Sustained, child-driven and directed work can occur in many areas; however, 🙌🏻Practical Life's real work affords the most stimulation both physically and mentally. Children ❤️love to do the work they see the adults do. So, to witness the💥 explosion of initiative, passionate work and the inevitable innate satisfaction that naturally transpires, we must simply "follow the child" …
During a practical life activity involving water or food preparation, a child usually wears a Montessori apron.
Montessori apron's elastic neckband and side velcro waistband allow independence for the child who does not yet know how to tie. (Adrian is using Baking Apron – buy here).
What you will need for this 🍒 activity:
- A large tray to define the space and contain the activity (buy here). We are using the ❤️red one to color-coordinate with the 🍒cherries. With deep sides, this specially molded tray will hold spills and keep pitchers or vases where they belong. Perfect for so many Montessori activities. 15¼" x 9" overall; 1" deep.
- Vinyl Mat (buy here) is a thin rollable mat that will cover even more surface to prevent unwanted staining of the table. This mat lies flat after unrolling and wipes clean with a damp sponge. Excellent for Practical Life work or as a lunch mat. Measures 17¾" x 11¾ ".
- A cherry pitter (buy here).
- A stainless steel plucker (buy here) for plucking cherries to provide an opportunity for even more fine-motor stimulation.
Plucking promotes fine-motor control as the child exercises his finger strength.
A child can use a plucker to transfer cherries from and to the bowl/drainer/cherry pitter.
Cherry pitting also promotes gross motor skills as the child has to push down to separate the pit.
"The best instruction is that which uses the least words sufficient for the task."— Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/229008265
“The child can develop fully by means of experience in his environment … Such experiences is not just play … We call such experiences ‘work’. [And] it is work he must do in order to grow up.” — Dr. Maria Montessori
"The sense of independence is to be able to do something for one's self… The child, in fact, once feels sure of himself, will no longer seek the approval of authority after every step."— Dr. Maria Montessori.
And indeed, Adrian no longer needs me to serve him a 🍒 cherry-snack.
"I can do it myself!" he says, and those words are the words of confidence, satisfaction, and joy.
"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed." — Maria Montessori.
See here last year's 🍒Cherry Pitting Activity post. For more on plucking, see here the post "Olive Picker Toddler Transferring Activity."
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