Montessori Preschool Activities

Question

I am a new teacher and just got hired as a preschool teacher for a Montessori school. I will not be using Montessori tools as my program is more or less aftercare with mostly 3 and 4 year olds. I am trying to find activities to start building a reference binder. I have the flexible to do whatever I want with them. My question is does anyone know any fun art, music, movement, weather, plant, educational, etc lessons that I can teach them. I am just trying to build a foundation right now and feel a little overwhelmed. Thanks for any info!

Answer 1

Check out the Mailbox magazine at your local library - it will give you lots of ideas and themes including extension to all those themes.

Answer 2

One of my favorite things is to create a fishing game that you can use with any theme.  Create fishing poles with dowels, string, and strong magnets.  Then, depending on your theme, create laminated pictures with paperclips on them for the kids to go fishing for.  You can provide a baby pool and buckets if you want to have tons of fun.  Put numbers or letters on them or make them different colors.  As the kids go fishing, do lots of talking about what they are catching and have them sort their catches after they are done!  

Also, sensory tables are key at that age and are tons of fun.  One of my favorite ideas for sensory tables is to fill it with sand and put milk bone dog biscuits in there along with paint brushes and kitty litter scoops.  The kids can go hunting for these 'dinosaur bones'.  

Answer 3

Almost any age-appropriate activity (such as games and art projects that you could find in any preschool classroom or idea book) can be used in a Montessori program, it is really in how it is presented that is key.  Generally speaking, children are allowed a choice of activities, which means, not every child has to participate in your planned activities.

Last year I was the end-of-day teacher in our preschool program.  Besides having access to the Montessori materials (which you may not have if youy are in a different space or are an untrained caregiver) the children had other activities that they could choose from that were not regularly open during the day.  These were presented in a Montessori-consistent manner: in their own basket or container, used at a rug or table, chosen and put away by the same child or children.  

I had one extra activity planned each day- it might be making playdoh, fingerpainting, a game like "Doggie, doggie, where's your bone", a yoga lesson, or a nature walk.

Basically it would look like this: after dismissals and storytime (4 pm), the children who stayed later would gather and I would call them one by one to choose an activity.  Some children would choose Montessori work, some would choose the blocks, puzzles, dress-ups, etc that were only available for that time of day, and some would choose to do the activity or game.  This would all be going on simulataneously in the classroom.  We played outside as much as we could.  Also, the chilren helped with end of day chores like stacking up the chairs, making the late-day snack, and straightening out the coatroom. Remember at that point of the day most children are tired and keep things easy-going and relaxed while also following the ground rules that the kids are used to.

It helps to have one or two good idea books or a written (flexible) schedule for yourself, and also find out what as been done before or what they expect you to complete each day.

GODD LUCK AND HAVE FUN.