Montessori at Home: Reading

Language is everywhere. Opportunities to support a child’s literacy development is all around, whether they are an infant or an emerging reader.

Within the context of Montessori, children read spontaneously and with joy. A quick online search can make a parent feel overwhelmed with all the activities built around teaching children how to read. Here are a few ways you can support your child’s literacy development at home:

• Play games with sounds. I Spy games with letter sounds help children understand that words are made from sounds. This will give them a strong foundation for when they are introduced to the graphic symbols. Children are naturally drawn to games with language. Simply rhyming words may seem boring to an adult, but an activity like this is very engaging to a young child and requires no materials.

• Offer rich vocabulary. Children have an unlimited capacity for language and no word is too big. Give a name for everything around you, from ingredients you are cooking with to flowers you come across outside. A strong vocabulary builds a strong foundation for reading.

• Give them opportunities to “write". In the classroom, we use a Movable Alphabet for children to express their thoughts before they master the mechanics of handwriting. At home, offer opportunities for your child to associate written words with meaning. Let them help with the grocery list. Let them write letters to friends and family. Even if they are only writing scribbles, they are associating written word with thought.

• Read! Read great books with your children every day. If your child is an emergent reader, let them read to you. Non-readers can read to you by interpreting the pictures and having a conversation about the story. This is called dialogic reading. Dialogic reading builds oral skills, increases vocabulary and supports print awareness.

Independent Play

Often, parents can feel like they are responsible for their child’s entertainment. Just a scroll through Pinterest or Instagram can make a parent feel like they need to set up engaging activities that span from wake up time to bed time. This can leave parents feeling drained and guilty. It’s ok for children to experience boredom! It’s ok for them to be responsible for their own fun. Independent play boosts confidence, supports cognitive development and creativity.

Here are a few tips to encourage independent play at home:

• Observe. When you notice your child is playing independently, what are they playing with? Take note of the things already in your environment that inspire independent play and build on it. Does your child play independently with art materials? Add some new art supplies to their stash. Does your child love to dress up and engage in imaginative play? Add a few new costumes to their collection.

• Take it slow. Start small by offering your child their own activity that they can work on right next to you. Use phrases like: “I’m doing my work while you do yours.” Build on your child playing right next to you to them playing across the room to them playing in their own space.

• Offer quality time. Before encouraging independent play, offer quality one on one time, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Read a book or play a game. Give lots of cuddles. Listen to their stories. Look into their eyes. This connection will make them feel more confident to venture off on their own.