Today let’s tackle the seemingly impossible task of getting our young children to pack away when they are finished.

You’ve heard me say this before. So I am going to rant again. Less…is…more.

If we have a lot of toys out, there will be a lot of toys strewn about the living room by the end of the day.

If the toys are not organised into boxes, or baskets, or on trays, things get chaotic very quickly.

And if the easiest way to tidy everything away is to throw everything in a big toy box and close the lid, then the next day, the quickest way for your kids to find anything, will be to empty those contents back onto the floor.

So actually the first step to encouraging children to pack things away, will take some work from you.

Step 1

1. Choose several favourite activities – I often say just six activities, but the complexity of these activities will increase with the child’s age. The rest can be stored in crates or a cupboard and regularly rotated.

2. Find a basket or tray to hold all the pieces – make sure your child is able to carry it!

3. Set the activities out so each activity has a special place where it lives. Low shelves are great, but a deep window sill or carpet can also work where your space is limited

Step 2

When your child is finished playing, you can show them how the activity goes back to its special place. Young children have a strong sense of order so they will learn quickly where things belong.

Step 3

Then you can pack away alongside your child, taking turns and making it part of the play cycle: choose activity – play – pack away.

This routine emphasises there is a beginning, a middle and an end to a task. We are encouraging the beginnings of the discipline of “completing the task”.

Then you can gradually encourage your child to do more by themselves. Adjust your expectations based on your child’s age and ability.

I suggest not make an issue out of packing away. All we need to do is continuously set the right example in the knowledge that it is absorbed by your child.

** For those of you wanting to be a master, don’t forget to join us on 25 or 27 May for our Designing Spaces for Montessori Children workshop. Details here. **

Good luck everyone. And please let me us know on our Facebook page what works at your house.

Today, let’s have a look at art the Montessori way. What is the best way for you to encourage the inner artist in your child? Here are my 5 favourite tips for creating art with young children.

My top 5 art and craft tips

1. Provide an accessible art and craft area in your home

The child then has everything they need on hand, requiring little or no assistance from an adult. In our house we have set out on the bookshelves at child height:
– a stack of paper in various colours, sizes and textures
– a set of drawers: with crayons in one drawer, pencils in another, markers in another
– a tray with glue sticks, craft glue, scissors, ruler, sticky tape, hole punch, stapler
– box of randomly collected bits for craft (including bottle tops, glitter, crepe paper etc)
– due to limited space in our flat, we don’t have an easel or other painting area. But paintbrushes and paints are on hand whenever we can clear some space on the dining table to paint

When your child is young, the area will be a lot simpler — perhaps one or two crayons and some paper – and will grow with your child.

2. Focus on the process, not the product

Materials are offered for the child’s artistic expression, not the product. Better to describe (such as, looking carefully and commenting, “You used red and orange paint” or “You made lots of circles today”) rather than value judgments (such as, “It is beautiful” or “What is it?” or “Goedzo”).

3. Provide good quality art materials

I recommend to buy fewer good quality art materials that give a nice texture and colour than many cheaper materials that aren’t as beautiful. My favourite pencils are Stabilo Woody 3-in-1. They give a beautiful strong colour and can wash off a smooth table. They aren’t meant for eating so do take care with young children.

4. Show by example

When presenting materials to your child, it is often better to draw squiggles or loose lines than a picture. If you show them a perfect looking flower and they can only scribble, some children will not try at all. And whilst it is nice and highly recommended to create together, side by side, better to take your own piece of paper than draw on your child’s paper. We do not know the child’s intention for the work. Think of it as a fellow student’s picture in an art class. Would you draw a little love heart on their self-portrait? And the best example of all: hang beautiful artwork on the walls of your house and at child height too, for your child to appreciate.

5. Find a way to manage art in your household

Some ideas:
– have a place where you put useable scraps of paper
– use office “in-trays” for each child to put any finished work or work they want to come back to
– once the trays get full, get your child to choose some of their favourites and let them glue them in a ‘plakboek’ (These scrapbooks — available from stationery shops and places like Hema — are reasonably priced and good quality)
– send some to grandparents
– recycle them as unique wrapping paper
– a nice way to keep a record of artwork that is too bulky to keep is to photograph it!

The best sign of a successful art area is one that is being well used. If yours isn’t, have another look at these tips and see if you can make some changes to encourage your child to enjoy exploring the art area in your home.

Dr Montessori was asked if the Montessori environment produced good artists. Her response was, “I don’t know if we produce good artists. But we do produce a child with an eye that sees, a soul that feels, and a hand that obeys.” I think that is a good basis for any artist!

Pop over to our Facebook page and post photos of your art area, or share your favourite art tips and projects. And feel free to post any questions that you have.

And most of all enjoy yourselves!