to help children learn how to dress themselves.
2. Care of the environment: activities such as sweeping, dusting, and polishing to help children learn how to take care of their surroundings.
3. Care of others: activities such as setting a table, serving food, and folding laundry to help children learn how to care for others.
4. Cooking and food preparation: activities such as cracking eggs, grating cheese, and making simple recipes to help children learn about food and nutrition.
5. Fine motor skills: activities such as transferring with tongs, pouring, and threading beads to help children develop fine motor skills.
6. Grace and courtesy: activities such as learning manners, how to greet people, and how to respond to social situations to help children learn how to interact with others.

https://montessoriguide.org/an-introduction-to-practical-life

Subscribe to Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter

Programs offered at ExcellED Montessori Plus include:

✔️Infants (10 Weeks – 18 Months)
✔️Toddlers (18 – 36 Months)
✔️Primary (3-6 Years)
✔️Kindergarten
✔️Mother’s Day Out
✔️Spanish Immersion / Dual Language
✔️After School Programs and Summer Camp (6 – 12 Years)
Other programs included as part of the tuition are Music, Spanish, and Yoga.
Learn more about Inquiry-based Learning